"Brother," Lucien whispered. "My brother."
My heart ached for Darius. He'd been missing for years and was welcomed back with open arms. He had a family. A real family.
I glanced over at Caterpillar and Chester. They were watching the reunion, something soft flickering in their eyes.
The harpies huddled in the back, keeping a watchful eye on the dragon.
"Family..." Caterpillar exhaled a slow curl of smoke. "Found... lost... found again. The circle never ends."
Chester's golden eyes met mine. His grin returned—but gentler than usual. "Home isn't always a place, Alice. Sometimes it's the people who refuse to let you go."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. They were my family. The only family I'd ever truly had—except for Tinker Bell.
I glanced down at my stained tunic and leggings. Dirt. Blood. My hair was a tangled mess, probably matted from the escape.
Not exactly how I wanted to meet Darius' family.
My stomach twisted. What if I was rejected once again?
Darius was royalty. A prince of Havenwood. His brother embraced him like the prodigal son returned.
And me? I came from nothing in this world. Supposedly, I would have been royalty in the Elder Dimension—but now my father was an outlaw, not a king. A rebel hiding in the Forgotten Forest.
Which made me nothing.
Not a princess. Not a noble. Just a witch who didn't belong anywhere.
The familiar ache crept back into my chest. The same one I'd carried my whole life.
Unlovable. Rejected. Alone.
Chapter Forty-Six
Darius
Emotion swelled inside me, threatening to break the dam I'd built over all these years. Everything rolled back—memories I'd buried deep. Family. Havenwood. The life I thought I'd lost forever.
I couldn't believe I'd forgotten them. Forgotten what it felt like to be home.
But none of this would have been possible without Alice.
I held onto Lucien tightly, afraid if I let go, he'd disappear and I'd wake up back in the Elder Dimension. Back in chains. Back in Alanna's nightmare.
"How did you get back here?” Lucien choked out, his voice raw.
I slowly untangled myself from him, keeping one hand on his shoulder—needing to feel that he was real. Solid. Here.
I wiped my tears and turned my gaze to Alice.
She stood apart from us, arms wrapped around herself, looking small and uncertain. Like she didn't belong. Like she was waiting to be turned away.
My heart cracked.
I stretched out my hand to her. “And I’m back because of her."
She hesitated, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
My chest ached. After everything she'd been through—for me—she was still standing. Still fighting. I didn't deserve her.
