Page 118 of Sent To A Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me 7

“Good evening,” Onyx greeted me, standing beside the mantle.

His appearance zapped the wires in my brain. Onyx was dressed in a black robe far more ornate than anything I’d seen him wear before. It was trimmed with silver and red designs that reminded me of a dragon’s wings.

The most notable change, however, was his hair. He had pinned all of it back with decorative silver pins, reminding me even more of an imperial prince from a palace romance novel.

“H-Hi,” I finally said once I could find my voice, my lungs refusing to work properly. “I like what you did with your hair. I’ve never seen you wear it like that before.”

“Oh.” Onyx lifted a hand to the side of his head, as though on impulse. He seemed self-conscious. “I wished for a change is all. I’m pleased it’s to your liking.”

Had he dressed up for me? Damn if that thought didn’t almost make my heart explode.

I closed the distance between us, him meeting me halfway, and wrapped my arms around him. He rested his cheek on the top of my hair and softly exhaled.

“I will never tire of this,” he murmured. “Holding you without fear of tearing you apart. Letting myself be… happy. I never wish to know another day without you by my side.”

His words. They were just like the ones from the dream I’d had beneath the sacred willow. Only now, that dream had become reality.

“Good.” I drew back and lifted a hand, cupping his cheek. “Because you’re stuck with me now. No more hiding in your tower.”

“No more hiding.” He turned his face and kissed the center of my palm. “You hold my heart in these tiny hands of yours.”

Rowan snickered from nearby. “To go along with his short and clumsy legs.”

I sighed. “You can’t go one day without teasing me, can you?”

“A whole day?” Lake grinned. “He cannot even go one hour.”

Onyx lightly chuckled and linked our fingers, escorting me to the table. Maddox met us there and pulled out my chair for me.

“Such a gentleman,” I said, my heart warming at the sight of his ocean blue eyes. They seemed so light.

“Only for you, sweetheart,” he responded, then helped Briar into his chair.

“And Briar,” I told him, grinning at the sight of them.

A blush touched our handsome physician’s cheeks.

“Nina will sssit by Evan.” The snake demon bounded over to the empty chair beside mine, preparing to sit down.

“Think again,” Maddox told her before taking it for himself.

She stuck her tongue out at him, the end of it forked. Oreo waddled over and rolled to his back on the rug, staring up at her. Once again, the temptation of his belly was too much for her to fight, and she dropped down to pet him.

Maddox’s lips twitched.

Onyx took his seat and retook my hand. I sat between him and my captain.

The sounds of spoons scraping bowls and laughter filled the parlor as we all ate. Conversation was in full swing around the table.

I missed Bremloc a lot. Missed the trees behind our cottage and the way the leaves sounded when the wind swept through them. The knight’s encampment. Samson, the big and grumpy horse who disliked everyone but, for some reason, liked me.

I missed Briar’s clinic and Thane, his sandy-haired apprentice who loved my cooking nearly as much as my men did. And I missed having afternoon tea in the royal garden with Prince Sawyer and Kuya as Sir Noah, Ban, and Finian stood by, watching over us and trying to inconspicuously eat the cookies I snuck to them.

But as I observed everyone around the table, my heart warmed.

A pair of ruby eyes met mine. Softer than I’d ever seen them.

I smiled. While a part of me would always miss Bremloc, the Shadow Realm had started feeling like home too. Filled with all the new friends I had made… and love I’d found.