Page 200 of Fearless

“I love you,” he murmurs. “Foolishly.”

He kisses me, and still my heart flutters at the brush of his lips.

Pulling away, I glance over at the field of corn waving beside us. “You still feel her, right?”

Kai’s lips twitch into a smile. “She’s on her way back.” Then he raises his voice toward the sea of corn. “Did you find it?”

A small body tumbles from the maze of crop to scurry toward us. That shock of gray hair blows around her face, obscuring the excitement displayed there. With a large ear of corn gripped between tiny fingers, she runs into her father’s awaiting arms.

“That’s the one you were looking for?” Kai asks, examining her loot. “You’re sure this is the best corn in all of Tando?”

“I’m sure, Daddy!” She shoves the vegetable into his hand and promptly reaches for me. I pull her into my arms, trying to ignore how big she has gotten in the last three years. Resting on my hip, she runs her small fingers through the hair falling down my back. Her own is anashy blend of Kai’s ebony waves and my silver strands. With gray hair and muted blue eyes, our little girl is a messy mixture of two strangers who fell in love.

“What else did you find on your adventure?” I ask while straightening her rumpled clothes.

“Bugs,” she states indifferently. “Big, fat ones.”

Kai nods. “I’m sure. Now, did you bring anything else back?” He inches closer, making her giggle. “Maybe some new freckles?”

She knows this game. And Kit loves it.

Kai presses his lips to the bridge of her nose, over and over until she is squealing. Once he has finished peppering our daughter with kisses, he turns to me. “Is it time for that recount?”

I roll my eyes. “Is that not what you did last week?”

His grin has my cheeks flushing. “One can never be too sure.”

The first soft kiss is to my cheek.

“One,” he murmurs.

The second is on the bridge of my nose.

“Two.”

The third is when I lift my chin and press my lips to his. I smile against his mouth. “Your recount will have to wait. Let’s get the hell out of here, remember?”

We head down the quiet road, Kit’s hands in each of our own. The cottages here look lonely between the fields that accompany them. It is quiet in Tando, eerily so, and I’m grateful when we finally step into the city’s market. Though it is certainly not the bustling Loot I’m so accustomed to, the relief I feel at the sight of milling bodies is shocking.

Kit skips between us as we point out the muted colors all around. Tando’s banners are a soft yellow that seeks no attention. The market is docile and brimming with kind individuals. I quietly envy those so content in such quaintness.

But Loot is my home, and Ilya is thriving around it. The kingdom is open, our borders welcoming of trade and travelers. Ordinaries live alongside their Elite neighbors, growing bolder despite their lack of abilities. It was all I ever wanted to see as a powerless girl.

The slums are my current project. Crumbling buildings are being restored, allowing more shops and homes to border the alleyways. Feasts are held regularly at the castle to welcome the people of Ilya into our home. The once crushing divide between Elites and Ordinaries is slowly smoothing into something promising.

I take in the quiet street, the uniformity between each sturdy brick shop. This is certainly not my kingdom. My Ilya is lively and drenched in color. It is worn and healing andhome.

“Kit, honey, stay close!” I call after watching her tear down the street, brandishing an ear of corn.

Kai stares after her with a shake of his head. “She looks just like you. Only, someday soon, that corn will be replaced with a blade.”

I smile sweetly at him. “And she can practice using it on you.”

“You have prepared me well,” he reminds.

His arm tugs me close. I rest my head on his shoulder. We watch our daughter skip in the pooling sunlight.

Until a flash of lilac has my gaze flicking to a shadowed corner of the street.

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