“Now, shall we rejoin the others before your older brother comes over here?” Between one heartbeat and the next, Mum’s mask slid back into place, all sharp edges and hurricane smiles. “He’s been watching us like he expects me to decapitate you at any moment.”
I glanced over to find Cas indeed keeping a watchful eye on us, his posture deceptively relaxed, but his attention laser-focused.Always the shield, always the biggest billy goat gruff, even when the threat was just emotional discomfort.
“Yeah, he does that.” My smile was tiny, but it was real. “Always has, always will.”
#
Dinner was not terrible. Mrs. Wentzel had outdone herself with a meal that satisfied, both mortal and immortal palates, and the conversation had flowed easily, mostly thanks to Seri’s curiosity and enthusiasm. Mum told her about the cloud shepherds who herd sentient mist across wind currents, about the star harvesters who collect cosmic debris during meteor showers, and about the cloud sylphs who tend gardens made of vapor-lilies and sky-moss. Even Caelyr spoke more than normal, describing the storm wolves who run the thunderheads and the mist hounds, who are made of fog and can only be seen in moonlight.
One look at Seri’s enchanted expression, and I knew we’d be paying a visit to Skyspire in the near future.
For now, though, dark was settling over Evermere, and the sky wyrms were restless, pawing at the grass and snorting actual lightning with each impatient huff. I hung back from the others as Ko patiently explained to Seri why she couldn’t pet the wyrms and Cas looked ready to tackle her if she tried.
Why do goodbyes still sting when I had so much practice with them?I wondered as I kicked a stone.
“Zane.”
The voice beside me was deep and quiet, startling me out of my brooding. Caelyr had approached without a sound, moving with that disconcerting star-born grace that made even dhampir reflexes seem clumsy in comparison.
“Trying to give me a heart attack?” I quipped, clutching my chest. “Because dhampirs have hearts, too, you know. Technically. Most of the time. Mine’s at least sixty percent functional.”
Caelyr didn’t smile, but his silver eyes lightened as he reached into his pocket.
“I have something for you.”
He extended his hand, palm up. In it lay a small honey-red stone that seemed to shimmer with internal light. It was roughly star-shaped, although its edges were worn smooth, as if it had been carried and handled for centuries.
“Cloud amber. A hardened fragment of an ancient cloud. Some contain memories, others scents, a rare few voices.”
“What’s it for?” I stared at it, not quite understanding.
“It holds no magic. No power beyond its meaning. It says you were never forgotten.”
Something thick and uncomfortable lodged in my throat. I swallowed hard against it, but it refused to budge.
“I’m not—
“Some things should be acknowledged,” he insisted. “Your place in her heart is one of them.”
I took the amber. It was warm in my palm and heavier than it looked. I curled my fingers around it, unable to find words for the tangle of emotions writhing in my chest.
“Thanks.”
He nodded once, accepting my inadequate response, then, in a gesture so unexpected it made me go statue-still, he clasped my shoulder and squeezed, hard enough to remind me I was solid and real and seen.
“Remember what else runs in your veins.”
Then he released me and stepped back, and I stood there, the amber clutched in my fist, feeling like I’d just experienced some kind of celestial blessing.
Mum came over then, and Seri and my brothers moved to flank me.
“Thank you for coming,” our beloved said. “It’s been an honor to meet you both.”
And then, because she was Seri, she hugged them.
Ko turned his laugh into a cough, Cas’ eyes widened, and I didn’t bother to hold back my snicker as Caelyr awkwardly patted her shoulder, which was only a few inches above his belly button. Dude was unnecessarily tall. Mum accepted the embrace with more poise, although I caught the surprise that flashed across her face before she hid it with a queenly nod.
To my utter shock, Mum turned to me next, reached up, and ruffled my hair. Actuallyruffledit, like I was still a kid and not a fully grown dhampir who could probably deadlift her sky wyrm.
