Mother said, enveloping Maya in her arms. “You look absolutely stunning.”
“You make a radiant princess,” Father agreed, taking his turn to hug her.
Maya shook her head, smiling. “A princess. That’s about the last thing I ever expected.”
“Regretting it already?” Aiken joked, coming up to join us.
Brittany elbowed him in the ribs as she walked up with Niall, bouncing little Carlin on her hip. “Seriously, Aiken?”
He and Niall just laughed, which seemed about right. For as solemn and sacred as this moment was, this was my family, after all. And we certainly didn’t stand on pretense, royals or not.
As if on cue, music started up, and thousands of little tiny lights flickered on, the glowing orbs floating overhead. It was time for the celebration to truly begin.
And what a celebration it was. Food and wine were abundant, and everything was exactly as I’d hoped it would be—a fun family gathering with those that were nearest and dearest to us. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our Mating Day.
“Congratulations, you two,” June said, coming up to us a bit later. “I’m so happy for you.”
Dylan was right next to her, and he let go of her hand long enough to give Maya a hug.
“Thank you, June,” I said. “You have quite a sister.”
“She’s amazing.” June smiled fondly at her little sister, and I thought I saw something wistful there. “I just wish we hadn’t spent so many years apart.”
“We have the rest of our lives ahead of us now, though,” Maya said. She’d convinced June to stay here on Hollander, though there wasn’t much convincing to it. This was Maya’s home now, and Dylan’s.
June seemed to be settling in nicely. She’d moved into Maya’s old house, which I’d purchased from the school and was currently having it renovated and expanded. Dylan seemed to love the place, and wanted to stay there, so it had been an easy decision. I’d insisted Maya move into the palace with me immediately, unwilling to spend even another night away from her once we returned to Hollander.
As Dylan released Maya and turned to me, I bent down and gave him a hug. The look on his face when we’d disembarked from the flight from Tracorox was something I’d never forget. The shock, the disbelief, then the pure joy. There hadn’t been a dry eye around from those witnessing the reunion of mother and son.
“Thank you so much,” he whispered to me now. “For saving Maya, for bringing my mother back, for everything. I love you, Uncle Soren.”
Uncle Soren. I had to swallow against the lump in my throat just so I could speak. “I love you too, buddy.”
Dylan once again took his mother’s hand, as if he were afraid she would disappear if he let her out of his sight.
“Hey there, Dylan,” Dordus said, coming up to give his congratulations as well, little Gulray in tow. She gave Dylan a shy smile.
“Do you want to come play?” she asked him.
Dylan turned to look at his mom, a worried expression on his face.
“I’m fine,” she said gently, ruffling his hair. “Go have fun.”
Dordus chuckled as the two kids ran off, then turned back to June as she said, “I don’t know what we’d have done if it wasn’t for her charm that she gave Dylan. I don’t know how to thank you for your part in everything.”
“No thanks required,” he said, bowing his head slightly. Then a mischievous grin curved his lips. “Though I wouldn’t mind a dance.”
June’s eyebrows flew up, and Maya pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at Dordus’ not-so-subtle flirting.
I chuckled. “Dordus here isn’t one for—”
“I’d love to,” June said, a strange look coming over her face, almost like she couldn’t believe what she was saying.
Maya and I watched in surprise as Dordus extended his arm and June placed her tiny hand in the crook of the massive Raider’s arm.
“Huh,” Maya commented as they wandered off to the dance floor together. We watched them for a few moments, June seeming to be more at ease than she’d been since I’d met her, laughing at whatever jokes Dordus was telling.
“She seems to be healing quite well,” I commented softly. June had already started acclimating to life on Hollander. She’d even taken up teaching bits of good sorcery here and there to those that were interested—simple things like how to undo challenging knots, how to cast simple spells of protection, or how to speak to loved ones far away if they didn’t