Chapter 258. Never Meant to Be

Emelda

In the short week since the twins were born, I have kept myself busy with the final touches on my cottage. I spent days this past spring digging in the front garden, planting different herbs and vegetables, and fixing the front path. I hired a group of shifters to replace the worn roof and update the inside of the home, to install new plumbing and electrical, all while I spent hours pouring over Emory’s wallpaper samples and deciding whether or not to keep the slightly warped wood floors.

The queen has been visiting, bouncing between my cottage and the manor, which is finally completed. Faye and Michael will be moving in next week, which means I’ll have a real job again–managing their house, their maids, and their lives. It’s been an interesting seven months, to say the least.

Without a household to run, I found myself leaning into habits I haven’t experienced since I was a witch, a mortal. I spent most of the summer foraging for herbs in t