Chapter Twenty-One
KYELLA
I’d be a liar if I said that the sight of the large bats flying over the Tridian Empire in the distance didn’t move me to tears. My fingers curled over the wooden railing of the ship as my lips thinned in an attempt to hold back sob within that threatened to spill past my trembling lips.
I’d never again see Barnabus flying with his friends in the skies, gliding through the air in graceful arcs like there wasn’t a worry in the world besides being one with the wind.
A lone tear escaped, trailing down my cheek to drip off the edge of my jaw.
I thought that I had made peace with Barnabus’ death, but the truth was that I didn’t think I would ever feel at peace with any of the sacrifices or deaths that occurred due to this war.
Going into the war, we knew there would be casualties, but I couldn’t simply accept that sad fact with a smile on my face.
I’d pledged to bring home as many soldiers as possible, but the thought of any family or friend hearing that their loved one wasn’t one of the ones lucky enough to come back alive…
I was sure the weight of that would press down upon my soul for the rest of time.
My men would tell me the guilt wasn’t my burden to bear—but it was.
While I couldn’t find peace in their sacrifices, I could at least find it in the knowledge that the next generation wouldn’t know the touch of malice and death that came with Malakai’s rule.
That vile nastiness would simply be left in the stories passed down from the generations unfortunate enough to have borne witness to his atrocities.
The energy on our ship was frenzied, shouts of excitement as we drew close to the docks filling the air. A mass of citizens awaited us in the harbor, cheering with joy for our return as they waved.
While I understood the excitement from both sides for us to be home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the smiles of excitement that would soon turn to cries of anguish.
Most of the fleet hung back as the first wave we’d settled upon docking began their approach. Footsteps sounded behind me, and I was quick to brush my tears away, wanting to appear like I had my shit together.
“The kids are getting quite rambunctious below deck,” Tristan mused as he came to stand beside me. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into, taking them in?”
Somehow, he managed to bring up one of the main reasons I had to move forward and focus on the love I had within me to give instead of the sorrow I held deep in my heart.
While I couldn’t bring fallen children or lost parents back from death, I could offer a home to the children who found themselves without family in the Thaician Empire.
As soon as we’d assumed control of the capital, we sent trusted soldiers to each town throughout the empire to ensure that no child was left to fend for themselves after the war.
The children were brought to the capital for us to look after while we attempted to locate any of their family as well. While there was thankfully an abundant number of beautiful reunions, there were still a dozen children who had no one left and no home to return to.
“I’m glad to hear that their spirits have lifted,” I answered, a genuine smile tugging my lips up. “I just hope that we’re able to provide them with everything they deserve. I know we can’t replace their families, but I do hope they always know that they won’t be without love.”
Taking the children as our wards wouldn’t be easy—I would be a fool to think otherwise.
Tristan’s elbow knocked into my own. “Raising a child is like jumping out of a certain window. You don’t know how you’re going to survive it, but if you have faith, there’s something beautiful waiting for you at the bottom.”
A laugh bubbled out of me as I threw my head back at his joke. “That was a horrible comparison,” I rebutted, shaking my head with a smile. “But I do appreciate the sentiment. Though, I feel like I still owe you payback for that.”
I loved the easy rapport Tristan and I had built together and hoped that my connection to him and his family wouldn’t fade if they did decide to take up the helm in the Thaician Empire. They’d all become so dear to my heart, and I didn’t want to lose that familial relationship with them.
After losing Myrin and Barnabus, it was more important to me than ever to foster the relationships I had left. We never knew how much time we have left with our loved ones, and I didn’t want the ocean between us to dissolve those ties.
The smile fell from my face at the thought, and I took a deep breath before trying to exhale the fears from my body.
Tristan tugged me into his side, wrapping an arm over my shoulder before leaning his head on top of mine.
I apparently was not doing a good job at hiding my tumultuous emotions, but I was thankful that he was allowing me to feel it all and silently supporting me through it.
Leaning into his warmth, I sighed and accepted that I couldn’t control what was to come, but I could hope for the best. “Thank you,” I breathed out, as I wrapped my arm around his midsection and squeezed.
“What was it Dakath said to me when I was the one with a somber disposition as we were leaving here?” he mused before pausing, as if thinking the answer over carefully. “You don’t need to thank me. We are all a family now—this is what we do for each other.”
“Yes,” I agreed with emotion clogging my throat a bit. “We will always be family.”
“Are we missing out on the cuddle puddle?” Dakath called from behind us before forcing himself under Tristan’s other arm and cuddling into his side, making us all laugh.
The light moment was a much-needed lift to my mood, and just as my eyes glanced back toward the shore, I spotted two familiar faces beaming at us and waving.
“Look!” I shouted and pointed before waving back at them with my free hand. “It’s Bailey and Rina!”
Bailey was bouncing Rina on her hip and crying openly.
Instantly, Tristan’s arms fell from us as he waved at his girls, and I heard him clear his throat repeatedly. Glancing up, my heart melted at the sight of tears falling from his eyes.
We were moments away from docking, so I gave him his space, knowing he needed to go to them immediately. Turning back, I reached for Dakath’s hand, and we fell into step, heading toward the middle of the ship where everyone was gathering.
“You okay?” he asked quietly, squeezing my hand in his knowing way.
“I will be,” I answered truthfully, glancing up at him with a soft smile. “Even if it’s not today, one day I’ll be able to stop thinking of all the what-ifs that could have possibly saved more lives.”
His feet came to a halt before he turned to face me. Lifting his free hand to cup my jaw, I immediately leaned into the warmth of his touch and closed my eyes, soaking in his strength and support.
“Ky, I could stand here and tell you that everything will be okay and that one day the shadows tormenting your heart won’t be there anymore,” he breathed out before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
The warmth of his breath pressing against my skin sent a shiver down my spine as he continued, “But we both know that isn’t true.
What I can promise is that I will always offer you a safe place to experience those emotions when they become overwhelming. ”
His steady reassurance was exactly what I needed to hear, and I found myself nodding before going onto my tiptoes to press my lips to his. Melting into his embrace, we stayed tangled together for a few moments before Elijah and Kolvar pulled our focus.
“Damn, it feels good to be home,” the latter practically sang as he wrapped his arm over my shoulder. The anchor was dropped into place as he held me tight, and I watched as crew members jumped off to tie the ship to the dock.
Without preamble, Tristan jumped over the railing off the ship, running with ease toward Rina and Bailey.
He fell to his knees, meeting Bailey as her knees hit the dock as well.
Rina wriggled free from her mother’s arms and turned to throw herself into Tristan’s waiting embrace.
She was pressed between her parents as Bailey leaned forward, wrapping her arms around them both—my heart ached sweetly at the sight of them family holding each other and crying in relief.
Elijah cleared his throat to my left, and I looked up to find him wiping at his eyes.
“Getting soft on us in your old age?” Kolvar asked, and I lightly ribbed him in jest.
“Don’t make fun of him!” I defended before cuddling up to Elijah’s side, looking up at him as he glared at Kolvar. “I, for one, find it incredibly sexy when a man is in touch with his emotions.”
His eyes dropped to mine as he quirked an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? If that’s the case, then—”
He was cut off by the sound of Rina squealing, “Ky!”
“Go see them,” Elijah suggested, steering me toward the small line to depart the ship. “I’m going to round up our wards from the lower levels to get ready to head into the castle.”
I found myself bouncing in excitement, standing on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss before he disappeared once more.
“I don’t know if he can handle them all without his eyes blowing out of his face in frustration, so I’m going to help him,” Dakath announced with a laugh as Elijah flicked him off.
“This is going to be a big adjustment for us all,” I mused to Kolvar as we inched closer to the gangplank leading off the boat.
With a deep laugh, he admitted, “It sure is, but honestly, darling, I have trouble picturing a boring and easy life for us anymore. I just don’t think that’ll ever be in the cards for us.”
“I think you may be right,” I agreed before turning to leave the ship.
The second my feet hit the wooden dock, I heard the pounding of little feet running toward me. Turning to face them, I ran the distance between us and scooped Rina up into my arms as she giggled and put her hands on my cheeks like she couldn’t believe I was here.
“Ky! You’re home,” she squealed in delight before glancing behind me and tacking on, “Kol!”
His deep laughter sounded from behind us as he came to my side and gave her a hug. The little girl wrapped her arms tightly around my neck as we made our way to Tristan and Bailey, who were still wrapped in each other’s embrace.
“Thank you, Ky,” Rina chirped, surprising me.
“For what, silly?” I mused back, poking her in the side to make her giggle from the tickling.
Her laughter and smile lit my entire being up, her energy infectious.
Her little hands rested on my cheeks as she squeezed my face and said, “For keeping your promise! Daddy came back.”
Before I could get choked up by the sentiment, Bailey’s voice floated over to us.
“Yes, thank you, Kyella, and I’m so glad to see you again as well.”
Tristan reached out for Rina, and I moved to embrace Bailey.
“It is so good to see you as well, Bailey.”
I wanted to ask her how everything had been here since we left, but a cheer came from the gathered crowd of citizens at the end of the docks. A sea of faces met me when I turned, the crowd seemingly endless for how far away from the dock it stretched.
“Long live the Empress!”
“Long live the Empress!”
“Long live the Empress!”
The chant echoed, and I smiled, holding up a hand for it to stop. A palm rested against my back, and I glanced back to see that Kolvar and Elijah had joined us with the children we’d vowed to help find lives full of love and safety in our empire.
Some were bursting with excitement as they took in their new home and all those who had gathered, but a few of them hid behind Elijah’s large frame and glanced around nervously.
Giving them all encouraging smiles as Elijah dropped to his knees to hug them, I turned back to the silent crowd, speaking loudly enough for my voice to carry.
“Thank you for the warm greeting! While it is a wonderful feeling to be home, our return comes with the knowledge that not everyone made it home with us. We knew the risk of going into this war, but it doesn’t make the loss of lives any easier.”
A small hand gripped at my pants, and I looked down to find a young boy with dimples, deep blue eyes, and curly blonde hair trembling at my side.
If I recalled correctly, his name was Landon.
Bending to scoop him up onto my hip, I held him to my chest as he burrowed against my neck, all but hiding in my hair.
My heart constricted at the movement as I continued, “There has been much loss on both sides, leaving broken families in the war’s wake.
With our return, we bring with us humans and vampyres, young and old alike, from the Thaician Empire.
They wished to start anew and find a new home here.
I know I have already asked so much of you all, but I have one last request.”
Unable to hold back the waves of emotion crashing into me, I choked out my words.
“Can you find it in your hearts to welcome our new citizens? The lives they have lived are a far cry from the ones we know here. Some will be terrified, while others may instantly feel at home, but I ask that you all give them grace as we all learn to navigate this new era of freedom and peace between our two empires.”
Silence ensued for a few moments before someone yelled, “Welcome, new friends!”
And with those three words, I could no longer hold back the tears that fell from my eyes as the crowd went wild once more, cheering and welcoming the new citizens arriving on our shore.
At this moment, I knew all the heartache and pain had been worth it.
Never again would any empire know such a ruthless rule, only a ruthless love.