I glance at Sorcha again, now deep in conversation with Lottie about whether or not unicorns wear hats.
“It didn’t scare you? Finding out?” I ask.
Cara’s face tilts, considering. “It shocked me. But scare me? No. What scared me was not knowing where Flyn was. Not knowing if he was okay. Or ifyouwere okay.”
“Me?”
“I knew before I met you that you were good for Flyn. That he needed you.” She reaches for her wine. “You love my brother. That’s enough for me to consider you family.”
I blink hard and look down at my hands. “I don’t know what to do with someone like you.”
“Like me?”
“Someone who… likes me. Without even asking me to prove I deserve it.” I swallow. “Without knowing everything.”
I don’t think Flyn has told her about the harem. He’d feel it wasn’t his place.
Cara sets her glass down and covers my hand with hers. “Jade, I’m a woman who has raised a chaos goblin for five years. Trust me. Nothing fazes me.”
Across the table, Sorcha lets out a delighted screech. “The peas are my pets!”
“Chaos goblin?” I echo faintly.
“It runs in the family.” Cara smirks. “Speaking of which, my parents like you.”
I blink. “What?”
She leans in, smiling warmly. “My parents. They think you’re sweet and clever and very polite. My mom said you have kind eyes.”
I don’t know what to say to that. ‘Kind eyes’ is not a phrase that’s ever been used about me.
“I don’t think they expected a shy, fidgety, magic-boy with perfect manners,” she adds. “They thought Flyn’s soulmate would be a whirlwind like him. But honestly? You’re exactly what he needs.”
I swallow hard. “Thank you.”
She keeps sayingsoulmate.I think she’s just being flippant, using it as a turn of phrase. But I like it. A lot. It makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.
“And also,” she continues breezily, “if you break his heart, I will curse your toothbrush. I’ll get Gray to teach me how.”
I snort, and just like that, the pressure in my chest lifts.
We laugh, and I feel it all over, this enormous, impossible joy humming in the bones of the room. It’s in the laughter. In the candlelight. In the low background music Blue put together from old records he found in the attic. In the way Monty slides an extra slice of pie onto Pink’s plate even though Pink swears he’s full, and the way Ned keeps tugging Morgan closer, like he can’t quite believe he is still here.
It’s in the way Flyn stands. He clears his throat.
“I just want to say something before dessert.”
Half the table groans. “Flyn!”
He holds up both hands, mock-solemn. “Two minutes. I swear. And then I’ll personally bring you your pie.”
That earns him a grudging cheer. He waits for the noise to settle, then glances around the room, eyes full.
“There was a time when I didn’t dare dream of a day like this,” he says. “With all of us together. Safe. Happy. Alive.”
There’s a quiet murmur of agreement.
“Most of you have been through things most people can’t imagine. Things you are still healing from. And yet,look at us.”
