Chapter Forty-Five
Joy
"I've got you," Enzo whispered.
I looked up into his eyes, my own swimming with tears. "I know."
He held me close as the gathered mourners began to shift, the formal ceremony drawing to an end. Keir's final words echoed across the grounds: "It is done. Our brother has passed on."
Through my tears, I saw Morden standing nearby, waiting patiently. I untangled myself from Enzo.
Morden took my hands. “Someday, I’d like to tell you more about Nyx. Would you like to meet the harpies?”
I glanced toward where the harpies stood, their massive forms both beautiful and terrifying. My stomach fluttered with nerves, but they'd loved Nyx—protected him, mourned him.
Enzo put his hand on my arm. “They won’t harm her.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
“No, of course not. They will sense who she is,” he said. “I think they will protect her like they did me and Nyx.”
Something warm unfurled in my chest. Protected. Like family. I'd lost so much—my parents, now Nyx—but maybe I was gaining something too. A father. Chosen sisters in the form of deadly harpies. The thought was both strange and comforting.
The harpies stood vigil near where the altar had been, radiating sorrow. Morden nodded toward them. "Come."
My feet felt heavy as I moved forward. Up close, they were even more imposing—easily twice my height, their massive eagle bodies rippling with muscle beneath glossy black feathers. But it was their faces that held me—beautiful and mournful, tears streaking down their human cheeks.
What if they blamed me? Nyx had died saving Enzo, saving me. What if they saw me as the reason their friend, their family, was gone? My hands trembled at my sides.
But Morden's steady presence beside me gave me courage. I forced myself to keep walking.
I followed him over, my heart pounding as the powerful creatures turned their attention to us. They studied me with intelligent eyes—ancient and knowing—and then leaned in closer.
I froze, barely breathing. Their massive forms towered over me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from their bodies, smell the wild scent of feathers and wind. One of them lowered her head, her breath warm against my hair as she sniffed.
My hands trembled at my sides. I wanted to reach out, to show I meant no harm, but I didn't dare move. This was it—either I'd be accepted or torn apart. Every muscle in my body locked tight as I held perfectly still.
Something clicked. The sadness in their expressions shifted to surprise, then something warmer—recognition.
They rushed forward eagerly, and before I could step back, one had wrapped her enormous wing around me, pulling metight against her feathered body. The embrace was surprisingly gentle.
I should have been terrified—trapped against a creature that could kill me in seconds. But instead, warmth spread through my chest. Safe. Protected. Like being wrapped in my mother's arms when I was small. The fear melted away, replaced by something I hadn't expected—belonging.
"Get away from her," Enzo commanded, his voice dangerous.
"Stand down,” Morden said. “They're not threatening her—they're accepting her. They recognize Nyx's blood in her veins. She's his sister, which makes her theirs to protect now."
I felt the harpy's heartbeat against my side, strong and steady. The other one pressed close, completing the embrace. They were mourning with me, welcoming me.
"They'd like you to fly with them, if you're willing. Nyx rode them all the time. He'd want you to know what that felt like." Morden’s voice was thick with emotion.
"Only if I can go with her," Enzo said, eyeing the harpy warily.
Morden wiped a tear from his eye. "Be my guest."
The harpy turned, lowering slightly as if inviting me onto her broad back.
I reached out tentatively, my fingers sinking into surprisingly silky feathers—not the rough, scratchy texture I'd expected, but something closer to down. Beneath the plumage, I could feel the solid architecture of muscle and bone, radiating heat. I gripped a handful of feathers near her shoulders and pulled myself up, settling into the natural dip between her wings. The feathers compressed under my weight, molding around me like a living saddle.
Enzo settled behind me, his arms wrapping securely around my waist, anchoring me. I could feel the harpy's breathing—deep, steady—her body rising and falling beneath us.
