The Legend of the Eight: The Hunted (Book 5)

22: Was It All You Ever Wanted?

TWENTY-TWO: WAS IT ALL YOU EVER WANTED? 
MAY 28
KATE DIAMOND

AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT CURLED up on a loveseat in a hospital waiting lounge, Kate couldn't wait to go home. Not that she wasn't happy to fall asleep on Liam's shoulder---she'd sleep there every night if she could—but there was something about a queen-sized pillow-top with satin sheets and faux-fur blankets that had her itching to get back home.

In the morning, she and the others entered Chloe's maternity suite with bagels and coffee for a celebratory breakfast. Upon walking in, Kate saw the new baby, Vivienne, wrapped in Chloe's arms and sleeping soundly. Though barefaced and reasonably exhausted, Chloe looked more beautiful than Kate had ever seen her. Her porcelain skin was glowing like she'd just come back from a month-long vacation and when she smiled, her large brown eyes twinkled with flecks of gold.

"How are you feeling, Momma?" Kate asked her quietly, admiring the sleeping newborn in her arms. "Did you get any sleep?"

Chloe nodded. "A couple hours. Levi stayed up with Evie so I could rest. He fell asleep a little bit ago."

On the couch across the room, Levi was sprawled out, snoring softly. His long limbs spilled over the edges as if he were a giant trying to fit into a child's bed. He must have been so tired that he didn't mind the cramped accommodations because he hardly stirred when Kate and the others walked in.

"Where's Wil?" Nicole asked after looking around the room. Last they thought, Wil was still with Chloe.

"Went home to shower," Chloe whispered, as to not disturb the baby or Levi. "Damon took her. They're going to get everything ready for the move."

"Move?" asked Drew and Chloe nodded.

"To the Mortal World," she said. "Levi and I are going to take Evie there. She'll be safer. Away from the Doctor and anyone here who could hurt her." She tucked a loose tendril behind her ear and then said, "Wil might come for a little while too. Maybe. I don't know. She still hasn't given me an answer."

Kate looked around the room at the tired faces. They were still in their dresses and suits from yesterday's graduation but their eyes sported heavy purple bags beneath them. Most of them hadn't eaten much of anything since yesterday's breakfast though their stomachs stopped growling hours ago.

She let out a sigh and then smiled nostalgically. "It really is the end of an era, huh?"

Liam put an arm around her shoulders. "For now."

She craned her head up to look at him.

"We're all going off to college but we'll never be far," he said, that time to the whole group. "One day, when it's all over and the Doctor is gone and home is safe for us again, we'll be back. It's the World of Magic. No one ever stays away forever."

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, KATE RETURNED to the palace with Liam beside her. Their feet dragged along the marble floors on the way up to her room and Kate counted the steps until she could throw herself into her bed and sleep away the rest of the day.

They reached her room and Liam stopped just outside it, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to enter it or not.

"What are you doing out there?" Kate laughed, pushing her blonde hair behind her ears and smiling at him.

"I was going to let you sleep," he smiled, taking a step in. "But if you don't want to sleep..."

She walked over to him and put her hands around his neck, swaying with him while they stood. "I want to sleep," she assured him. "But you don't have to leave. You could stay."