Page 28 of Elven Kisses & Winter Wishes
Aurora nods enthusiastically. “We’re learning magic, Mama. Watch this.”
She holds out her tiny hand, scrunching her face in concentration. A small flame appears in her palm, dancing and flickering. Jasper, not to be outdone, creates a miniature snowstorm in his hand.
“Fire and ice,” murmurs Frost, his gaze meeting mine over the children’s heads. “A perfect balance.”
I laugh, feeling a surge of pride and love. “Just like us.”
The scene shifts, and we’re suddenly in a cozy living room. A Christmas tree towers in the corner, its branches laden with enchanted ornaments that twinkle and move. Jasper and Aurora sit cross-legged on the floor, eagerly tearing into presents.
“Look, Papa,” says Jasper, holding up a tiny broom. “My first flying broom.”
Frost chuckles. “No flying in the house. Your mother would have my head if you knocked over her favorite vase again.”
I swat his arm playfully. “As if you didn’t encourage them last time.”
Aurora squeals with delight as she unwraps a crystal ball. “It’s just like Auntie Grizelda’s.”
“And just as dangerous in the wrong hands,” I say, raising an eyebrow at Frost. “I hope you’ve childproofed that thing.”
He winks at me. “Of course, love. It only shows the future of their toy collection for now.”
The dream shifts again, and we’re back in the meadow. The twins are older now, maybe ten or eleven. They’re practicing more advanced magic, their faces set in identical expressions of concentration.
Jasper waves his hand, and a sapling sprouts from the ground, growing rapidly into a young tree. Aurora touches its trunk, and the leaves burst into vibrant autumn colors.
“They’re getting so strong,” I murmur to Frost, leaning into his side.
He nods, pride evident in his voice. “They take after their mother.”
I snort. “Oh, please, Mr. I’ve-been-practicing-magic-for-centuries. They get plenty from you too.”
As if to prove my point, Jasper creates an intricate ice sculpture with a flick of his wrist—a skill he definitely inherited from Frost.
The scene changes one last time. We’re in the Evershift Haven town square, decorated for some kind of celebration. Banners proclaim, “Congratulations, Graduates!” Jasper and Aurora, now young adults, stand before us in ceremonial robes alongside other children around their age. I see both Suzette and Candice among the crowd of proud parents.
Grizelda, her wild purple hair streaked with more silver now, beams at the twins and other young adults around her. “By the power vested in me as the guardian of Evershift Haven, I hereby declare you full-fledged members of our magical community.”
The crowd erupts in cheers. Tears prick my eyes as I applaud, overwhelmed with pride and a touch of nostalgia. When did they grow up so fast?
Frost squeezes my hand. “They’ll do great things,” he whispers.
I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Our children—a perfect blend of human and fae, of fire and ice, of logic and magic. They represent everything I never knew I wanted, everything I never believed could exist, and everything I now can’t imagine living without.
As the dream begins to fade, I hear Frost’s voice, distant but clear. “Evony? Love, wake up. You’re smiling in your sleep.”
I blink awake, the vivid images of the dream still fresh in my mind. Frost is propped up on one elbow, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and affection.
“Good dream?” he asks, brushing a stray curl from my forehead.
I nod, still caught between the dream world and reality. “The best,” I whisper, snuggling closer to him. “I saw our future, Frost. Our children.”
His eyes widen. “Jasper and Aurora.”
I nod, not surprised he knows their names. “Twins. A boy and a girl. They were beautiful, and so magical.” I recount my dream to Frost. With each detail I share, his eyes grow brighter, and his smile wider. By the time I finish, we’re both a little misty-eyed.
“It sounds perfect,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.
I caress his cheek. “It does, doesn’t it? But it was just a dream. We have no way of knowing if—”
He silences me with a gentle kiss. “Fae dreams have a way of coming true. Especially when they’re born from love and magic in a place like Evershift Haven.”
I gaze into his eyes, seeing the future I dreamed reflected there. “I hope you’re right,” I whisper.
Frost grins, a mischievous glint in his eye. “There’s only one way to be sure. Shall we start practicing?”
I laugh, pulling him down for another kiss. As our bodies entwine, and our magic mingles, I can almost hear the echoes of children’s laughter in the distance. A promise of the future, waiting to unfold.
