Echoed Steps

Deryn lay in bed silently observing his mate, Halle, stacking the fire. Her wild blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder and she was wrapped only in a sheet from the bed.

Halle turned and smiled at him, her cheeks pink after their lazy afternoon of lovemaking, yet it saddened him there was a flicker of uncertainty at the corners of her mouth. While Halle knew Deryn loved her – he made sure of that – she sometimes doubted herself and her shape after Ffion’s cruel comments when Halle had first arrived at the Welsh estate of Rhos Du.

But here, in this moment, Halle was breathtaking. The light from the fire leapt around, highlighting different parts of her face and making her beautiful eyes sparkle.

Life had settled into a new normal at Castell Rhos Du; Lord Taran and Joni were finding their pace after her trauma, Lianna had been called home to meet with her sister, and Dew was off doing… whatever the Forest Guardian did. Ffion had left to make a new life in Cornwall, and the perpetrators of Joni’s capture and äbüsë were long gone.

After a chaotic start to their life as a couple, Halle and Deryn were now busy settling into life as a newly mated and married pair. Deryn had been welcomed into Halle’s family with open arms, which was bittersweet for him, as it was something he knew could never happen for Halle in return. His family was gone, along with all those he had grown up respecting.