“I would be honored to be the new emperor of the Thaician Empire.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Kyella
I’d be a liar if I said that the sight of the large bats flying over the Tridian Empire in the distance didn’t move me to tears. My fingers curled over the wooden railing of the ship as my lips thinned in an attempt to hold back sob within that threatened to spill past my trembling lips.
I’d never again see Barnabus flying with his friends in the skies, gliding through the air in graceful arcs like there wasn’t a worry in the world besides being one with the wind.
A lone tear escaped, trailing down my cheek to drip off the edge of my jaw.
I thought that I had made peace with Barnabus’ death, but the truth was that I didn’t think I would ever feel at peace with any of the sacrifices or deaths that occurred due to this war. Going into the war, we knew there would be casualties, but I couldn’t simply accept that sad fact with a smile on my face. I’d pledged to bring home as many soldiers as possible, but the thought of any family or friend hearing that their loved one wasn’t one of the ones lucky enough to come back alive…I was sure the weight of that would press down upon my soul for the rest of time.
My men would tell me the guilt wasn’t my burden to bear—but it was.
While I couldn’t find peace in their sacrifices, I could at least find it in the knowledge that the next generation wouldn’t know the touch of malice and death that came with Malakai’s rule. That vile nastiness would simply be left in the stories passed down from the generations unfortunate enough to have borne witness to his atrocities.
The energy on our ship was frenzied, shouts of excitement as we drew close to the docks filling the air. A mass of citizens awaited us in the harbor, cheering with joy for our return as they waved.
While I understood the excitement from both sides for us to be home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the smiles of excitement that would soon turn to cries of anguish.
Most of the fleet hung back as the first wave we’d settled upon docking began their approach. Footsteps sounded behind me, and I was quick to brush my tears away, wanting to appear like I had my shit together.
“The kids are getting quite rambunctious below deck,” Tristan mused as he came to stand beside me. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into, taking them in?”
Somehow, he managed to bring up one of the main reasons I had to move forward and focus on the love I had within me to give instead of the sorrow I held deep in my heart.
While I couldn’t bring fallen children or lost parents back from death, Icouldoffer a home to the children who found themselves without family in the Thaician Empire. As soon as we’d assumed control of the capital, we sent trusted soldiers to each town throughout the empire to ensure that no child was left to fend for themselves after the war.
The children were brought to the capital for us to look after while we attempted to locate any of their family as well. While there was thankfully an abundant number of beautiful reunions, there were still a dozen children who had no one left and no home to return to.
“I’m glad to hear that their spirits have lifted,” I answered, a genuine smile tugging my lips up. “I just hope that we’re able to provide them with everything they deserve. I know we can’t replace their families, but I do hope they always know that they won’t be without love.”
Taking the children as our wards wouldn’t be easy—I would be a fool to think otherwise.
Tristan’s elbow knocked into my own. “Raising a child is like jumping out of a certain window. You don’t know how you’re going to survive it, but if you have faith, there’s something beautiful waiting for you at the bottom.”
A laugh bubbled out of me as I threw my head back at his joke. “That was a horrible comparison,” I rebutted, shaking my head with a smile. “But I do appreciate the sentiment. Though, I feel like I still owe you payback for that.”
I loved the easy rapport Tristan and I had built together and hoped that my connection to him and his family wouldn’t fade if they did decide to take up the helm in the Thaician Empire. They’d all become so dear to my heart, and I didn’t want to lose that familial relationship with them.
After losing Myrin and Barnabus, it was more important to me than ever to foster the relationships I had left. We never knew how much time we have left with our loved ones, and I didn’t want the ocean between us to dissolve those ties.
The smile fell from my face at the thought, and I took a deep breath before trying to exhale the fears from my body. Tristan tugged me into his side, wrapping an arm over my shoulder before leaning his head on top of mine. I apparently was not doing a good job at hiding my tumultuous emotions, but I was thankful that he was allowing me to feel it all and silently supporting me through it.
Leaning into his warmth, I sighed and accepted that I couldn’t control what was to come, but I could hope for the best. “Thank you,” I breathed out, as I wrapped my arm around his midsection and squeezed.
“What was it Dakath said to me when I was the one with a somber disposition as we were leaving here?” he mused before pausing, as if thinking the answer over carefully. “You don’t need to thank me. We are all a family now—this is what we do for each other.”
“Yes,” I agreed with emotion clogging my throat a bit. “We will always be family.”
“Are we missing out on the cuddle puddle?” Dakath called from behind us before forcing himself under Tristan’s other arm and cuddling into his side, making us all laugh.
The light moment was a much-needed lift to my mood, and just as my eyes glanced back toward the shore, I spotted two familiar faces beaming at us and waving.
“Look!” I shouted and pointed before waving back at them with my free hand. “It’s Bailey and Rina!”
Bailey was bouncing Rina on her hip and crying openly.
