I caught Finley’s gaze when I stepped through their door with Luana barreling past me to reach Finley as if they hadn’t been together moments ago. Etienne dipped his head in a quiet nod before crouching down to scratch Luana behind her ears. His mouth curved slightly.
Finley’s smile was small but sure.
It hit me like a steady pulse behind my ribs.
“I’m done running. Etienne reminded me that this is my magic. Mine, and she doesn’t get to dictate the cost. I’m going to fight for all of me now. For you. For us.”
She was still choosing this. Choosing us.
We’d carved our way through storms and obstacles of our own making. It should’ve broken us. Left us frayed and raw. But here we were, hearts tattered but open.
Tomorrow would come with whatever it had fated for us. But tonight I had my mate. My family.
It was enough.
Now, all I had to do was convince them that going to Respandora for a movie night with my friends and family was what we needed. Totally doable.
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
FINLEY
Brenton satacross from me on the grass without a word, letting King Elias and Queen Teddy’s twins toddle around until they plopped down on his lap. Zayne picked up a piece of bread from Brenton’s plate, which Brenton had broken into smaller pieces, and the youngling ate it. Caspian babbled at Luana, who sat like a perfect, sweet lady, her ears perked and tail thumping softly.
Chatter from around the king and queen’s yard blurred in the background. Beneath it, the earth exhaled in slow, rhythmic breaths. I swore I felt something against my palms where they rested against the grass. It was more than magic or the wind, but something deeper, only I could feel. Respandora’s heartbeat. Her soil was alive.
Where I felt it in Niev, here I breathed with it.
The steadiness scraped like daggers inside me.
Because Vistos didn’t hum quietly like this. It roared. Smoke and heat and wings beat against the open sky. With dragons that had looked at me as if I were part of the answer.
My fingers curled into the grass.
I had left them. Not by choice. Not truly. But absence didn’t care about intent.
Zaicha had taken from them before I ever arrived. She could do it again. For all I knew, she already had. Another sky falling silent while I sat beneath a peaceful tree pretending my lungs knew how to rest.
Respandora’s heartbeat thudded beneath my palm.
In Vistos, I didn’t know if theirs still did.
But for this small pocket of normal, I let myself stay.
No one had questioned why I’d chosen a tree at the edge of the small gathering. But I’d noticed the signs of Etienne’s distress mounting and wanted us tucked away far enough so he could breathe, but not too far that we appeared rude. Brenton had followed, his easy chatter helping Etienne relax.
Brenton handed Zayne a small piece of chicken. His nephew immediately held it out to Luana, who nipped at the corner, careful her teeth didn’t graze his fingers.
“Zayne.” Brenton laughed his nephew’s name. Before the little boy could shove the slobbery piece into his mouth, Brenton plucked it from his pudgy hand. “You don’t eat after the dog.”
Zayne pointed at Luana. “Dog.”
Luana tilted her head, her tail giving a single, hopeful thump.
The corners of Brenton’s mouth curved up. “That’s right. Dog.” He leaned back slightly, glancing over his shoulder with genuine pride. “Your boy’s a genius! He told Luana she’s a dog.”
Teddy snorted, shaking her head, but King Elias only grinned. “Wait until you hear what else they learned to say. I’ll give you a hint. It starts with C and involves bowel movements.”
