He nodded, then jogged back to the boat to gather the sample bags, shovel, garbage bags, and buckets needed to safely transport the roses out of the jungle.
When he returned, he called out for Ana, who he presumed was deeper in the jungle searching for more roses. When she didn’t respond, his heart kicked into a frantic rhythm.
“Ana!” He dropped the shovel and jogged through the forest, searching for her. Where the hell was she? The jungle was dangerous.
“Hey! I’m over here!”
He turned toward her voice and finally caught sight of her, stepping out from behind trees in the distance. He was at her side a second later, clutching her to him.
“Fuck, you had me worried,” he said into her hair.
She squeezed him, then pulled back. “Don’t be. Everything’s fine now.”
“I know. I guess it was just so close there for a while that I became accustomed to the idea of losing you. And it sucked.”
“It’s over. The gods are no longer pissed, Druantia is stuck in Otherworld, and I’m a Mythean. And I have my bow, thanks to you.”
One of his first acts after they’d survived the forest had been to retrieve her bow from Druantia’s creepy shop. With it, she could protect herself from anything. Remembering that when worry overwhelmed him… Well, that was harder. He pulled her to him and kissed her, leaning his forehead against hers. “I love you so damned much.”
“As I love you. More than I ever knew.” She kissed him hard, then drew back. “Now let’s get those samples.”
They walked back to the first Rosa McManus they’d found.
“I discovered a couple dozen bushes scattered around the immediate vicinity,” Ana said. “I can feel more farther away, so I’d say we’re safe to take two from the root and it won’t hurt the population. Then we’ll get the clippings of about a dozen.”
“Good. We’ll have them back to Scotland before New Year’s, and testing can start on the first of the year.” Cam set about digging up the bush while Ana prepped the bucket and bags. “Don’t forget we’re going to Otherworld after we celebrate the holiday with Esha and Warren.”
They’d only been back to Scotland once since the fight in the grove three weeks ago, to check up on everyone and to thank them. Aurora and Vivienne had healed fully, thank fates. Seeing them under less dire circumstances would be good.
“I can’t wait to see my brothers. It’s just so different now that emotion has returned to Otherworld and they aren’t automatons any more. It’s like I have them back again.” Ana patted the last of the soil in place around the roots in the bucket and grinned up at him.
Her joy was palpable and contagious. He still didn’t love returning to Otherworld to see to the occasional godly meeting or duty, but he didn’t mind it. And since Ana got to come along and see her family, it was more than worth the trip.
“If we get back in time, we could try to make it to Otherworld for the winter solstice celebration.”
“Sure,” Cam said.
“Hey! I should see if my brothers want to add a Christmas tree to winter solstice. And presents. It would really liven up the night. You never know, they might like it,” she said.
“It’ll be grand. First Christmas I’ve celebrated. And it will only be marred by one visit with the gods’ council.” He’d seen them once, a week ago, after the chaos had settled in Otherworld. With the spell broken, the gods had emotion and they no longer believed the lie that their presence was required in Otherworld to keep it functioning. Not that they were running off to earth to party—Cam was the only one who wanted to live here—but the laws holding him in Otherworld were no longer in place.
“They still love those meetings, don’t they?” Ana asked. “Gotta say, I’m glad it’s your job now and not mine.”
She laughed and he grinned, thanking the fates for everything that had happened in the last month. He had a future now, and so did she. Together, they could face whatever came at them.
-The End—
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