Din followed her gaze. "Your new cousin seems happy."
"She does." Fenella watched Jasmine laugh at something Ell-rom whispered in her ear. "I still can't wrap my head around being related to her. What are the odds?"
As they inched forward in the buffet line, Fenella's mind returned to the Clan Mother's speech. For all her skepticism about Annani's political machinations, she couldn't deny there had been wisdom in those words about love and connection. She'd spent so long avoiding attachments, convinced they would only lead to pain when she inevitably had to flee.
Yet here she was, surrounded by people who cared about her—Din, Kyra, Jasmine, even Shira in her own way. People who accepted her, broken pieces and all.
What would it be like to stop running? To let herself belong?
"Your mind seems to be a million miles away," Din said as they reached the front of the line and began filling their plates.
"I was thinking about the Clan Mother's speech." Fenella selected a stuffed mushroom. "All that talk about love and family being her driving force."
"You don't believe her?"
Fenella shrugged. "I believe she loves her family. However, she has been manipulating global affairs for thousands of years. You can't tell me that's all motivated by maternal instinct."
"What do you think drives her then?" Din added a slice of beef to his plate.
"Power, maybe? The desire to shape the world according to her vision?" Fenella selected a few more appetizers. "Not that I'm criticizing. From what I've gathered, she stands against the Brotherhood, which puts her firmly on the side of good in my book."
As they moved to the end of the buffet table, their plates laden with an assortment of delicacies, Fenella spotted two vacant seats.
"Shall we?"
When they settled at the table, Fenella cast another glance at the podium, now empty. The Clan Mother had vanishedas mysteriously as she'd appeared, leaving Kian and Syssi to circulate among the guests with Allegra.
"I still want to know how she does that disappearing act," she muttered.
Din chuckled. "Some mysteries are better left unsolved. The Clan Mother loves to maintain an air of enigma around herself. She has quite the penchant for drama."
"She does?" Fenella speared a piece of glazed salmon with her fork. "The Clan Mother doesn't need any tricks to make herself seem more. She's the most powerful being on Earth." She took a bite and chewed for a moment, still thinking about the appearing and disappearing acts. "I hate unsolved mysteries."
"Is that a warning?" Din asked.
"More like a disclaimer." Fenella grinned. "Just so you know what you're getting into with me."
"I think I have a pretty good idea." His expression turned serious. "And I love every little bit of you."
The warmth in his voice made her heart clench. She might not be ready to say the words he wanted to hear yet, but in moments like this, she was tempted.
