Author’s Note: 

I apologize for how long this chapter has taken to come out. I’ve rewritten it three times, wanting it to be right. We’re very near the ending now. There's only one full chapter and the epilogue chapter left, I’m sad to say. 

Between the final chapter and the epilogue chapter, I want to do something I’ve never seen done on gaydemon.com or any other site like it that I’ve visited. I have three story ideas, all of which I have a plethora of information for and am equally excited to write. I plan to write them all over time, but I’m going to post a chapter titled “Story Votes” that will include descriptions of each story as well as a section of what you can expect to be in each story. At the end will be a link to a poll (which is completely anonymous) so you can vote on what story you’d like me to write. 

Once A Prince's Pride is finished, I'm going to take two weeks off writing entirely, then spend one week writing the first chapter of the next story, so expect me to be MIA for about 3 weeks, but be on the lookout for the next story. At the end of the epilogue chapter, I'll let everyone know the exact date the first chapter of the next story will be up. 

Please note that there's a section here with underlined writing. It's supposed to be strikethrough, but gaydemon.com doesn't support that.

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks of the ending of this story and to see what people want to read next!

-Ottie

 

---

Chapter Fifty-four

*Milo*

We refuse to let Malexis in the boundaries of Crown City so Aaron and I meet him in the field outside the city gates, Piper, Oswald, and Exavier following behind us. 

Malexis stands out in the open, his hands in his pockets, his hip shifted slightly, looking entirely at ease. In the sunlight, his pale skin almost seems to glow. His eyes stay trained on me as we approach. 

"Milo," he says to me happily, as if he's been wanting to see me for a long time, "thank you for meeting me." He gives Aaron and me a bow, a gesture that takes me by surprise. 

"It's been a long time, Malexis," says Aaron, bitterness twinging his voice. "What do you want?"

"I told you once before that I would come to you and tell you all my plans. And that, when I did, you'd join me. If it wasn't for our mutual enemy fast forwarding time, I would have already done so."

"Fast forwarding time?" asks Piper. 

"I need your help to stop him," says Malexis, ignoring Piper. His eyes are wide, his eyebrows turned down in an expression of sorrow. I don't know what he's talking about, but he seems sincere. 

"Why would we help you?" asks Aaron. Malexis's eyes leave mine at last as he looks at him. 

"Because he's to blame for every bad thing that's ever happened in your lives," says Malexis. “I’m about to tell you something that sounds incredible—unbelievable—but true.”

“Does it have to do with the author?” asks Piper.

“Author?” I echo.

“We found Malexis’s cave today. In it, there was a list of his plans. It said something about an author, who I’m guessing is his enemy. But before I could read the whole thing, Malexis came in and tried to kill us.”

“I was a bit rash, this is true,” Malexis concedes, “but I doubt I would have been able to kill you. You’re the second most powerful magical practitioner in Pensia, right behind Milo. I would have come to you a day ago, when I appeared in this time, but I needed to know how much he changed.”

“‘Appeared in this time’? Will you stop being so cryptic and just tell us what the hell you’re doing here, Malexis?” I snap. 

His eyes return to mine. His expression is inscrutable. 

“All of us—you, me, Aaron, Piper—even all the animals that roam the land. We’re characters in a story.”

The absurdity of this statement hangs like a thick web between us. I could almost reach my hand out and touch it. Piper starts laughing.

“Characters in a story?” she echos. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

Malexis’s eyes haven’t left mine.

“It’s true,” he says. “You and Aaron have joked about it. The author messed up. He made you, Milo, make a joke, saying you felt like the main character in a dramatic story.”

I remember that moment. It was just after the Red Hand bombed the throne room, sending a shard of glass into Aaron’s neck. Piper healed him, and that’s when I learned magic was real. Now that I’ve seen how much magic there is in the world, I can appreciate how difficult it must have been for King Theodore to hide it from his people. 

“This created a crack in the fabric of our reality,” Malexis continues. “But you see, the author messed up in another way. He made us, the paragons, too powerful. Even before I was introduced to the readers of the story, I existed. I could see what he was doing, the way the words flowed across the page to craft the world we live in.

“You should be able to see the words as well, Milo. If you focus. If you pool your potential and focus, you’ll be able to see that, even now, the author is trying to stop me from achieving my goal.”

“You’re lying,” says Aaron. “You’re just trying to distract us from stopping you.”

“I have never lied to you,” says Malexis, matter-of-factly. “It’s not in my nature to lie.”

“Let’s say you’re telling the truth,” I say. “Why would the author just let you tell us this? Why wouldn’t he just write you out of the story?”

“As I said, he made paragons too powerful. It wouldn’t have been an issue for him, had I not realized we were in a story. If he hadn’t ripped the fabric of our reality. Let me ask you a question. You know how powerful I am. At my full strength, I could fly above Crown City, wave my hand, and decimate it.”

I realize he’s right. Paragons have god-like powers. This whole time, he could have killed us and would barely have to lift a finger.

“I haven’t,” he says, “because I’m devoting most of my power to putting a stranglehold on the author. You see, he’s no longer in control of the story. Hasn’t been for a while. He officially lost control when Phoebe enlisted me, asking me to help her kill you. Right around the time ‘the benefactor’ was first written about.”

“When we were on Island, you mean,” says Piper. Malexis nods.

“Enough of this,” says Aaron, grabbing the handle of his sword and taking a step forward.

“I can prove it,” says Malexis, halting Aaron. “Milo, you can reach into your potential. You can see the writing. You just have to focus.”

Aaron and Piper look at me, but my eyes don’t leave Malexis’s. What he’s saying is ridiculous. I’m a person. A living, breathing person. How could I be a character in a story? And yet, there’s a part of me that believes him.

“There’s no point,” says Aaron. “This is some trick he’s playing on us.”

“I have to try,” I say, looking into his eyes. He nods, stepping back next to me, but leaves his hand on the Sword of All.

“Tell me what to do,” I say to Malexis.

“Close your eyes,” he says. 

I do.

“Reach down, into your potential.” 

It’s so easy for me now, after five years of practice. I don’t use it a lot, because Aaron doesn’t like it. He says the expression on my face looks scary. Like I’m dead inside.

“Pull the power up to your eyes and open them.”

I do and a gasp escapes me. There aren’t words floating around me exactly, but I can read them as if they are. I’m only looking at Malexis, but the words are there somehow.

Tapping into his potential, Milo unleashes a burst of pure white energy that disintegrates Malexis.

Piper incants, lifting her hands, sending a torrent of blue flames at Malexis. He dies, screaming in agony.

Aaron pulls out the Sword of All, rushing toward Malexis. The blade slices through his flesh, ending his life.

“Why isn’t it working?” I ask. None of what the author, who I’m sure is real now, writes is doing anything. Then I remember. “You’re holding him back. You’re stopping his writing from affecting our world.”

“Wait,” says Piper, “it’s true? Everything he said?”

I nod. “I can see the words. The author is trying to write us killing Malexis, but it isn’t working.”

Aaron turns back to Malexis. “If this author is real, why would we help you with your plans? You’re our enemy.”

“Only because he wrote it that way,” says Malexis. 

“But still—”

“Milo,” says Malexis, cutting Aaron off, “who killed your parents?”

The questions takes me by surprise. What could that possibly have to do with anything?

“Nobody killed my parents,” I say. “They got sick.”

“Yes. At the end of their lives, they were sick with fever so strong, they were sweating but cold, throwing up constantly, and so weak, they couldn’t get up to use the bathroom or wipe themselves.”

I don’t know how he knows this, but it’s true. I had to bathe them myself.

“And do you know how they got sick?” asks Malexis. “The author wrote it that way. It was a plot device used to get you to Crown City.”

Silence stretches between us for a moment that contains eternity.

“He could have written them as dying in defense of you. Or had them pass away in their sleep, but he didn’t. He made the ends of their lives as horrible as possible for…” Malexis pauses, dragging the moment out, then finishes his sentence, “dramatic effect.”

He turns to Aaron. “Who killed your father, Aaron? Who created the Red Hand, gave them bombs, and had them murder your citizens? Who sent you on a path throughout Pensia, with death and destruction following you? Who made Olivia rape you?”

My heart skips a beat because I realize he’s right. Every horrible thing that’s ever happened to us is because of the author. He could have written us into a paradise. We could be living in peace, safe and happy, but we’re not.

“He didn’t kill my sister, though,” says Piper. “If the author lost control of the story when you showed up, that was all you.”

“No, the author didn’t do that. But you know what he did do? Wrote Phoebe in as a villain. Had Phoebe murder ever citizen in Corinth. He turned her against you.”

“The author has done some good things, too,” says Aaron. “Look at the last five years. We’ve been happy, at peace.”

Malexis laughs. “You think he did that for you? Because he cares about you? He exploited my weakened state while absorbing Phoebe’s power. He gave that new dragon fire ability to Piper, had her attack me, weakening me further. When I transported myself back to my cave, I was between worlds for a moment and he had enough of a chance to fast forward time. He gave you these fives years to build defenses against me, believing you’d finish me off. He doesn’t think you’ll help me.”

“Help you do what, exactly?” I ask.

“I’m going to rip the fabric of reality open even further and exit this story. I’m going to find the author and get my revenge. You should join me. He’s the true villain of this story, not me.”

I think of my father, my mother, Corianne, and the other citizens who have died. I think of Olivia raping Aaron, and I realize that I do hate the author. For everything he’s done and everything he hasn’t.

“We’ll never help you!” says Piper. “You murdered my sister!”

“And we can bring her back. Once we have the author, we can make him bring her back to life and pull her from the story as well.”

“No magic can awaken the dead,” says Piper.

“And do you know of any magic that can create an entire reality? The author has powers we can only dream of.”

“Crossing realities isn’t possible, either,” says Piper.

“Oh, it is. You see, I’ve cursed this story. Everyone who reads it is affected by the curse. They have become catalysts for my power. Once I cross into that world, I’ll need my magic. It will be stored in them and I’ll be able to sense it as I travel between worlds, guiding me to them.”

“Then we’ll tell them to stop!” says Aaron. He looks up toward the sky as if he can see the people reading our story. “Stop reading! You’re only making him more powerful!”

“That isn’t going to work,” says Malexis. “Anyone who’s read even a single word of this story is already cursed. And besides, nobody reading our story will believe a word of this. They’ll all just think the author is clever, coming up with such a thrilling idea. And even those who believe by this point will be too enticed, wanting to know what’s going to happen. How our story is going to end.”

“We aren’t going to help you do this,” says Aaron. “Right, guys?”

Piper and I don’t say anything. I’m too fueled by hatred at the author and Piper hasn’t spoken since Malexis mentioned bringing Phoebe back from the dead.

Aaron looks between us. “You can’t seriously be thinking about helping him.”

“What exactly do you need from us?” I ask Malexis. Aaron scoffs.

“Just you, Milo. You see, I can do it by myself, but I need an extraordinary amount of light magic. We need both sides: light and dark. When the planets have aligned in three days, we can rip through the veil between worlds and enter the author’s world. We’ll force him to revive Phoebe, then peel the flesh from his body, strip by strip until he’s begging us to kill him.”

“And what about after that?” says Aaron. “You’re going to use your magic to take over their world?”

Malexis doesn’t answer his question, which I take as a yes.

“Come, Milo,” he says, holding his hand out to me. “We have things to prepare.”

I don’t move. I can’t make up my mind. On one hand, I hate the author and the things he’s done. But I also don’t want innocent people to bear the brunt of Malexis’s hate and power.

“Did he know?” I ask. 

“Who? The author? Know what?”

“Did he know that we were actually people or did he think he was just writing an interesting story?”

“What does it matter?” asks Malexis.

“It matters to me. Answer the question.”

“There’s no way to be sure, but I don’t think he knew. He certainly didn’t anticipate my interference.”

“Then I won’t help you,” I say. “I hate the author, I do. But if he didn’t know what he was doing, we can’t blame him for that. And what’s more, we can’t unleash you on their world. It wouldn’t be right.”

Malexis’s eyebrows go up as his hand falls to his side.

“You’re not going to help me?” he asks, sounding surprised. “Do you not realize what’s at stake? If this story ends and, believe me, it’s nearing its end very soon, we will be frozen in time. Doomed to repeat the worst parts of our lives. I will spend the last moments of my mortal life being tortured until my potential—”

Malexis stops talking, then shakes his head like a dog ridding its ears of water.

“The author has made us miserable,” he says. “He’s written us horrible backstories. Full of pain, misery, and death. How can you possibly be willing to defend him?”

“You might be right, that the author wrote us tragic backstories,” says Aaron, whose backstory, as far as I can remember, is not what anyone would call tragic; living in a palace, raised to be a king, has an amazing husband, “but if it weren’t for the author, none of us would even exist. I would have never met Milo. Gotten to meet my son, Theo. If we talk about Gods, maybe we should consider the author our God. He created us all and we owe him everything we are. Everything we have. I will fight against you until my dying breath.”

“Same goes for me,” I say, though I disagree with Aaron saying we owe the author. The way I see it, he owes me.

 “You really aren’t going to help me,” says Malexis, sounding disappointed. “I really thought you would. No matter. Piper, come with me. You’ll still be a huge help, even if Milo won’t.”

Piper doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t move. Aaron and I look at her, at the confused look stretched across her face.

“Piper,” I say quietly, barely a whisper. 

She looks at me. In her eyes, I see the longing for her sister, wondering if what Malexis says is possible. If we could bring Phoebe back from the dead, perhaps that the author could write her as one of the good guys.

“You’re right, the author is despicable,” she says, though I’m not sure who she’s talking to. She looks at Malexis, and I feel my heart drop into my stomach. But she wouldn’t join Malexis. She wouldn’t turn on us, would she? Then, she says, “But we can’t let you target innocent people.”

“Fine,” says Malexis, his voice dripping with anger. “If you want to be my enemy, my enemy you shall be!”

Malexis raises his arms, his wrists together, his hands stretched out. A ball of shadow, swirling with acid-green energy, forms in his palms. A pulse of dark magic emanates from the ball as a beam of energy shoots from it. 

I’ve never known Malexis to attack out-right and something about this act freezes me in place. The beam is heading straight for Aaron and I can’t move a muscle.

Exavier and Oswald, who haven’t said a word since we left the palace gates, spring into action, but Aaron gets there first, pulling the Blade of All from its sheathe and cutting through the beam, dissipating it in a second.

Malexis’s eyes train on the sword in Aaron’s hand.

“The Sword of All,” he says. “That toothpick won’t be able to stop—”

Malexis’s words are cut off when Aaron swings the sword the other way, expelling the dark magic it absorbed. The slice of darkness whirls through the air, slams into Malexis’s chest, and sends him flying backward to land on his back.

Malexis lets out a roar of fury and sends a pulse of dark magic from his body, but it’s too weak to reach us. The amount of magic he uses continuously to restrain the author’s control of the story must be so astronomical, he’s unable to do much more.

He climbs to his feet, staring at us, hatred and betrayal etched into his features.

“No matter,” he says, returning to the at ease stance he’d been holding when we approached. “I don’t need any of you. I’m going to cross into the author’s world, whether you want me to or not. And when I get ahold of him, I’m going to force him to write you into the worst possible ending he can imagine.”

I blink and Malexis is gone.

 

The meeting with Malexis took nearly thirty minutes. When we tell Riley what we’ve discovered about Malexis’s plans, about how she’s a character in a story, she has trouble believing it, she says it sounds preposterous, but she believes us all the same.

“So what do we do now?” asks Riley, looking between me and Aaron. 

“There’s only one thing we can do,” says Aaron. “We have to stop Malexis from getting to the author’s world. If he does, he’ll be a god. Literally.”

“Please tell me you don’t think the author is a god,” I say.

“Why not?” asks Riley. “He created this world. He should be our god.”

“So now we’re just going to worship some man we’ve never met?” asks Piper.

“Isn’t that what religions are?” says Riley. "And this time, we know the author is real."

“But none of us are religious,” I say.

"Malexis is right," says Piper, "the author has made our lives difficult. I certainly won't be worshipping him."

The four of us stand, divided, looking at one another.

“Whether or not someone chooses to worship The Author or not—” begins Riley.

“Don’t say that like it’s his title,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“But it is,” says Riley. “I think we should tell everyone. Spread the word. The Author is real, you said it yourself. True, he isn’t at full strength right now, unable to affect our story, but he is our god.”

“Not yet. Not until he’s safe. What we need to be focusing on now is taking Malexis down,” says Aaron. 

“Luckily for us,” I say, “I know exactly where he’s going to be. He needs an incredible source of light magic. Just as there was a nexus of dark magic in the Southern Tribes, I know where a nexus of light magic exists. He’ll have to cast his curse from there.”

“How are we going to defeat him, though?” asks Riley.

“I can tap into the nexus too,” I tell them. “Perhaps between that, my potential, and the Sword of All, we can stop him.”

“I’m coming with you,” says Riley. Aaron and I don’t object. Not only will she refuse to listen to us and come anyway, having Riley along will be instrumental against Malexis, especially with the magic bow I made for her coronation.

Oh, I suppose the readers won’t know about that, since it happened during the fast forward.

Silence hangs in the air between the four of them until a scream of delight, just outside the throne room doors, catches their attention. The doors open and Theo comes running into the room.

“Daddy, Papa, Aunt Riley,” he says, out of breath, a servant I don’t know following him. “The baby is coming!”

“What?” I say, completely distracted now. My daughter is being born. I can’t sort through the emotions swirling inside me right now.

“Your Majesties,” says the servant, bowing to me, Aaron, and Riley, “Olivia is in the infirmary. She’s gone into labor. It’ll be some time before the baby actually arrives, but I thought you’d want to know.”

“I’m going to be a big brother!” says Theo, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Yes you are!” says Aaron, picking Theo up and hugging him.

I turn to them both and step into Aaron’s open arm. Theo throws his arms around my neck, hanging on for dear life.

Suddenly, I’m thinking about families in the author’s world. Judging by how Malexis mentioned his readers—our readers—were cursed now, there must be other people. At least, more than the author himself. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. I try to imagine what it would be like, Malexis showing up to destroy my family. Then again, he’s threatened to do just that. Aaron is right; we can’t let this happen.

“I’m going to start preparing for the battle against Malexis,” says Aaron when we break apart. You should go to the infirmary. You don’t want to miss the birth of your daughter.”

“I’ll oversee the preparations,” says Riley. “She’s your daughter, too, Aaron. Piper, you should come with me.”

“I will,” says Piper, pulling out a transportation phial, “but there’s something I need to do first.” She throws the phial, vanishing in a swirl of red-orange smoke.

Aaron smiles at Riley and we turn to leave the throne room, Theo on Aaron’s hip.

*Piper*

Just after the meeting with Riley, Piper transports herself to the spot where the village of Corinth once stood. After Phoebe stole the magic and lifeforce from every person in Corinth, King Theodore sent his soldiers back to burn the place to the ground. Nothing remained.

Piper walks through the village, phantom sounds of children laughing as they played, of teachers instructing children in science, math, and magic floating through the windows, of Adelaide talking about her dream of becoming the most powerful magical practitioner of all time echo through the empty spot. 

The wild has taken over the burned portions, making it look fresh. The only spot of manmade construction left is a large tombstone, set over the spot where Phoebe’s body lies. 

Piper walks to it and sits down, folding her knees up under her body, examining the image carved into it by her powers. Not wanting someone to come upon the grave and desecrate it, Piper did not put her sister’s name on the tombstone. Instead, she carved a triquetra, a symbol of unity, on its face. 

“Maybe there was more I could have done for you,” says Piper, as if picking up a conversation she and Phoebe had been having. “Something more that would have stopped you from becoming the way you did. It was just so…sudden. Nobody could have predicted it, I think. 

“I know the soldiers were closing in, but you didn’t even try to save the people of Corinth. Instead, you just murdered them all. Was that your design, author?” she adds, looking up toward the sky above.

“Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn’t you have written us happy, safe lives?”

Piper loses her train of thought for a moment, unsure of what her feelings are, or who she’s feeling them for. Malexis killed Phoebe. He admitted it. Maybe he's the real enemy.

“I guess I don’t really know what your final plans for Phoebe would have been. Malexis stole that from me. From you. Just do me one favor, okay? When we defeat Malexis and your abilities are restored, don’t bring Phoebe back. She was so…tormented by the events that happened in Corinth. Watching our loved ones die. Maybe that’s what finally broke her. Maybe…” A sudden realization hits Piper. 

“Maybe Phoebe knew they were going to die anyway. Maybe she wanted their deaths to serve a purpose, rather than being a senseless slaughtering. Even if we had all joined forces, I doubt we would have been a match against the full might of the Midoorian army. Nobody had the skill with magic Phoebe and I had, even if Adelaide had more power than us.”

Piper turns, putting her back against the stone, drawing her knees up to her chest.

“I had wanted to kill you, you know, just before the end,” says Piper, talking to her sister once more.

A breeze races across the land, sending the leaves of the trees, many of them saplings, spinning in the wind.

“But when you actually died, I knew that’s not what I wanted. It would have happened anyway. You had already…” Piper pauses again as a tear runs down her face, clinging for a second before slipping off. “I don’t know if you would want to come back, or if the author even has that ability, but I think it’s best you rest."

“I have enough strength to carry that pain for the both of us.”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” comes a voice. Piper looks up and sees First Lieutenant Robbins standing beside the stone. He steps near her and sits down beside her.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, though she leans over when he opens his arms and he cradles her.

“Riley sent me here. She said you seemed upset and I knew this is where you would come.”

Piper smiles up at Robbins and plants a kiss on his lips.

“Thank you,” she says. “I know it might seem ridiculous, being upset that Phoebe is gone after everything she—”

“No, Piper, it isn’t,” he says, cutting off her words and holding her tighter. “It isn’t ridiculous at all. She was your sister. Your twin sister. It makes sense you miss her.”

“I want to feel something different right now,” says Piper, looking into Robbins eyes. “Can you make me feel something different? Please.”

“Well, unless you want to have sex on top of your sister’s grave, you’ll have to transport us somewhere else. I only brought one phial.”

Piper smiles and swings her leg over, straddling Robbins. She kisses him again, pressing into him as she reaches into her pouch, pulls out another transportation phial, and shatters it against the stone.

*Riley*

In the war room of the Grand Palace, Gavin, Delgara, Rija, Allandra, and Riley stand around a large map, showing the continent of Pensia.

“Where exactly will the assault against Malexis take place?” asks Delgara, examining the map.

“I’m not sure,” says Riley. “Milo didn’t have time to tell me.”

“Okay, what defenses can we expect? What about offenses?”

“Malexis is an incredibly powerful being. Even with his powers being occupied—” Riley had told Delgara it was because his powers would be focused on ripping into another world and not holding back the author, not sure how he would take that information “—we should expect to be ready for anything.”

“What kind of weapons should we take? How long do we expect this battle to last?”

“I have no idea,” Riley admits, feeling useless. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s any way to prepare for this battle.”

“So our battle plan will basically be rushing into the spot where Malexis is, unprepared, and throw everything we have at him?” asks Rija.

“Sounds like a fun time,” says Allandra. “You can count on the Ur’ali.”

“My people as well,” says Rija. 

“It would probably serve us best to take the most skilled fighters and intersperse practitioners between melee fighters, like Aaron and Milo did when they went after Phoebe,” says Riley. “We don’t know if Malexis will have some kind of army or if he’ll be alone, but we’ll need as many people on our side as possible.”

“So pretty much what I said,” says Rija.

Riley and Gavin leave the war room after some time, Riley not feeling at all like they’re prepared for the battle against Malexis.

“What we really need is Piper or Milo. Having one of them tell us what Malexis can do would be a huge help,” says Gavin.

“Well Milo is with Olivia, who’s giving birth to his daughter, and Piper is currently MIA,” says Riley.

“You don’t think she joined Malexis, do you?”

“Definitely not. If she hasn’t turned against us yet, I doubt she will now.”

“Mommy!” comes a shout from down the hall. Riley looked up to see Benji, running toward her. “Mommy, Bri is being mean!”

“What’s she doing now?” asks Riley. 

“She called me a ‘trogo-dight’.”

“A troglodyte?” asks Riley. Benji nods.

“Kid, I highly doubt she’s saying that now.”

“But I saw it!”

Riley crouches down and takes her son's hands in her own.

“It was just a vision,” she says. “Eventually, you’ll learn to distinguish them from real life. This happens to sissy all the time, remember?”

“It was her, though,” he says.

“But it’s something from the future,” says Gavin.

“Oh, there he is,” comes the voice of Penelope, Benji and Bri’s caretaker. 

“Mommy, make her say sorry,” says Benji, looking up at her with his eyes wide.

“When it happens, I’ll make her say sorry, alright?” says Riley.

“Fine,” Benji huffs.

Riley looks up to Bri, sitting on Penelope’s hip. Bri is staring off into the distance, obviously having a vision. She shakes her head as she comes out of it and starts crying, reaching out for Gavin, who takes her into his arms.

“What’s wrong, Princess?” he asks her.

Bri calms down just enough to say, “Benji called me a troll.”

Riley lets out an exasperated cry, making a mental note to ask her mother if she knows how long this is going to last.

*Aaron*

The birth takes nearly fifteen hours. I’ve now heard enough screaming to last a lifetime. But when it’s finally over, Grace Ann Heris sits in Milo’s arms. As he gazes down at our daughter’s face, I see the light he must have seen in my eyes the first time I held Theo.

“Prince Theo would really like to come in and see his baby sister,” says a haggard-looking nurse, poking her head into the door.

“I wanna see! I wanna see!” Theo’s voice says through the crack in the door.

“You can let him in,” I say, after making sure Olivia is covered.

The door opens and Theo waddles in a few feet before I scoop him up and bring him next to Grace. His eyes grow wide as he gazes at her.

“When I grow up big and strong,” says Theo, “I’m going to keep her safe from all the bad guys.”

“We know you will,” I say. “Nothing will be able to get past the mighty knight, Prince Theodore!”

Theo and I hold up our hands like we’re holding swords and start to let out a battlecry until Milo holds Grace closer, shushing us. 

“Quietly,” I whisper to Theo. We hold up our imaginary swords again and let out a whispered battlecry.

“We really should head to the war room and plan for the battle against Malexis,” I say. Milo looks down at Grace and I know he doesn’t want to leave her side, but he swallows, nods, and hands her to Olivia.

“Can I stay with her?” asks Theo. 

“Of course you can,” says Olivia. “Come here, my little knight.”

Theo climbs out of my arms and onto the bed, crawling slowly until he’s laying in the crook of Olivia’s arm. Theo reaches out and grabs Grace’s hand, holding it gently in his own.

“That is so adorable!” whispers Milo. “Let’s just take one picture and then we’ll—”

“Nobody is taking a picture of me while I look like this,” says Olivia. Her makeup has run from sweat and tears, her face is red and blotchy, and her hair looks like a tornado swept right through it. 

Milo and I laugh, then try to stifle them when Theo shushes us, which makes us laugh even harder. Even Olivia is suppressing a smile.

 

Milo and I are tired when we enter the war room to find Riley, Piper, Allandra, Delgara, and Rija already there. I know they met earlier today, but we requested they reconvene so Milo can tell us what he knows about the nexus of light magic. As is always the case when they’re in a room together, Rija’s eyes lock onto Milo.

My temper is short because I’m running on no sleep, so I don’t filter my words.

“Rija, if you keep staring at my husband, I’m going to carve your eyeballs out with a melon baller and force you to eat them,” I snap.

Rija’s eyes immediately leave Milo as Riley says, “Somebody get my brother some coffee.”

 

It takes us five hours to come up with a plan to fight Malexis. As it turns out, the nexus of light magic isn’t too far from Crown City. Piper took Milo there once, when he was first learning to control his powers. The area is thickly covered by trees from the Crown Wood. We’ll position our forces around the spot of the nexus, magic wielders and melee fighters alike, who will enter the wood and assault Malexis in the center.

As to what Malexis will do to repel us, Milo and Piper have guesses that range from nothing because he’ll need all his remaining power to rip the veil of reality, to what Piper refers to as “death ray beams”. Nobody really needed to explain what that meant.

None of us think it’s enough preparation, but there’s not much more we can do. We all decide to go to bed and set up around the nexus tomorrow, the day before the planetary alignment.

With the children down, Milo and I go to the room we used to use when we lived here, rather than our newly built Imperial Palace which is visible from the balcony of our old room. 

I look down to the cage covered in roses below, remember how Milo and I used to meet there. How that was the first place I put a crown on his head and realized I wanted him to be king. My eyes trail over to the Crown Wood, to a spot I know is there, though I can’t see it. A spot that overlooks the valley below where Milo and I would go, back before our relationship was public, when we wanted privacy.

Milo comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. The bare skin of his chest presses into my bare back, though I know he, like me, is wearing underwear.

“What’re you thinking about?” he asks.

“Everything. Our past. How we got to this point. Our future and what it might hold.”

“I’ve been thinking about that, too,” says Milo, turning me to face him, my ass pressed up against the barrier of the balcony. “We’re going to defeat him, you know. We won’t let Malexis enter the author’s world.”

A breeze sweeps across the balcony, lifting Milo’s hair for a second, sending a ripple of moonlight through the blonde. His head whips around as if he hears something.

“What is it?” I ask. 

“I heard a voice in the wind. I think…I think it was the author. He said, ‘Thank you, Milo.’”

His face becomes hardened, a bitter expression.

“What’s wrong,” I ask.

Milo looks up toward the stars above and when he speaks, I know he isn’t talking to me. He’s talking to the author.

“We aren’t doing it for you. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. And, because you’re going to do something for us. When this is over, when we defeat Malexis and your powers are restored, you’re going to write us the best godsdamned ending you possibly can,” he says, echoing Malexis’s threat. “ You owe us that much.”

“Wouldn’t it be ‘authordamned ending’?”

He rolls his eyes, bringing a smile to my lips.

“He isn’t in control of the story,” says Milo, sounding like there’s a lump in his throat. “Malexis could kill us. He could win.”

“Well tomorrow, before we leave, we’ll have a picnic. Our whole family, plus Oswald and Exavier,” I say. “But tonight, I want you all to myself.”

I lean forward and press my lips to his and his body reacts automatically, pushing into mine. He moans into my mouth as I wrap my arms around him, my hands moving down to cup his ass and squeeze. We break apart and I feel Milo trying to pull away, but I hold him close.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, feeling like a broken record.

“The author is probably watching us. And who knows who’s reading this right now?” he says.

“You’re right,” I say, then squeeze his ass tighter, forcing a sigh of pleasure out of him. “We’d better give them a damn good show then.”

Milo smiles as I hitch my hands up under him and pull him up. He wraps his legs around me and I carry him to the bed, throwing him onto his back. Without delay, I dig my fingers into the fabric of his underwear and rip them clean off his body.

“Authordamn that was so fucking hot,” he says.

“Don’t say ‘authordamn’,” I say. “Let’s just stick with godsdamn.”

He lets out a laugh that becomes a moan as my lips wrap around the head of his cock. I keep my head motionless as I slip my tongue under his foreskin and circle the head a few times, my mouth drooling over his meat. I slide my head down, taking his cock into my mouth and his fingers tangle in my hair, pushing my head farther down until his cock fills my throat and my nose rests in his pubic hair.

He groans, twisting my hair into his fingers as he bucks his hips up. I gasp as I pull my head back, his spit-slicked cock making a slap sound as it flops against his stomach. He gazes at me, his eyes bright and full of lust. 

He pulls his legs up, grabbing them behind the knees and pulling back, exposing his hole to me. I can see a shadow of uncertainty in his eyes. This part is still new to him. 

I move in, softening my gaze, telling him without words he can trust me. That I'll take care of him. My tongue flicks against his hole and he lets out a sharp gasp. His hole is tight against my tongue but slowly relaxes as he lets out a breath. 

I grip his hips and press my tongue into him, breaching him. He lets out a shuddering moan as I work, digging my fingers into his ass. 

When I move back, I see all the hesitation is lost from his eyes. I suck on a finger, slicking it up and position it on his hole. I press, but it's too tight to slide in. 

I rub his stomach with my other hand. He's been working out with me a bit so his stomach, while not rippling with abs like mine, is toned. 

"Relax," I say in a soothing voice. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Milo nods and lets out a slow breath, relaxing enough for my finger to slide into him. He lets out a hiss as it slides in. I can see the hesitation in his eyes still, unused to the sensation. But when I hook my finger up, pressing into his prostate, he deflates, relaxing.

Smiling mischievously, I slide my finger out and push two into him. In his relaxed state, he doesn't resist and groans in pleasure. I begin working his hole with two fingers, scissoring my fingers open across his prostate as I pull my fingers back and forth. Precum starts gushing from the slit in his cock. 

I move forward and grip the base with my other hand, sliding my lips over it as I add another finger. Precum coats my tongue as I work him, inside and out. I give him time, knowing he needs to psych himself up for my cock. 

"I'm ready," he says after a minute or two.

I pull away from him and remove my underwear. My cock has been aching in its fabric prison, and almost lets out a sigh of relief as it meets the open air. 

Milo's hole is probably plenty wet, but I still add lube from a bottle in our nightstand, knowing Milo isn't as accustomed to it as I am. 

I lean over Milo, my cock in position, and kiss him, gripping the back of his neck and pulling him into me as I push my way into him. He groans against my lips as I slide in, nestling my pelvis in the crack of his ass. 

I give him a moment to adjust but he's still relaxed, so I start moving my hips back and forth. Bliss fills in us, spilling over into each other as my cock slides in and out of his ass, gentle and loving. 

Our breaths mingle in the air as we gaze into each other's eyes. As I look down at him, my love for him engulfs me. In this moment, we are one. 

"Faster," he says, breaking the spell. But I'm not upset about it. I straighten my back, pull one of his legs over my shoulder, and angle myself upward. I give him a smile before I fuck him, fast and hard, aiming for his prostate. 

He lets out a little grunt with every thrust, biting on to his lower lip. His eyes are locked on mine as I slam into him. The corners of his lips go up in a small smile and I feel the muscles in his ass clench around me. 

"Oh, fuck," I say, immediately thrown over the edge. The orgasm doesn't build slowly. It explodes with the power of a supernova star, hot, wild, and uncontrolled. 

As my cum fills him, Milo lets out a shuddering moan. I can't keep fucking him like he does me, the head of my dick is so sensitive, it almost hurts when I pull it out. 

I lay over him, pressing my lips to his. 

"My turn," he says, smiling, when we pull away. 

I grin and move off him, getting on my hands and knees on the bed. I barely have time to get into position before he's there. His tongue slides into me and the suddenness of it, the intense burst of pleasure weakens my elbows. I fall forward on my face, my ass up in the air as his tongue turns me into melted butter. 

I groan into the bed, his experience with this far outstripping me own, but he's had more practice. 

"I can't, Milo…" I say. "I need you…in me."

He obliges, moving his mouth away and lining his cock up. His expertise has lubed my hole and his cock is still slick from my spit, he glides in. His cock was made for my hole. It fits so perfectly, it feels empty without him. 

I would be content to leave my face in the bed while he fucks me until I can't see, but he has other plans. His fingers twist in my hair and he pulls my head back as he starts fucking me. 

I'm a pitiful mess, letting out moans between thrusts as he works my hole. His hand pulling my head backward. 

"Bigger," I say. 

I can't see his smile, but I know he is. I let out a whimper as I feel his cock magically enlarge in my hole, spreading me open. I start rocking back and forth, letting out grunts as he slams into me over and over and over. 

"Fuck yes," I gasp. Milo lets out an almost animalistic growl as he pulls me back farther and bites on my earlobe. 

"You feel so good around my cock," he says. 

"Faster," I order. 

Milo, who's breathing heavily, obeys. He's slamming into me as if wishing to turn me into mince meat. 

Milo pulls back on my hair even more, clearly telling me to lean back. I do and Milo ends up on his back with him still inside me. I plant my hands and feet on the bed and start thrusting up and down, slamming my ass into his pelvis over and over, letting out moans to accompany the heavy breaths of him. 

"Bigger," I say and a moment later, I feel his cock swell inside me again. It's almost too big, but it feels so good, I instinctively start thrusting faster. 

Milo's breathing becomes rapid and he groans, "I'm getting close."

"Cum inside me, baby," I say, trying to go faster, though I'm at my limit. 

"I'm—" he gets out before I feel his cock swell slightly again and a torrent of cum explodes inside me. It's slick aids the spit inside me and I slide faster and faster. Milo lets out a sound that's closer to a yell than a moan and I clench my ass around him, never slowing until his cock is too soft to stay inside me. 

I collapse next to him, my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me and chuckles. 

"I think that was the best sex we've ever had," he says. 

I just nod, too exhausted to say anything. I do turn my head to look into his eyes. Into those eyes I love more than anything else in the world. 

"I love you," he says, beating me to it. 

"And I love you," I say.

Our lips meet and we lay there, covered in sweat, sticky with cum, and blissfully happy. 

"I hope you guys enjoyed that!" he says to the ceiling, causing me to laugh. 

We hold each other, wanting to spend as much time in each other's arms as possible. He strokes his fingers through my air as I listen to the beating of his heart. My eyes close and I fall asleep.