“I…” I stared at the brooches in her hand, my emotions a jumbled mix of gratefulness, joy, belonging, and sorrow.
“Don’t get all emotional on me now, Viva.” She motioned to the right side of my chest. “May I?”
I nodded, still a bit stunned at the generosity the Ashford family continued to show me.
Myfamily.
Matea reached over, gently pinning the broochtomy shirt.Though it was somewhat large, it seemed weightless, sitting snuggly in place against my chest.
I watched as my sister looked down at her own chest and pinned the second brooch in the samespotshe’dput mine. She pushed her cloak to be behind her shoulders, resting on her more as a cape than a cloak, sothe broochwouldn’tbe covered.
Looking back toward me, a small smile took over her lips as she took me in.
“Look at you. You have the features of aHeartshire, you wear the circlet of aThorntier, and nowyou’readorned with the crest of an Ashford.”
I took a quick moment to bask in the feeling of belonging that rose in me at her words. The weight of the circlet and brooch were light but ever-present.I’dnever imagined I would be more than my father’s daughter, and yet there I was.
Not just a Heartshire, but a Thorntier and even an Ashford, too.
And as our ship docked on theOcreinIsles, I made a promise to myself and to the Stars that Iwouldn’tlet any of them down.
***
If I remembered the geography correctly,we’djust arrived in Regis. Regis was the small town that had served Southerners as the main passageway in and out of the Isles for ages, being positioned on the largest Isle, nearest toFallaineback on the continent.
The Islanders below were obviously confused, andmaybe evena tad concerned, as they hovered around our ship on the docks, trying to steal looks at us.
I stood with Byn and Matea on the deck, watching as the ship’s staff managed to lower the gangway and secure us an easy way back onto solid ground.Teagan was speaking with the captain on the opposite end of the ship, likely to ensurewe’dhave a way back to the mainland once our business here on the Isles was through, but all the other members of our group were nearby. Even Margo, who stood with Ezra and Quinn, was close enough to the edge of the ship to peer back at the Islanders below.
Once the staff motioned that it was clear to head down, I heard Byn take a deep breath before stepping forward. As King of the South, it only made sense for him to lead us into whatever it was we were about to face. I fell into place behind him as he made his way down the gangway, my wings tuckedtightand my chin held high. I even rolled my shoulders back once I glimpsed a few Islanders gawking at me.
I needed to look the part of queen—now more than ever.
We were halfway through our descent when a female’s voicerungout through the air.
“Stop at once!”
Running toward our ship were half a dozen soldiers, each dressed head to toe in black—including the chain-mail armor covering their chests.
Itdidn’tsurprise me much this time to see females as guards and soldiers; not like it did when I first interacted with the South.
Though I couldn’t ignore the way Byn’s anxiety spiked in my chest—and stayed that way.
“State your reason for coming to these lands!”thehead of the soldiers ordered us as she neared. Her sword had already been pulled from its sheath, and a wisp of shadows wrapped around her arm and down the blade in a fiercely protective manner.
“Isaid—”Shewas cut off as we all watched two shadows breeze between each of the members of theValwainand down the path back to land.
The duo of shadows stopped at the very edge of the gangway,not quite crossingonto the Isles and theirproperty, whenthey materialized side by side to reveal Callum and Caelia.
The Ocrein Isles heir and princess.
“My prince,” the lead soldier gasped, then deeply bowed. “And my princess. Welcome home.”
“Thank you, Niki,” Callum responded, and a weight Ihadn’tnoticed before seemed to settle on his shoulders as he stepped onto the docks and back into his homeland.
“I know this looks…odd, but we need to see the king and queen,” Callum said.
“Atonce,” Caelia impatiently added, stepping down totake upher place at her older brother’s side.
