Author's Note: There are two versions of the ending since I couldn't decide lol Enjoy!

***

Some days later...

Sunlight threads over my eyes like needles pricking the inside of my closed lids. I turn my head into the pillow and freeze. My body feels heavy and hollow, but it's the scent that disables me. Caleb's scent of sandalwood and rain, and not that of death and the horrors I'd experienced. I haul in a deep, slow breath, wanting to absorb every iota of it into every particle of me, wishing for it to scrub memories of the Nether and the Darkness.

"Morning, sunshine."

I blink my eyes open and turn my head, but regret it instantly. The room wobbles around me, though beneath me, everything is still.

"There, there." Aunt Sabana holds my head steady, somehow knowing that stability is just what I need. By and by, the room stops spinning and her five faces become one. Her eyes are bloodshot and she's aged since the last time I saw her. She's much thinner, and her skin seems to hang from her bones. I know it's due to worry over me, and it hurts that I put her through so much pain, but nothing compared to how much I know she hurt in thinking I was dead.

"How are you feeling?" She attempts a smile, but tears fill her eyes. She strokes my face over and over, and where before I would have shrugged it off, feeling too grown to accept that gentle caress, I lay still and let her dote. Her weathered hands against my face are heaven.

I slip my fingers over hers and smile, though the image of her pixelates behind my tears. "I'm okay."

She nods and takes to smoothing down my hair. "I'm sorry," she says through a light laugh. "I can't help coddling you, but I thought you were gone..."

The tears she was holding back brim and spill freely. She folds over me, her frame wracking with each sob. For a minute, she hugs me so tight, I can't breathe. But it's okay, because I'm alive, and I'll have many more breaths from here on after.

She peels back. "Why didn't you call for me? I'm old, but I could have helped you."

I laugh through my tears. "You're not old, auntie. It was safer if everyone thought I was dead. There were people after us, and I didn't want them to hurt you."

She shakes her head, and though I know she still wishes I would have reached out to her, she sighs resignedly. "I still can't believe the Magus Regent did what he did. We trusted him, invited him into our home. I pride myself on reading people, but he fooled me."

Remembering Caleb's pained stare when he killed him, my heart strums. "He fooled all of us."

"But what more could he want? His nephew was going to be Magus. He would have always had a place of honor among our people."

"That was it. He didn't want a place. He wanted it all, and found an ally in the Darkness."

"Living darkness," she says. "That vision you had sure turned out to be something, huh?" This time she smiles and small crinkles mark the sides of her eyes. "Magic knew to trust you. You brought light to those who needed it, as a Magic should do. But you not only brought it to one man, but you also brought it to an entire race. The things they said you did, Aramina. I'm so proud of you."

Her eyes water again, but she wipes them with her hooded sleeves. "But enough of my tears. I'll have time to cry and fuss over you now that I'm not letting you out of my sight. I suppose I can let that boy of yours in--well, the other boy of yours."

"Other boy?" Memories wash over me like a tidal wave, and my chest tightens. I knew Caleb was here. It's his room after all, but... "Roane is here? He's okay?"

She nods, and squeezing my hands, she stands. I'm happy to be sitting. The relief at knowing Roane is alive and well numbs my limbs.

"He's been coming and going, though, by the looks of him, I think he'd prefer to stay. I've had to order him to get some sleep. He'll spend all day helping his people only to come and sit at your side." She sighs. "He should be back later. Caleb is here, though. Should I have him come in?"

I want to say something, but my throat swells and I can't, so I nod. Caleb and Roane are both safe, and I'm alive to have them both in my life, though in what capacity, I'm still unsure.

Aunt Sabana smiles. "I'll tell him you're awake."

She walks out of the room and a moment later, there is a light rap against the door.

"Come in," I say, my voice a low rasp. I don't know why I'm so nervous, but when the door groans open, I bite my nails into the sheets.

Caleb stands at the threshold alone, a disheveled mess. A beautiful mess. Despite all that's happened, I know for certain, he will always hold a place in my heart.

"Hi," he says, barely making a sound. He enters and closes the door behind him, the small click too loud a noise between us. I tense, not knowing what to do. We deserve a better end to what we were and a better beginning to what I hope we'll be, but I don't know how to broach the subject.

He clears his throat and chuckles. "I hoped it wouldn't be this awkward."

The curve of his lips clutches at my chest and tears well in my eyes. He reaches me before one has a chance to fall.

"What's wrong, Ro?" he asks, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Does something hurt?"

I shake my head. "I missed your laugh."

He chuckles again, a mix of relief and pain flashing across his stare. "Yeah, well, I've missed having you make me laugh."

Those words hurt, but I nod, accepting them. Accepting that he has hurt, too. "I know. I'm so sorry."

He turns his gaze down. "It's okay. I shouldn't have said it." He smiles, but not before I'm able to see his heartache. "I'm just happy you're okay. For a minute there, I didn't know if you'd make it out of that cloud. I couldn't see you through it, and didn't know what I would've done if that darkness had consumed you."

"You would have done what you had to do to save our people. The same you did with your Uncle..."

He stiffens at this and instantly feels lifetimes away. Standing, he walks to the window seat, and sitting says nothing.

"You don't blame yourself for this, do you?"

"I killed him, Ro. I still can't believe he was a part of all of this, but he was my father's brother." He shrugs. "I had to do it, but I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for what I did. All I can hope is that I've avenged all the non-magics who lost their lives in some way, given their families some closure. Maybe now my mother can rest in peace."

"You can't blame yourself, Caleb. Your mother went into the Nether because of him, and through him, every realm would have fallen. I saw Darkness' plan. With a human body, she was going to destroy every realm without mercy."

He nods, but still won't look at me. "I know, but it just hurts. He was the only family I had left."

His words tear at my insides and leave me struggling for a breath. I untangle myself and toss aside the blankets. My legs are sore and my body heavy, but I push through and sit beside him at the window. "You're wrong. I know we're not where we imagined we'd be, but that doesn't mean that I've completely erased you from my heart. You're not alone, Caleb. As long as I live, you'll always have a family."

A half-smile touches his lips and he lowers his face. "I didn't say it so you'd pity me, Ro. You have Roane now, and—"

"And that doesn't change our history or our future. I'll be in your corner for as long as you need me, Caleb."

He presses a hand against my cheek. "I'll always be in your corner, Ro." Drawing close, he presses a kiss on my forehead. "And if he hurts you, he'll have to answer to me... though I'll have to get a few more weapons."

We laugh, and for a moment, it feels like old times. Before darkness and heartache and loss. It's nice to have something of us back, even if we have to start all over.

"I'll see you soon." Trailing his fingers along my jaw one last time, he stands and walks out of the room. 

I make it halfway to the bed when the door opens. I spin, expecting Caleb. I freeze at seeing Roane there instead. Our gazes meet, and just like that, I forget how to breathe.

"How are you?" His voice is low and deep, and rumbles in the room.

I nod. "How are you? How's..." I motion to the area over my heart.

It's him who nods now. "Good, good. Healed."

Silence.

It sucks that we're so odd with each other, and I wish we had the same ease that carried us through the insanity that was the past few weeks, but we're not Sharing anymore, and that uncertainty looms between us. As does our kiss... at least it does for me.

He walks closer and sits at the chair next to the bed. Leaning forward, he laces his fingers between his knees and deflates with a sigh. "I never got to say thank you," he says, his gaze focused down to his hands. "I thought I was strong enough, but obviously I wasn't, and you saved me. You saved my people..."

"It's not a matter of strength," I say, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You had only just left the Nether. All of your memories were of pain, guilt, loss... All the kindness shown to you was new, but Darkness has existed since before either one of us. You held her off for long enough. We defeated her together."

I reach out and touch his hands. It's instinctual, and worry flutters within me, coupled with a warmth that floods my veins. I missed him. Missed looking at him and touching him, and I no longer have Sharing to blame. But does he feel the same?

Panic rises into my throat and I start to pull my hands away but Roane folds his fingers over mine and stays my retreat. We sit in silence, our fingers tangling together as if testing for rightness. I hope it feels right to him. To me, it reminds me of home.

"Besides," I say, needing to fill the silence, "I never would have figured it out if it hadn't been for you."

His fingers pause on mine, and he looks at me, his brow furrowed. "Why? What did I do?"

"You said darkness will take away everything if I let it. If I let it. Well, that meant I had the power to let her come or tell her to go, and that's what I did. As long as I feared her or was ashamed of who I was, I gave her power over me. So, I took it back. I stopped fearing her. I didn't let her take away my pride or my love. When I no longer feared her, she was powerless against me. "

A slow smile breaks over his lips. "You never cease to amaze me, human."

I arch a brow. "I'm full of surprises, elf."

We laugh, our hackles filling the room around us.

Our eyes meet again, and slowly our laughs wither to mirroring smiles, then to silence. Our hands are still entwined, and we're edging on a conversation weeks in the making, but somehow, after all we've been through, neither one of us is brave enough to begin.

"So, what happens to your people now?" I ask.

"We start again. We're free from the darkness now, all of us. Even the ones that had taken on the Darkness have started to change back. Finvarra has sent convoys to help lead our people out of the Nether. So has Caleb. The Dead Lands are overgrown and wild, but we'll make it work. Anything is better than that darkness." He sighs heavily, his gaze focused on our hands. He strokes his thumb gently along mine, his touch telling me he's missed me too. "The other realms have sent help as well, though I think it's to protect Forever. They don't trust us yet."

"They will. It takes time, and we've all been divided for so long. But you have Caleb's support and Finvarra's. Like you said, it's a start. It won't take them long to see that they can trust you. I know it won't."

"I hope so. I won't let darkness ruin us again. I've sent out my sentries throughout the provinces to make sure none of the minor kings decide to give Darkness a home. If they do, it will have been a willing choice and they will be removed."

I can't help the small smile that touches my lips.

"What?" Roane asks.

I shrug. "Your tone is very...regal."

A faint blush touches his cheeks.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. You're going to be a great king, Roane. You are a great king. The Elves are lucky to have you as the one leading them out of the darkness."

He looks at me. "Just as I was lucky to have you leading me out of mine."

He says this, and I pause, the weight of his words hitting me all at once. In the end, I kept him from the darkness my vision warned me of. I did it. I completed my charge.

"How did you know it would work?" he asks through my thoughts.

"I didn't. You said your father couldn't hurt you as Darkness didn't want a damaged vessel. I figured if I hurt you enough so close to Swelling, Darkness would take my body instead, and regardless of what happened, you would still be King and you would have been free to find another way to save your people."

"You sacrificed yourself for my people. I'll always be indebted to you, Aramina." My name from his lips is barely a whisper, and reaching over, he brushes a strand of hair that's clung to my lip just as softly. It's a gentle touch that tightens at my core.

His eyes dip to my lips, and then brown eyes meet mine. I see the torment there, the uncertainty. Before I can probe it or assure him with my touch, he drops his hand and stands up. "I should get back. Get some rest, okay?"

He starts for the door—

"Roane, wait." I meet him by the door. The possibility of his rejection hits me harder than the trolls at the bridge, but I can't let fear and doubt taint us. They're doors that let the darkness in. "When we met, I was in a bad place. My life had fallen apart, and I was free-falling into anger and bitterness. I gave up. But in the midst of battling your own demons and those waiting in the Nether, you gave me the hope and strength and so much more. You were the bright light that let me see things clearer. You helped me realize that I'd let darkness take so much from me. I refuse to give it anymore. That's why we can't leave any place for it to grow. Like us, right here, right now. I don't want us to be this. We're more than this. More than awkward silences and formalities, and... just more. I know we crossed certain lines that maybe we weren't ready to cross, but I would hate it if that changed what we had before, you know, the kiss." I lower my eyes away. "Sharing aside, I do care for you, Roane. A lot." I shrug. "I just wanted you to know that."

He's quiet for a minute where my heart batters against my ribs, but then his cool fingers come under my chin, and he tilts my face to his.

"I was ready," he says, his words a fog against my lips. "I was ready to cross whatever line I needed to get to you. I still am."

My heart soars and falls, dips and twists. "There are no lines. Not anymore." Not between the realms, and not between us.

His brown eyes meet mine, awareness dawning in his gaze. Still, he asks, "What are you saying?"

I press a hand against his cheek, his stubble tickling my fingertips. "It means I choose you."

He searches my face as if to find proof of my words. That yes, I care about him. I hold his stare and let him search, let him absorb my confession, hoping he feels the intensity of it radiating off my person.

He lowers his head. Our noses touch, and then our lips. I snake my arms around his neck, his fingers dig into my back, and our kiss deepens.  Whatever control we had dissolves to surrender as our mouths and bodies get reacquainted. This is what we both want, each other, with no Sharing to taint us with doubt. 

This time, we share something true. Something more than magic. It's pure and bright and leaves no room for darkness.

Thank you so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed the story. Please remember to vote and comment and share if you enjoyed the story!