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Chapter 21

Six months later

"Are you happy with this tree?" Jace and Aiden were carrying a tree into our house. Christmas was coming, and I was so excited to be celebrating it with everyone.

"It's perfect," I smiled at him and accepted the kiss from him as he walked by. "I love all the old traditions that carry on."

"Edward sent this over for you," Theo followed behind them, weighted down by a huge box. "Not sure what's in it."

We spent a few hours decorating our new house.

The trip to England had been boring given everything we'd gone through to get there. Edward met us at the airport and drove us personally to the house we live in now. It's in Cambridge, just outside of England. It's old and beautifully restored and I love every inch of it.

Edward gave us more money than we can ever use. And he gave us things all the time.

After we arrived, we had to verify a few people, and put an illusion or two into someone's head to be there for the rest of their lives, but that was it. Edward left us alone, and we were grateful for it.

Jace saw Aiden every day. They'd really bonded, and were very close. Jace wanted to join the military, and as much as I hated it, I thought he'd enjoy it.

As we sat by the fire, I allowed my thoughts to drift off to Avalon. I wanted the holidays to last forever, once they were over, we had to preside over a trial for someone I never wanted to see again: My father.

Dad and Neil were caught during that attack we were extracted from. Turned out their crimes were far greater than we could have ever imagined. They were actually Assertives, so they were being tried for war crimes, and other crimes against humanity based on what they did to the children from The Gathering. We'd hear it all then. Edward, and a few other European leaders, would also be there, but Jace and I had been kind of be in charge. I had to verify that what they said was the truth, dig out information when I needed to, and make sure they weren't going into anyone else's head. It was going to be very taxing for me, and I said if Jace wasn't allowed to be there, and Theo and Aiden our personal guards, there was no way.

Turns out, people totally want to give us anything we want.

"That tree is beautiful," Jace made the statement again. "I'm glad you wanted to do it. I loved the one at the palace, and I wanted one."

"Well, we're going to be building our own traditions, and get on with being normal," I snuggled closer to him, not feeling like I could get close enough.

"We'll get through it," Jace kissed my nose. He'd started doing that lately. It always caused me to wrinkle my nose and giggle. "We can do anything together."

"You know," I pushed away from him and sat up. "That promise you made me on our wedding day?" He nodded. "You've totally made good on it. I feel loved and cherished, and I hope you do too."

"Look into my mind," his face serious. I did, and saw that he felt the same way I did. "You and me, Rix. We've got this. That trial will be nothing. We can do it."

"As long as you hold my hand," I reached for his.

"Always," he brought my fingers to his lips and kissed them.