Page 180 of By the Flames of Her Fury

He paused. “You can call me Swift.”

“Okay, Swift. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Songbird.”

I didn’t realize I was crying until ocean waves replaced the illusion. Everett turned me so I faced him. He tenderly brushed my tears away with his thumb.

“Thank you,” I said, voice hitching. “Can you show me more? I want to see everything. All the things I’ve lost.”

“Of course, Songbird,” he said into my hair. “Every single one.”

87

Vera

“Are you ready for this?” Everett asked, one hand gripping our bags while the other rested on the small of my back.

We exited the carriage and stood facing the entrance to the Keep, with its tall, stone towers silhouetted against the cloudy sky, the outline of the rocky cliffs right behind it, and the waves of the Sea of Scarab rolling in the background. A second carriage with Tessa, Kieran, and Odessa pulled up behind us.

I took a breath. “It’s now or never.”

I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. This was my family, after all. They loved me unconditionally. But, still…I hadn’t spoken to Mama or Nox since I left them last year. Everett told me how much they missed me, but what about the resentment? The anger and betrayal and sadness I was sure festered beneath the surface?

My muscles tightened as we neared the door, and Everett rubbed my back in reassuring circles. “Relax,” he said. “If your brother didn’t set me on fire when he found out we were together, then I’m sure you’ll be fine now.”

“Not helping,” I muttered back.

The Drakorum spring breeze whistled through my hair as I walked up the imposing path, the enormous building so tall that it blocked the sun. I exhaled, then lifted my hand to the silver door knocker.

Before I could touch it, the door burst open.

Navy eyes bored into mine. Nox’s dark blond hair ruffled around his face, his lips parting silently as he took me in. Neither of us spoke. Tension racked along my spine, a pit forming in my stomach as I swallowed down my guilt.

And then we both moved.

A strangled sound left me as Nox crushed me to his chest, stealing the breath from my lungs. I wrapped my arms around my big brother and buried my head against him.

“Noxy,” I whispered, clutching him tighter. “I’m so⁠—”

“Don’t even say it,” he said gruffly, voice muffled in my hair. “You came home. That’s all I care about, Vera.”

My chest swelled, and tears rushed to the surface. I held them back with a sniff and said, “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too, little sister.”

“We all did,” a voice behind him said. Nox released me, and I glanced around to see Mama arm-in-arm with Devora, watery smiles on their faces. I rushed forward, no longer able to contain my tears as I flew into Mama’s arms.

“Welcome home, sweet girl,” she choked, her own tears dampening my neck.

“You made it,” Nox said, and I turned with my arm still around Mama to see him embracing Everett in a tight hug.

“And I owe you a ship,” Everett replied.

Nox pulled away with a raised eyebrow. “Wait, what’d you do to my ship?”

I half-laughed, half-sobbed as I flung my other arm around my brother’s neck. “Oh, we have a lot to catch up on, Noxy.”

We stayed up for hours with the Ashen Order, telling them of our adventures while Arowyn grumbled about not being there for the good stuff and Milo gasping at every close call. When Tessa told him that his spell from last year had saved Everett’s life, his cheeks reddened with pride beneath his freckles.