One Year Later
Thaddeus
She got the damn name.
My sister somehow managed to sink her claws into Evelyn and Ryland. I’m fairly sure Ryland would have let her name our daughter “Banana Sparkle flame” if she’d asked. So here we are—Amara Emery Madden-Kane. Today marks one year since our daughter was born. One year since my sister died and came back to us. One year since I gave up my magic. One year since our lives truly began.
And for once, everything feels right in the world.
There are no more news reports whispering fear about the Dark One. No panic. No hysteria. Sometimes, yeah, I miss the power—miss the way the magic felt, crackling under my skin. Evelyn, Ryland, and Orion always pull me out of the darker parts of my mind. They remind me what I gained in return.
I used to think I di
