I walked into our bedroom, where Sari was rocking in a chair next to the cot at the foot of our bed with Cara wrapped up in a blanket in her arms. I put my hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me, putting her finger to her lips. Cara was asleep, smiling happily.
Sari stood up and laid Cara in her cot, before ushering me out of the room and closing the door quietly. "What's up?"
"How long have we been together now?" I asked her.
"Um, a few years. Why?"
"And you're happy? With the way everything's turned out?"
"Of course I am, silly," she said as she slipped herself into my arms. "What's gotten into you?"
"I'm glad to hear you say that. There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time now. Actually, since the first time I really thought I might lose you, when we arrived in Lyn'knoll. Then your brother gave me his permission, albeit begrudgingly, so..." I reached into my pocket.
"Rhyn, what's going on?" Sari looked worried until she saw what I'd pulled out. She took a step back and put her hand over her mouth to cover her gawp.
"Sari, I love you. Will you marry me?" I said the words with more confidence than I'd thought I'd have. I held up a necklace, one end in each hand, suspending a Subtleseed crystal in the middle.
"Yes," she said, placing her hands either side of my chest. She was smiling profusely, "Absolutely, yes." I tied the ends together at the back of her neck. What felt like a static shock surged through my hand. Sari twitched, feeling it too.
"Vasek really said yes?" she asked.
"Well, he didn't say no," I replied. She chuckled.
"Good." She opened the door to the guest bedroom, opposite our bedroom, put her hand on my chest and walked me backwards until I tripped onto the bed. She went to close the door, turned around, smiled once more with fire in her eyes, and pounced me.
This is just Volume one, the introduction. I do hope there will be a sequel. Rhyn hopes so too.