Stella's POV

I wiped my bloody hands on my pants as we walked through the gate. My body still shook from what I had done and saw. As my eyes drifted to Gray, I wondered if he felt the same way. We both killed something today. He must feel even more emotions than I did. He gave the finishing blow to his father. The man that gave him life.

"Are you ok?" I whisper to him.

He silently nodded as he closed the gate behind him.

I nodded back at him as I looked around the entrance of the school. The war that was fought here still haunted my memories. Graywick killed so many during that fight. But Churchwell didn't have to worry any more. Graywick was dead, but also the Umbra Mortine. Two of the greatest threats Churchwell had been finished, all within minutes of each other.

The thought of not having the Umbra Mortine existing in my mind was freeing. After months, I could sleep soundly. The beast from my dreams was no more.

"It is done?" a woman's voice rang out.

My head snapped toward her voice and watched as she descended the staircase.

Her tall stature demanded attention. She stared at us as her dress trailed behind her.

"It is done. Graywick is dead and so is the Umbra Mortine. You can find my father's body in the castle. I can open a gate to get there."

The lady nodded as she placed her hand on Gray's shoulder. "Good. I will call some specialists to come retrieve it." She stared at me, making me feel uncomfortable. "Even though the Umbra Mortine is gone from your system, hints of its magic will remain with you. You are now just as much part of Churchwell as Gray."

As she said this, students filled the hall as they moved to their next class. They walked past us, paying little attention to the conversation we were having. If only they knew what had happened, they would stop and listen instead of move on.

The thought of having Umbra Mortine magic course through my veins did not set me at ease. That monster was pure evil. I didn't want that power reminding me of what damage it could have done.

"But what if I don't want it?" I asked.

She gave a small chuckle and shook her head. "That doesn't matter. It's just as much a part of you as your memories."

As the students slowly dispersed, the woman spoke up again. "Your father changed very little laws. I think he was waiting for dust to settle before continuing his path to change Churchwell. That being said, the laws is half-bloods lead the country. Since you and now Stella are the only two half-bloods in Churchwell, that means you two will lead the realm," the dean explained to us.

The thought of ruling Churchwell caused a frown to come to my face. I was not from this world. I was not capable of leading it. But with this news, I knew Gray would stay. Which meant I would go to Jackson alone. Maybe Alice was right. I should have forgotten about Gray a while ago. I knew he would pick this place over me. He had done it in the past, so I expected he would do it again.

"You will need guidance so I can help you pick some advisors."

"If I could say something," Gray spoke up, causing me to stare at him, waiting for what I knew he would say.

"Of course."

Gray looked at me. "What do you want to do now?" he asked me.

I shrugged at him. For now, I just wanted to go back to Jackson and recover in a place that was familiar to me. I didn't know if I would come back to Churchwell, but for now, I just wanted to go home and see my parents. "Honestly, I just want to finish high school in Jackson. Then we can figure out our next steps."

He nodded, then turned his attention back to the dean. "I think I want to go to Jackson too. Finish out the year."

My heart nearly stopped as I stared at him. I was so sure he would stay here after all that happened.

"I made the mistake of leaving Stella once. I will not make that same mistake," he said as he grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Stella is my home. I want to be with her."

I smiled at him as my heart soared. This was what I had been waiting for. I wanted this for so long. I never thought I would actually get it. My concerns about him not loving me the same way I did flew out the window. He was picking me over Churchwell, his home, over his responsibilities.

The dean nodded, although she didn't look thrilled about it. She had a better poker face than Else did, but I could still see through it. "Very well. We will be here whenever you are ready to take on your responsibilities."

"I count on that."

"So, the council that will rule in your favor. Who would you want them to be?"

"If Else trusted you, then I can trust you to pick the council?" he asked.

"It can be the same people that we met with to stop your father. The ones that were in every meeting."

Gray turned back to me and smile. "Shall we go back home?"

I smiled. That was all I wanted to do. I needed to go back. "Let's go back home."

"Can I walk with you to the gate?" Birch asked, making her presents known for the first time since we arrived in the school.

"Of course you can."

She smiled, then looked towards the front door. "Want to go through the original gate?"

Gray nodded, then looked at me. "Just stay here. I need to get a few things before we leave."

I nodded as he ran up the stairs. Silently, my attention turned to the dean as she cleared her throat.

"You two will be back, right?"

I nodded at her. As much as I needed to be back in Jackson right now, I knew that something changed within me after being here. Churchwell was part of me, just like I was part of it. I would come back; I was sure of it.

"I'll make sure of it."

She gave a small smile. "Good. This place needs the both of you. We need a new chapter, and I really think you two will be the perfect start of it."

"Thank you," I responded with a smile.

She nodded, then turned her attention down the hall. "I have to go. But I hope to see you two soon." With that, she walked off, leaving Birch beside me.

We were silent for a moment as Birch looked at me uncomfortably. There was something on her mind that she had not said yet. "What is it?" I asked, hoping to coax it out of her.

"You'll watch out for him, right? Without Else, I'm worried about him," Birch voiced softly.

That much I could promise her. I would watch out for him as long as I was alive. Ever since I saw him in the cafeteria in Jackson, I knew he was something special. My mother told me before never to let anything special go. "He'll be fine. He has me. He always had me."

Birch smiled at me. "I can see why he cares about you so deeply. Before you came, I am not sure if he has ever had someone like you."

I heard the stairs creek, causing my head to snap up towards the sound.

"So, are you two ready?" Gray asked as descended the grand wooden staircase. He slung a backpack around his shoulders as he reached the bottom of the stairs. It was the same bookbag that he used to Jackson, which made me smile lightly as memories of school came back to my mind.

All of us walked to the gate in silence. As I looked at both Birch and Gray, I wondered what they were thinking. Birch looked somber but Gray, his face was unreadable. It made me wonder if this was the right move for him. As much as I wanted him with me, did he want it? I didn't want to force him to do anything. If he felt like he should be here, I shouldn't make him be with me.

As the gate approached us, Birch cleared her throat. "You'll visit, right?" Birch asked him as her eyes became watery.

Gray stopped walking and turned to her. "I'll always be from Churchwell. I'll promise you I'll be back," he comforted her.

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him, causing me to feel a little awkward as I watched them embrace.

"Good. I am eager to see you again," Birch sniffled as she let go of him. "Be safe out there."

"I always am," he replied.

Birch hugged him one more time then, saying nothing more, left towards the school, leaving us alone.

My attention turned to Gray again as he activated the gate. It glowed, showing that the entrance was open for us to step through.

Once again, I felt like this wasn't right. I didn't want him to do anything against his will. If he thought he needed to stay, he should. I would be fine in Jackson. I would miss him, but I should have known that this would have never worked.

Gray pushed opened the gate then stepped through to snowy Jackson. He stepped through, then turned to me and held out his hand.

I eyed his hand cautiously. We hadn't talked about this, so what if he was just doing this because I expected it from him? "Is this what you want?" I asked with a frown. As much as I wanted this, I didn't want him to do it if he didn't want it. I didn't want to be the person who made him change.

He nodded without missing a beat. "I do. Many people have died in my life. I can't lose one more. You are the most important person I care about. I made the mistake of leaving you after the war. I should have come back, but I didn't. That mistake will haunt me. Jackson felt like home, and if you want to go back to Jackson, I will too."

"But what about all of this? You are supposed to rule this place."

He frowned. "You are forgetting you have a connection to this place, too. You are supposed to rule as well."

That was something that would take a lot to get used to. The idea that I was just as much a ruler as Gray didn't seem right. I wasn't sure if that was what I wanted, but I will talk about it after I finished school.

"The thing is, I don't want this realm. It has never cared about me as you have done. The truth is, I just want you. I always have and I always will."

I smiled as I walked through the gate into the cold snowy weather Jackson had towards my parents' house.