Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“His mate will be one who’s brought her own kingdom to its knees. She conquered to liberate her people from the shackles of slavery, but battle has made her hard. Nowas will have to prove himself worthy of capturing her heart. But when he does …” My grandmother turns to beam at me and Luna. “Oh, how those two kingdoms joining will make all of Hallalah rejoice.”
Cheers and chants of my son’s name rise from the people gathered. A hand I could never mistake as anyone’s but my brother’s comes to my shoulder, giving a squeeze that tells me so many things without words.
I’m proud of you.
I’m here for you.
I wouldn’t have missed this day for anything.
“Step forward and claim your son,” my grandmother tells us as she moves aside.
My brother’s hand drops away right before Luna and I step forward. We both drop to our knees in front of our son. I remove the soil from over him and Luna picks him up. His eyes open for just a few seconds before closing again.
“Hello, Nowas,” she cooes. “Did you hear your fate, son? You’ve got a lot coming in your future.”
She brings him to her chest, and I look down at them, tears in my eyes, peace in my heart, and a soul complete. I could stay in this moment forever, but …
“Come on, we better get going,” Luna reminds me.
“I have the wagon waiting,” I tell her, gesturing to where it is, off to the side of the crowd.
“I can’t believe I’m finally going to meet your sister,” she says as I help her stand. “Although, I’m pretty sure she’s gonna be pissed at you for telling her to come home when we all know she wanted to stay.”
“She’s been gone long enough. Fate needs Vabila here to train her for her position as a Mina, and she hasn’t even met her niece or nephew yet.”
“Yeah,” Luna agrees as we get into the wagon. Once Bothaki, Selina, Fate, and Zarah are on theirs, we take off.
“It did seem like Vabila was liking it on Earth, though,” Luna continues. “She was definitely enjoying punishing the men who were insisting on living as if The New Order was still in power.”
I smile. “Ila always did enjoy bringing pain to anyone who made others suffer.”
“I do not blame her in the least with human men. I wish I were there to see those disgraces get put in their places. But maybe … just maybe that wasn’t the only reason she wanted to stay.”
My brows furrow. “Then, why?”
Luna rolls her eyes while chuckling. “Men. Maybe Vabila met someone there. Maybe even her mate.”
I immediately shake my head. “No. Most of the males there, she would rather shove her spear through than even look at. And any good ones, it’s not … they’re not … it doesn’t align with her fate.”
Luna just raises her brows and smiles. “I think we know by now that fate is a tricky thing. Oh, it all works out in the end, but the road to that end isn’t always so plain to see, or understand. You never know.”
“Doesn’t matter now. She’s coming home, where she belongs.”
Our wagon, and the one with Bothaki, Selina, Fate, and Zarah arrives at the air strip just as ships become visible on the horizon, black cutting through the pink sky and clouds. The crowd parts for our family to walk through and then we’re standing at the forefront. It’s a little while longer before the ships land. I listen to the murmurs of the crowd as we await the doors to open. Hallans and humans wondering how many will disembark, if there will be many mates among the arrivals, and others just wanting to set eyes on their princess again after so long.
The doors open and my heart takes flight at finally seeing my sister again. But as more and more Hallans and humans come off the ships, I begin to wonder if that flight was for nothing. Hallans come before me, bowing their heads before going to join their families. Humans are directed to where they are welcomed to Hallalah and begin the process of placing them in a house and making sure they have everything they need. There are much more humans than we expected. A good thing though, given the … complications that stood in the way of that before.
“Good thing we built so many houses,” I murmur.
“We’re going to need more balls,” Luna excitedly says.
“You can definitely count me in for each and every one.” Zarah chuckles.
“Who knew my mother could dance for hours on end.” Selina giggles.
The laughter dies off, though, and the murmurs get louder as the last door of the last ship remaining closes. With that door closing, the people behind me, and my family beside me, realize the same thing that I do. Vabila has not come home. Vabila is still on Earth. Hallalah’s princess has not returned.