Trenyth started to say something, then just shook his head. “You will find out in due time.” He looked at the three of us. “Go now, your carriages are waiting to take you to the Barrows so you can travel to Y’Elestrial. Elqaneve will send a delegation to the parade and celebration tomorrow. And I have no doubt you will find old friends waiting there for you.” With that, he stood and then, in an uncharacteristic move, he quickly leaned in and kissed our foreheads, one after another. “Go in peace, girls. I wish your father could be here to see this day. You would have made him proud.”
And with tears threatening all of us, we headed out the door, leaving Chase and Astrid in Elqaneve, where they would stay with Sharah for a few days.
*
Tanaquar—the Court and Crown of Y’Elestrial—personally oversaw the ceremonies. We had come through hell for her, for our city-state, for both our worlds. And that hell was not over, but for now, we could breathe and take a few moments to relax.
The citywide celebration was to be held at night, so I could attend.
But for now, we dodged the unofficial ceremonies and rode out to the outskirts of the city, to a house that we knew so well. As we stepped out of the carriage, our lovers by our sides, a sense of melancholy and memory swept over me.
Here, we took our first breath. Here, we grew up, fighting the prejudices against us. Here, we loved our mother and lost her. And here, we now returned.
Aunt Rythwar was waiting, looking so much like Father that Camille let out a soft cry, and Delilah burst into tears. She bundled us in and fed us—Morio had brought enchanted blood for me—and seemed to know that we needed silence more than anything. After making sure we were all settled, she vanished into her room with a flurry of kisses and promises that if we needed anything, we need only tap on her door. Our dear old cook, Leethe, was gone, of course, but Auntie’s cook and housekeeper were kindly enough.
The house had been repaired from the damage it took during the civil war, and other than losing our father and Leethe, time had stood still here.
Smoky nudged Shade. “I think the girls need some time.” Nerissa nodded and guided the men toward our rooms, leaving the three of us alone in the living room.
Camille swept her hand over the clock. Father had brought it from Earthside for Mother, to give her some sense of home. So many trinkets, so many memories. A crystal vase, blown by a glass smith in town, that I had bought for my mother one Yule long ago. A hand-carved whistle a relative had given to Delilah. An embroidered scarf that Camille had struggled to make, before everybody realized she had no skill with the needle and thread. Everywhere we looked, our history followed us. Everywhere we looked, we were reminded of our past.
After a moment, Camille headed for the doors to the garden and we followed her, dressed in gowns that we had long ago put away when we traveled Earthside. Camille was in a sparkling purple gown, low cut, shimmering with beads that mirrored the stars overhead. Delilah had changed into a green gown, simple and straight, with a soft gold belt tied around the waist. And I was wearing an indigo gown, velvet soft and draping like a Grecian toga.
We linked arms, strolling through the garden. The last time we had done this was the night before we went Earthside for the first time. We had come out here and talked about what our new life would hold for us. We had pictured a vacation of sorts, or perhaps exile, but we hadn’t known what was in store for us. All our illusions and expectations from then had been shattered, some for the better.
“So.” Camille finally spoke. “When we go back, you and Nerissa will be moving into Roman’s house?”
I nodded. “He’s decorating now. I let Nerissa have full rein. We both know she’s better at that than I am, and as long as one of the rooms is done in green, I’ll be happy.”
Delilah smiled softly. “I have a wedding to plan. Shade and I want a big affair, I think. Nothing simple. Now, if I could just get Jerry Springer to preside, I’d be thrilled.” She laughed. “And I promise, no Cheetos for the wedding cake.”
Camille broke away and sat down on the garden bench. We joined her, the scent of roses wafting over us. Birdsong filled the evening, and the ivy along the gate row rustled with a sudden influx of moonglow moths that swept down to rest themselves under the dark moon.
“I’m scared of becoming queen. Of taking the crown. I have no idea what to expect.”
“We didn’t know what to expect when we moved Earthside either. You’ll do fine. Aeval dotes on you, you know.” I turned to her. “Did you ever dream . . .” I drifted off. The question was ridiculous, of course. None of us had ever dreamed that we’d be where we were right now.
She stared up at the sky, at the stars shimmering overhead. “Tomorrow night, they will cheer us on and hail us as heroines for bringing the dragons. I kind of wish we could duck out, ignore it and tell them just to go be good to each other and stop fighting.”