Prophecy (Sun and Moon Book 3)

Epilogue - Alarm

           I wake to yelling. It’s familiar yelling, and I groan, rolling over so that I’m on top of the warm body next to me. He blinks up at me, his amber eyes groggy. I kiss him, running my fingers through his hair, then pull back to whisper in his ear. “The alarm’s going off.”

            He groans, his hands tight on my waist. “I hear them. Can’t we just stay in bed all day?”

            I grin down at him, tracing his scar with my fingertips. “I wish. But I don’t think Uncle will like that too much.”

            He growls. “Who cares?” Then he’s kissing me again, and he’s flipped me over so I’m underneath him, and my hands are running down his back--then, banging on the door.

            The yelling gets louder.

            I groan. “Too late.” Shoving him off me, I clamor out of bed and find my clothes. After a moment, Zuko does the same.

            When we’re dressed, Zuko throws open the door and stomps down the stairs. He almost slips on the water that’s soaking through the staircase, and with a deep sigh I bend it up and toss it into a pot.

            Stepping out onto the porch, Zuko shields his eyes from the morning sunlight. When I stop beside him, the sight I see makes me shake my head. Kya and Kuzon are racing around on the sand in front of the beach house, bending at each other. Kya sends a blast of fire towards Kuzon, who deflects it with a ball of water.

            Lia is stomping around after them, yelling. “You two need to calm down and talk about this! I’m going to get mom and dad! Will you two quit it?!”

            The twins ignore her, and I sigh. Zuko leans down to whisper in my ear, his breath rushing across my skin and heightening my heartbeat. “Maybe we should just laugh about this.”

            “If we laugh,” I whisper back, “they’ll think it’s okay.”        

            Now it’s his turn to sigh. “Right.”

            With that we step down onto the beach, and then we’re both bending, pulling the elements away from our unruly eight-year-olds, putting our hands on our hips, glaring at them.

            “What’s all this noise about?” Zuko growls at them, and Kya pouts. “Kuzon said I’m not pretty!”

            Zuko groans and stares up at the sky while I repress a giggle. “Honey, I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

            “No, I meant it!” Kuzon glares at Kya, who sticks her tongue out at him. I open my mouth, but Lia suddenly marches in between them and says, very loudly, “IF SHE’S NOT PRETTY THEN YOU’RE NOT EITHER, YOU’RE TWINS YOU DUMMY!”

            Kuzon looks stunned at this, then he suddenly starts shaking his head. “I don’t wanna be pretty! It’s not manly.”

            Zuko and I look at each other. Then we look at our children, all of them wild and crazy and adorable.

            And we start laughing.