Goddess Of The Underworld (Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 166

Sharlene wiped down the wand and printed out a strip of glossy photos, four tiny shapes, four tiny heartbeats frozen in black and white. I clutched them like treasure, smoothing the edge of the paper with shaking fingers. Proof. My babies. Our babies.

“Triple check?” I asked, half–serious, half–praying.

Sharlene chuckled, tapping the screen one last time before shutting it off. “Triple checked. No more hiding in there.”

A shaky laugh broke out of me, and I pressed the photos to my chest. “Good. Because if there were a fifth, I’d need sedation.”

The room smiled with me, but the exhaustion was sinking deep now, pulling at all of us. Mum

stretched stiffly, Dad already at her elbow to steady her, and Aleisha leaned heavily into Tommy, her head on his shoulder.

“You all need to rest,” I said, softer than a command but firm enough to make it clear. “Go home. Heal. We’ll be alright here.”

Mum kissed the top of my head, whispering, “So proud of you, darling,” before she and Dad stepped into Xavier’s portal. Aleisha winked and squeezed my hand, Tommy gave me a nod, and then they were gone too.

The room felt quieter without them.

I turned my eyes to Felix. He looked impossibly fragile, older than he had only hours ago, but

his

eyes burned with life. I crossed to his bedside, lowering myself slowly. “I’ll be back,” I promised. My throat caught. “And thank you. For all of this. For everything you’ve given us.”

His cracked lips curved into the softest smile. “I’m happy,” he rasped. “Happy I was here to see this. To see you alive. To see them alive.” His eyes flicked to the strip of photos in my hand. “Little warriors, every one of them.”

I bent, kissing his forehead, tasting salt and sweat and grief. “Rest,” I whispered. “We’ll see you

soon.”

And then it was time.

My mates gathered close, their hands finding mine, steadying me as Xavier opened the portal. The air shimmered, rippling with dark light, and on the other side lay Elliot’s house–the place he now called home, with his brother, his family, his safety.

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Chapter 166

I took one last look at the photos clutched in my hand, then stepped forward, “Let’s go see our

boy.”

Together, we walked through.

The first thing I noticed wasn’t the smell of fresh bread or woodsmoke; it was the noise.

It was early morning, the sun barely pushing through the curtains, but the house was alive with sharp voices and heavy pacing. Reina was practically wearing grooves into the floor, her steps quick, tight, her hands cutting the air as she spoke. Elliot, Macey, and Elias were lined up on the couch like they’d been planted there, eyes wide, their shoulders hunched against the storm of her worry.

Malachi, Julius, and Arztec leaned against the far wall, smirks tugging at their mouths as

though they’d seen this scene play out a hundred times before. Beside them, George sat heavily in a chair, rubbing his temples, looking like the weight of both fatherhood and

sleeplessness had finally won.

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