“I know I can’t control everything.Can’t change what happened.But the protection of those remaining?That will always be my responsibility, Cela.Always.”Opal and Veda, especially.Even Daya.Thoughshewould never need it, he still did.
“Cass told me about Veda.The whole guardian situation.Are you really going to be okay leaving her?”
A reverberatingno!thundered through his heart.He wasn’t okay in the least.
“Watching the two of you earlier reminded me of you with Cat when she was that age.”Celina smiled at the memory.“I can try to talk to Daya if you’d like.Maybe Veda can return when she’s older to become her apprentice.”
He appreciated that she’d do it in a heartbeat if he asked, but he couldn’t let her.The two protective women had already clashed enough without Celina orchestrating a fight that wasn’t warranted.
“Thank you, Cela.But it’s not about me.If it’s truly what’s best for her—and Daya and Cass both seem to think it is—then I’ll support it.”
“Even if it breaks your heart?”
As long as it was his heart, not Daya’s or Veda’s, he’d survive, but the piercing ache in his soul was more than he’d imagined possible.
“I wasn’t expecting to have to walk away from both of them.Daya is…”My home.My soul.He shook his head and swallowed back words he wasn’t strong enough to voice under the circumstances.“How do I just leave Veda to her fate?I feel like I’m failing her again.Abandoning her.”
The confession sent a corresponding slice into his heart.Not the smooth-edged slice of a sharp blade, but the jagged thrust of a broken weapon.
“Your support will mean everything to her,” Celina assured.“If it’s truly where she belongs, then you’re giving her the opportunity to embrace her destiny.Not all of us get that chance or have the support to pursue it.Regardless, you could never fail her, not in her eyes.She adores you, Connor.You’ll always be her hero, whether you’re here or not.That bond won’t be broken just because you leave.”
Emotions he’d tried to keep subdued rose, and he blinked away the overwhelming tide.Celina was wrong about that.Once Veda formally accepted her place as a guardian, the mountain would break all of her other bonds until only it remained.Leaving her ensured he would lose her.Part of her, anyway.Veda would remain his soul-daughter with or without a soul-bond linking them.But he still hated the mountain a little for how it would steal that special connection from them.
“You could never fail in my eyes, either.You know that, right?”Celina wrapped her arm around him in a hug, pulling him away from his morose thoughts.“I love you so much.I’m incredibly proud of all you’ve done.Not just as a warrior but also at home for Cat and me.We wouldn’t have made it this far without you.Everyone gives me the accolades for taking over as matriarch so young, ruling our estate, and raising Cat.But you were part of all of that.You didn’t have to be.No one expected you to.But you were.”
“You don’t have say that.”
“Yes, I do,” Celina affirmed.“Being a healer is what I wanted most in life.Everyone pushed me to stop once I had enough training to control my magic.Being matriarch was a monumental task by itself, and no one wanted my attention split.I was so young and struggling to fight back.But you saw.You knew it would destroy me to give that up entirely.You fought for me.Convinced countless people to let me continue my training and secured Althea’s support.”
“She told you about that?”
“Yes.She was rather impressed with your tenacity.”Celina smiled, but her eyes remained serious.“And I’m forever grateful.Healing has been one of the most important things in my life.Became my identity.You gave me that gift.Everything I’ve done, and am about to do, with the refugee program and the new council… it’s all because you saw what was right.What I needed.That ability to see has always been your gift.Leaving Veda here is not the same as abandoning her, Connor.If it’s truly where she’s meant to be, letting her stay with Daya and become a guardian is providing that same support.Just in a different way.She’ll feel the love in the action, I promise.”
Seeing what those around him hid from others, what they truly needed, was something he’d been honored to do.It had never hurt so much as it did now though.
Celina hugged him, dropping her voice to a whisper.“Just don’t neglect yourself while you’re busy taking care of everyone else.I’m not convinced you’ve ever made a choice for you.”
Was that true?After all this time, was he still using the amethyst sword solely to carry out his mother’s legacy?What in his life was just his?
Returning his sister’s hug, he felt the soft spark of her healing magic weaving through him.Smiling, he accepted it as the gift it was intended and let the warm glow comfort his spirit.
The unmistakable sound of little feet tapping a fast rhythm on the ground drew his ear.Letting go of his sister, Connor turned and felt a genuine smile transform his face.
His little horse whisperer glowed with life.Tiny braids twined with flowers circled the top of her head.The rest of her loose hair gleamed in the dwindling sunlight as she ran toward them.With the green dress and brown leggings she wore, the flower circlet made her look like a woodland princess from one of Cat’s childhood storybooks.
Leaning down, he caught her and tossed her gently in the air.Infectious giggling filled the surrounding space, lightening the burden in his heart.After a few tosses, he settled her in his arms.
“Are you sure Rogue can’t come with us?”Opal gave him a hopeful look.
“Yes, I’m sure.And don’t ask him to follow us.He needs to rest for our journey home, but you can visit with him later.”He held in a laugh at the small moue of a pout she made.“Are you ready for the bonfire?Got your collar?”
They’d given the slave collars back to the kids a little while earlier to carry to the fire.He’d objected, but Celina had insisted that it was an important part of the process that they each needed to take as part of their healing.His own contribution sat heavily in his pocket.
“Yes.”Opal nodded decisively.
“Good.”Smiling at her, he ignored the sick twist to his stomach.“You want a ride to the fire?”
Her eyes lit with happiness, and she nodded.Swinging her up, he settled her on his shoulders like he used to do with Cat when she was little.Opal bounced a bit and curled her fingers in his short hair.
