D returned with the head of the vampire into town, and was awarded his bounty. Retter looked grieved that D was not able to return his son, but as the sun set on that day, D lingered outside the town gates, watching Retter lose hope in his son's return.
As stars began to spring out in the velvet sky and the sheriff turned to go, soft hooves pattered into town, and Ziri appeared on her horse, James behind her, his arms clasped around her waist. With a slight smile, D rode into the night. He heard hoofbeats behind him, and looked. It was Ziri.
D slowed down and wheeled his horse. She rode past without looking at him…But then slowed to a stop some feet later… She looked back at him, and he nodded to her.
"Thank you," she mouthed softly.
And then with a spur of her heels, she was gone. Somehow, D could feel this won't be the last he'd be seeing of young Ziri…not for a long while.