“Ava, what’s wrong?”
Her cheeks were flushed. “Everyone said it wasn’t likely, so—”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m pregnant.”
His heart skipped a beat.
“I know,” she whispered, “with everything, it’s not the best time. You still have concerns. I know that. And the dreams still… I need you to be happy.”
“Ava.” His heart was so full he thought it would pound out of his chest.
“I need you to be okay with this because I’m scared to death.”
He wanted to reassure her. Wanted to tell her what a gift she’d given him, but the words wouldn’t come.
So Malachi turned his face to her belly, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed the tiny life that grew inside.
Impossible, improbable life.
A miracle.
She bent down and leaned her head on his. “You’re happy?”
He nodded. Then Malachi rose and took her in his arms, forcing himself to take deep breaths. It wasn’t enough. He could feel tears in the corners of his eyes, but he could not be ashamed of them. He held Ava in his arms and let himself smile.
“You’re happy,” she said on a sigh, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.
He pulled away and kissed her face until she was laughing. Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, the wonder of what they had become a vibrant song in his heart.
“Sometimes, canım, words are not enough.”
End of Book Three.
February 20, 2015
To my readers,
I hope you enjoyed The Secret.
Sometimes it’s very difficult to pinpoint where an idea comes from or when inspiration strikes.
For the Irin Chronicles, it is not.
This series grew from a single dream on a winter afternoon. It was fed by music and the intoxicating sights, sounds, and smells of Turkey and Israel and Austria. It grew as I explored my love of language and history and myth, along with the intricacies of love and family and faith.
I love this series. (Which is not to say that I haven’t hated it a few times too.)
While the Irin Chronicles was originally envisioned as a trilogy featuring Ava and Malachi, it grew into a world that I can’t quite leave behind yet. There are too many stories left to tell. So while Ava and Malachi’s journey has come to a rest, the Irin world will continue.
I hope you look forward to visiting again.
Thank you so much for reading,
Elizabeth
For more information about my work, to join my mailing list for new releases, or access bonus content, please visit:
ElizabethHunterWrites.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to my family, who had to suffer through the rather grouchy version of me who wrote these books. Writing magic is hard, readers. Thank goodness the people who love me put up with my mood swings. Special thanks to Genevieve and Kelli, who bear the brunt. (A round or two at Bourbon & Branch is on me.)
Thanks to extraordinary beta readers like Sarah and Sandra and Iriet, who give me such important feedback from a reader perspective. What sounds right in my head doesn’t always make sense on the page. Thank you for not letting me get away with anything. Thank you to writer friends like Grace Draven, Colleen Vanderlinden, and Michele Scott, who understand and also put up with a lot of my whining.
A special thanks to the ever-talented Killian McRae for being my go-to expert on all things Turkish and an enthusiastic fan of Malachi and Ava. Your help was invaluable, and we need to plan a trip to Istanbul when we’re actually in the city together.
Thanks to the city of Vienna for its coffee, its hospitality, and its truly excellent airport. A special thanks to the wonderful staff of the Guesthouse Vienna, which was my home away from home while researching this book. To the cooks at Haas & Haas, thank you for one great breakfast after another. To that cute guy outside the Albertina on Thursday afternoon, thanks for wearing those socks with your very conservative suit. It was kind of a glum day and you gave me a smile. And I’m just going to mention the coffee again, because it really is amazing and wonderful.
To my agents, Jane Dystel and Lauren Abramo, thank you for all your hard work on my behalf. Thanks to the talented Zachary Webber, the voice of the Irin Chronicles who makes my words come alive for all my audiobook listeners. Thanks to the folks at Damonza, who put up with me being very, very picky about this cover. And a hearty and well-deserved thank-you to my editor Anne Victory, a true professional in a sea of… less than professionals. You make me look good.
To all my publishing partners who make this business possible and help bring my words to readers, thank you so much. To the retailers, to the magazine editors and reviewers, to the bloggers and forum administrators, thank you all.
We live in an extraordinary time for writers. I’m very blessed and proud to be a part of this business. Let us never forget that it’s about the stories.
ELIZABETH HUNTER is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance writer. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class but decided that middle school was far less frightening. Thankfully, people now pay her to write books and eighth graders everywhere rejoice.
She currently lives in Central California with her son, two dogs, many plants, and a sadly empty fish tank. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Cambio Springs series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.
Website: ElizabethHunterWrites.com
E-maiclass="underline" elizabethhunterwrites@gmail.com.
Twitter: @E__Hunter
ALSO BY ELIZABETH HUNTER
The Irin Chronicles
The Scribe
The Singer
The Secret
The Elemental Mysteries Series
A Hidden Fire
This Same Earth
The Force of Wind
A Fall of Water
Lost Letters & Christmas Lights
The Elemental World Series
Building From Ashes
Waterlocked
Blood and Sand
The Bronze Blade
The Elemental Legacy Series
Shadows and Gold
The Cambio Springs Series