“We’re yourfamily!” he tried one last time, voice cracking on the last word.
I sighed and shook my head. “No, you’re not. You were. But family does not do . . . whateverthiswas,” I swirled my hand in his direction. “I have a family. One I have chosen that loves me deeply. One that I need to return to, now that I can fully see what they mean to me. And you will die down here knowing thedaughter you tried to use and the son you hate for whom he loves and overall ‘weakness’ are thriving. I hope it hurts more than anything else could.”
Ellowyn smiled at me, a hesitant thing that I returned in full force. I folded her longer fingers in mine, clutching tightly to the sister I trusted more than almost anyone else.
“Come on, Peytor,” she said, leading me out of the darkness. “Let’s go home.”
A warmth sparked and spread as we walked, the screams of Hestin’s former Lord and Lady fading into oblivion.
Home was no longer Hestin, and it was certainly not Vespera. Not even Lishahl could claim that honor.
Home was wherever Folami and Itanya—and perhaps even Lex and Ilyas—were, and I was more than ready to return to them, to see what we could become.
Chapter Forty-One
Lex
Folami’s hand clutched mine just as tightly as I clung to her, both of our palms slick with perspiration from the magnitude of the day. Ilyas’ hand was heavy on my shoulder, grounding me in the moment as his thumb wove intricate circles on the back of my shoulder blade.
It was a miracle, surely, that I had not one but two True Bonds and that they both chose me in return despite the multitude of external factors that could have driven us apart.
My fingers wove tighter in Folami’s at just the thought.
She canted her head slightly, shooting me a small, unsure smile.
Clearing my throat unnecessarily, I knocked on Rohak and Faylinn’s door, cringing at the early hour. They’d arrived in Lishahl late last night, and I contemplated scheduling the ceremony for later in the day, but Faylinn would have none of it. The General flung the door open to reveal a frazzled Rune Master, roughly pulling on a boot while hopping on the opposite foot.
A ghost of a smile crested Rohak’s lips as he watched Faylinn struggle before his eyes snapped to the company just outside his door. His expression shuttered for a moment, a million emotions displayed in the depths of his gaze before he relaxed once more, a soft smile and even softer gaze replacing the teasing lilt of his lips.
“Lex,” he breathed, relief causing my name to feel more like a breath than a statement. I dropped Folami’s hand to wrap my arms around Rohak, surprised when he returned my embrace just as fiercely. We clung to eachother for a moment, holding back the influx of emotion as we pounded on each other’s backs.
“So masculine,” Faylinn teased from inside their room, clearly winning the battle with the boot.
Rohak chuffed a laugh into my shoulder before pulling back, keeping one palm cupping the back of my head, his eyes searching mine.
“You’re choosing this, right? It’s not forced upon you?” Brotherly concern knitted his brow together even as I nodded my head sharply.
“Yes, Rohak. I would choose her with or without the pull of the Bond. With or without the sickness.”
Rohak clutched the back of my skull for a moment longer, seeming to weigh the validity of my words, before he donned a brilliant smile and released me from his hold.
“You smile a lot now,” I said, thrown off-kilter by his easy emotional displays.
“It’s because I’ve increased his emotional range and made him anactualhuman,” Faylinn griped, pushing Rohak to the side so she could fling her arms around me first before repeating the action with Ilyas.
Folami tensed as Faylinn turned to her, but the Rune Master instantly caught Folami’s rigid posture and closed expression. Instead of tugging Folami into a tight hug, she extended one tattooed hand. Folami eyed Faylinn’s hand, narrowing her eyes in suspicion before slowly extending her own. She grasped Faylinn’s palm before releasing as if Faylinn’s skin was fire.
“Wonderful to meet you, Folami,” Fay said softly, sincerity lacing every word. “You may not recall it, but we were in the catacombs together a few decades ago. Thank you for choosing Lex. He is . . . dear to me, to us,” she said with a nod and look at Rohak. Something unspoken passed between them, and Rohak inclined his head toward Folami, thanking her in his own way.
“I know how hard it was for you to do this today, but I promise to make you as comfortable as possible. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to Bond you to Lex. It’s important to me.”
Folami said nothing, but her expression softened slightly as she nodded, beads clicking with the movement.
“Would you like to follow me?” Fay asked, addressing me now.
“After you, Rune Master,” I teased, turning and gesturing down the long hallway. Fay rolled her eyes but led us down the stairs to the main floor of Lishahl’s manor.
It was less intimate down here with servants bustling about caring for the dozens of rooms that comprised the estate, and I could feel Folami breathe easier, her hand now loosely clutched in mine rather than holding on for dear life.
