“Oh.”
Joso looks at her with pure adoration, and Vann looks at the Enduar like he’d enjoy peeling off his fingernails.
“I’m happy for you,” I say, feeling strangely disappointed as Vann turns back to Teo.
“I will gather the rest of the Council,” Vann mutters before he walks off.
I continue to talk to Arlet and Joso, learning that he started to bring her small gifts that he would find while hunting in the caves. He was, after all, famous for taking down the cave bears.
“Isn’t that just adorable?” Arlet says, looking at me expectantly, but all I can do is smile.
How can I tell her that I wanted her to settle in with Vann while I was gone? My mouth opens just as a new figure comes up. One whom I could hear long before I could see.
“Estela, the wise woman in training. You have been neglecting your lessons,” Mother Liana says with a mock stern voice.
If I thought that my heart couldn’t take any more pure felicity, I was wrong.
“It is hard to practice when my teacher and I only had a few lessons before a madman kidnapped me.” She smiles and something in me eases. With no one else, I could make such a morbid joke. I hold up my hand where Teo’s ring sits. “Besides, I only had these tiny gems on my jewelry.”
Teo reenters the moment. “I would hardly call any of those gems tiny.”
Liana raises a pierced eyebrow. “Well, I would hardly call them large. You’ll have to do better next time. Wise women need large stones with extra power.”
Then she pulls me into a hug. She hasn’t ever been the most physically affectionate, but there is a distinct maternal grasp to her as she leans in to whisper, “Welcome home, my child.”
Tears come once more. And they are welcome as I survey her sleeping gown, which she came out in unashamedly. It’s positively covered in glowing stones, and her long white hair is unbound. She notices me looking.
“I’m old. I’m allowed to be scandalous.”
Teo barks out a laugh. “Gods. Come,mi amor?2.Arlet and Neela can help care for the humans for a few hours. We must discuss everything that has happened.”
My breath hitches, but I oblige my mate, and we start to walk away toward the palace. I continue to turn around until Ican no longer see the crowd once more. The rest of the climb up the steps starts to feel uncomfortable as my still-damaged memories are prodded at.
Everything is perfect.
Almost.
When I think of Mikal in the caves, the only memories I have are of him holed up in a storage room with a dozen other humans while Keksej and I met with the Enduares about diamonds. He had just been whipped, and he was covered in bandages. Then… he was taken away and I was left here.
When I was in Zlosa, I really believed I’d be able to find him and bring him back. I wanted him to see Enduvida like this. Full of people helping each other, mushrooms glowing, and crystals glinting.
He deserves to see how wonderful it is.
I beg myself not to let a few small imperfections spoil everything else that can happen today, and I squeeze Teo’s hand. It is warm and grounding, and it makes the curling acid in my belly abate—if not for a few moments.
I find the other council members waiting in the expanse with the large, bioluminescent fountain and the glowing mushrooms. I see Svanna, Ulla, Vann, Ra'Salore, Lothar, and Fira. Fira greets me with a nod, and Vann passes Teo a shirt.
“I thought you’d appreciate this,” he murmurs as my gaze returns to Lothar.
He looks ill, but at least he is alive. A memory flickers of him outside my door the night they took me.
I thank Endu and Grutabela that he wasn’t killed.
“Why haven’t you gone in?” Teo asks, eyeing the still-closed door to the throne room.
Ulla and Fira furrow their brows, and Vann says, “We were waiting for you. The throne room hasn’t been used since you left.”
Teo places a hand over his heart, conveying that this action meant more than I understood in their customs. I follow close behind as Teo presses the button that causes the stone to rumble as it slides away.
