After all, once I finally admitted how I really felt, I realized that there were two things I wanted. Revenge. And recognition. I wanted them to admit that they were wrong about me. I wanted them to regret that they didn’t trust me. I wanted them to see me as the asset I really am.
And now, they have.
So I draw in a deep breath and push aside the burning anger for a moment so that I can instead relish the feeling of, at long last, getting the recognition I deserve. It settles inside me, steadying my otherwise furiously roaring soul, and the ghost of a smile blows across my lips as I give Vestra and the others a nod.
“Apology accepted.” I hold out my hand. “Now, let’s go free our court.”
She smiles and clasps my hand while the others nod back as well.
After a firm shake, she releases my hand and then walks away with the other leaders of our resistance. I watch them approach the dragon shifters who they have bonded before I glance towards Draven. He is giving Lyra some last-minute orders before we leave. And apparently, Orion too. Though the Unseelie King just rolls his eye, looking half-amused, half-annoyed that Draven is trying to give him orders.
“Fenriel!” Diana suddenly calls a little to my left. “Just give me one minute.”
I look from Diana, who hurries over to some of her clan members, and then towards the red-haired fae man who is striding in our direction. His blue and gold eyes glow in the morning sunlight as he uses his powers to keep his magical hawk, Talon, summoned. The hawk rustles its wings where it sits perched on his shoulder.
Next to him, another fae man I recognize is striding along as well. Trevor. The guy with stone magic who probably should have won the Atonement Trials instead of me.
Both of them flash me a smile when they reach me.
“Selena!” Fenriel says in that wonderfully excited voice of his.
Warmth pulses through me. He was like this during the Atonement Trials too. Cheerful and excited. I’m glad to see that this past year hasn’t dimmed his bright personality in the slightest.
“Fenriel,” I reply, and then glance over my shoulder towards Diana. When I meet Fenriel’s gaze again, I raise my eyebrows in surprise and approval. “You bonded the leader of the Purple Clan?”
He blushes as he and Trevor come to a halt in front of me. “Yes. I can barely believe it.” His eyes glitter, and the words tumble out of his mouth in an excited hurry. “But she found out that I can summon Talon,” he pets his hawk, “and since her clan magic is animal magic, she thought I was perfect. I can’t believe someone so important chose me.”
“I can.” I hold his gaze. “You’re a good guy, Fenriel. You always have been.”
“See?” Trevor fills in, and draws a hand through his blond hair while giving Fenriel a knowing look. “That’s what I told you yesterday too.”
Fenriel blushes even more, but his eyes are full of light. “She even invited me to visit her homeland after the war.” Hope and excitement pulse across his face. “Talon and I will finally get that adventure we’ve always been dreaming of!”
“I’m so happy for you,” I tell him, and I genuinely mean that.
Fenriel and Talon are adventurers to their very souls. They deserve to finally see this extraordinary world that is waiting for us outside the thorn forest.
“Trevor!” a male dragon shifter in blue armor calls from close to where Diana is finishing up with her people. “Let’s go, man.”
Trevor raises his hand to him in acknowledgement and then looks back at me and Fenriel. Hope and anticipation gleam in his eyes as well when he smiles and raises a finger in the air. “When this is all over, and I’ve opened up that bakery I talked about, I expect both of you to come and try every single pastry I make.” His grin widens. “After I’ve eaten a boatload of them myself, of course.”
I laugh. “It’s a promise.”
He chuckles and gives me a nod. Then, with a wink to Fenriel, he jogs off towards the member of the Blue Clan who he has bonded.
Talon flaps his wings and takes off from Fenriel’s shoulder. With an excited call, he swoops towards Diana, who has now finally finished.
Fenriel gives me a playful salute and flashes me another smile. “See you on the other side.”
Then he too jogs off.
I watch both of them go, feeling oddly warm inside. It wasn’t long, but the time we spent together while we all competed in theAtonement Trials was so intense and so raw that it created bonds between us that can’t be denied. They’ve been through a lot too, and they deserve to finally live out their dreams as well.
After one last look in their direction, I walk over to where Draven and the others are still talking.
“You know,” Orion says, his eye slightly narrowed as he keeps his gaze locked on Draven. “Even when you ask for something, you somehow still manage to make it sound like an order.”
“That’s what I said!” Alistair exclaims, and points at Orion before looking back at Draven again and raising his pale brows expectantly. “See, it’s not just me.”
