Swallowing the thickness in his throat, he forced himself to turn away as she faded from view.Ember swooped in as he closed the door, sailing with practiced grace through the hallways to her living room perch.
He sank into his regular seat at the table and dropped his head into his hands.Thoughts tumbled and warred with his emotions as he tried to force everything to blend cohesively.
Finding a way forward was going to be difficult, no matter what path he took.His family had been in fear and pain, his teammates had died, and two little girls were in trouble.Yet, he couldn’t find it in his heart to regret his time on the mountain.
There was no question where his responsibility would lead him, more a matter of weighing priorities.Giving up when a headache began to bloom, he opened his eyes to stare at his favorite image.
A beautiful carving of a young girl was etched into the top of the wood.Her hands were lifted in welcome, hair billowing in the wind as she embraced the great owlcat flying toward her.His lips softened into a smile at the sight, and he lifted a finger to trace over the younger versions of Daya and Neka.No wonder this seat had once been her father’s preferred place to sit.It had become his too.
Shadows flickered on the wall, alerting him before sound reached him that his sister was approaching.Burying his complex feelings deep as only an experienced and stubborn warrior could do, he let only the positive emotions stream through.
True joy radiated through him as he turned to face his sister.He smiled broadly at her as she walked in.
She looked the same as ever, with her auburn hair glowing brightly in the morning light.While their baby sister had inherited their mother’s vibrant red hair, and Connor had inherited their father’s golden blond, Celina’s was a rich brown that radiated sunlight with strands of red and gold mixed in.
Something had changed about her in the months they’d been apart.Her shoulders bore less weight than usual, a regal strength emanating from her that she’d been lacking before.Whatever it was, it suited her well.
“Morning, Cela.”
Her eyes filled as she looked at him, relief and joy radiating from her.With a small intake of breath, she lunged for him, throwing her arms around him.
He caught her just as he once had when they were younger, holding her tight.The embrace was filled with years of love.Some of his tension fled as he let the sense of home fill him.Memories settled into place in his mind.Like they’d been waiting for this reunion.He’d missed his family so much.
“You’re wearing Mother’s blade.”He choked on the words, filled with intense emotion.
The dagger was a smaller complement to his sword.Both steel legacies of their mother’s life and passion.Celina had refused the inheritance when she’d come of age and taken over their family line as matriarch.They’d been opposite that way—him taking on everything he could and her only what she had to.
“I had to come rescue you, so it seemed appropriate,” she said.“Don’t ever scare me like that again, Connor.Cat and I were devastated.”
“I know.I’m sorry.”
His mind finally caught up with all that had happened, pushing him to recognize how much she’d sacrificed and risked to come after him.The evidence of it was in the amethyst dagger on her belt.
Celina squeezed him once more before letting him go, hand lingering on his previously injured arm.“What happened?”
“Everything that could go wrong, did.With devastating consequences.”
“You survived.That’s all that matters.I’m sorry about the rough healing.I was so worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Cela, thanks to you.That healing packed a punch though.You could warn me next time.”
“That wasn’t supposed to happen, it never has before.”
He smiled as she explained.The shock of the healing had been a bit rough, but it had worked.He wasn’t as distressed as she seemed to think he would be.Daya’s influence, no doubt.
When she paused to take a breath, he motioned her to sit and went to make them tea, forcing down his brewing emotions.
Perhaps she’d inadvertently healed more than his memories.It was as if his heart was waking up after being asleep for too long.He swore it felt different than before, but that could be from the turmoil of emotions he was battling.
“Don’t worry yourself over it, Cela, I’ll be fine.Where’s, ah…?”He came up short on the name of her companion, though he vividly recalled the protective energy the man had emanated.
“Rodric,” she supplied.“He went to get Cass and Sev so that we could plan.”
“Cass is here?”He stopped short with the tea, surprise holding him immobile for a moment.“I know you’re friends but… you got a Wolflumen to come after me?”
Cass was Celina’s best friend, yes, but she was also one of the realm’s fiercest and most secret assets.He’d worked with her once before.The brief time had improved his blade skills immensely.What in the world was she doing spending her very valuable time tracking him down?
“A Wolflumen and two Preddari Hunters,” Celina said proudly.
