My mind is my own.
Then, I’d insisted we received the Bind today. I had my reservations on the way there—worried Tolek would be in pain and that he was only agreeing because he could tell I needed it—but I’d wanted to make today about something other than Echnid’s memory.
I’d wanted to stake a claim on our lives that shrouded what he’d done to us.
“It is real,apeagna.” Tolek took a step closer so I had to look up to speak to him. “It’s real and we deserve to remember that. Thinking of it won’t bring him back to life.”
How he knew that was my exact fear despite the fact that I hadn’t dared speak it never failed to amaze me. Tolek never failed to amaze me.
I was about to say that when noise drifted up from the circuit. Not just noise. Bickering.
“What is that?” I asked, brows creased.
Tolek smirked. “Go look.”
He stepped aside so I could take the lead on the last few steps. And when I stopped, looking down into the arena below, my jaw dropped.
“What are you all doing here?” I shouted, flying down the stairs.
I collided with my sister first, where she antagonized Cypherion and Malakai. She was now one of the Masters of Communications on my council, responsible for nurturing relations between clans, primarily our Soulguider contact.
Jezebel and Erista were supposed to be on a mission to Xenovia, aiding our allies in the ongoing restoration, but now, they both grinned at me. I held Jez tightly to chase away the memories of one year ago when I thought I wouldn’t ever hold her again.
I hugged each of the boys next, letting their familiar presences chip away further at those fears and make me feel whole. Vale, Erista, and Mila, too. And finally?—
“Rina!” I screeched, jumping on her. “I thought you wouldn’t return for another month.”
As I pulled back, she shrugged one shoulder and exchanged a look with Tolek. “We lied.”
“How was Vercuella?” I burst, gripping her hands. She and Lancaster had been traveling the fae continent for the past five months. When they were on Gallantia, they stayed in Damenal with us, but they’d left to take some time to honor his sister’s memory and learn more about anaquealisbond between a human and a fae.
“I’ll tell you all about it over dinner tonight,” Rina said, squeezing my hands. There was a healthy glow to her skin, and I was sure part of it was due to the male who stood over her shoulder dressed in all black.
Spirits, I even hugged him, giving him a nod that said I understood he was still mourning his sister, but I wouldn’t make him speak of it.
“Truly, what are all of you doing here?” I repeated, turning to where Tolek was showing Cypherion and Malakai the new tattoo.
“We thought we should all be together today,” Malakai said. Malakai, who one year ago today, haddiedfor us all to stand here. Chills spread over my skin at the reminder, but a warm nudge came down the new Bind from Tolek, and I flushed.
“How’s Cub’s?” I asked Malakai.
He smiled fondly. “Thriving.”
And that one word, paired with the softly content smile he gave me as he wrapped his arm around Mila and rested his chin on her head told me everything I needed to know.
They’d reopened the tavern back in Palerman with Rina’s blessing. They were even talking about opening a second near Mila’s parents’ home in the north so they could travel between the two. In the past year, they’d barely been in Damenal, and although Tolek and I hated that—and flew to see them as often as we could—it had seemed like a necessary escape for Malakai.
“Good.” I grinned at him, so fucking grateful that the stars hadn’t stopped shining a year ago. “And Cyph? I thought you guys were in Starsearcher Territory.”
While he and Vale primarily resided in Damenal since he was my Second—and they had their own grand house on the outskirts of the city—Cyren requested them in Valyn every so often to assist with magical coordination, since Vale was still the Fatecatcher. With Dynaxtar, the trips were quick, but they’d only left two days ago.
“It wasn’t a long meeting.” Cypherion shrugged.
“How long are you back for?”
Cyph looked to Vale, and she answered, “We’ll be going back and forth between here and Valyn for a month or two while they finalize their candidates for chancellor. Cyren asked for my opinion. But once that’s done, we shouldn’t be needed in the capital except for extraordinary circumstances.”
“Short trips might still be made,” Cyph rushed to add, but from the look he gave Vale and the way her cheeks flushed in response, I had a feeling he wasn’t referring to official business requirements.
