Page 102 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

Kyra looked around the large assembly of people. "Point him out to me when you see him, will you?"

"I will," Jasmine promised.

As more people approached Kyra and introduced themselves, she could barely keep track of the names and faces, and she waited for a particular two. William and Eva. She needed to thank both of them, and she needed another favor from Eva.

Jasmine nudged her arm, drawing her attention to a striking couple. "I would like to introduce you to Morelle and Brandon."

Morelle was unmistakably Ell-rom's twin—thesame otherworldly beauty, the same towering height and striking blue eyes, and the same black hair. Morelle's was slightly longer, but not by much. The short hairstyle suited her well. She radiated a vibrant energy that seemed barely contained in her statuesque form. Beside her, Brandon appeared almost ordinary by comparison, although he was very handsome in his own right.

"Finally!" Morelle exclaimed, clasping Kyra's hands. "I've heard so much about you from Jasmine and Ell-rom."

Kyra returned the female's warm smile. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"The pleasure is ours," Brandon assured her. "Having so many youngsters join our community at once is a boon from the Fates."

When a hush suddenly fell over the crowd, Kyra turned to see people parting to make way for a small, glowing figure.

There was no mistaking who she was.

Annani, the Clan Mother, the goddess, was a vision of ethereal beauty that was blinding in its perfection.

She looked so young and slight that one could mistake her for a teenage girl of seventeen or eighteen, with skin that was visibly glowing even in the bright light of day and fiery red hair that cascaded past her hips in big, luxurious waves. The goddess couldn't have been more than five feet tall, slim, anddelicate, yet her presence was enormous, filling the space around her with a tangible energy.

"Breathe," Max whispered in her ear, his hand finding the small of her back to steady her.

Kyra realized she had indeed been holding her breath, and as she exhaled, she glanced at her sisters and saw the same stunned amazement on their faces. Even the children were silent, watching wide-eyed as the goddess glided up the steps to the podium.

The Clan Mother raised her hands. "I would like to extend my warmest welcome to Kyra and her beautiful family." Her voice was unexpectedly rich and resonant for such a small form, carrying effortlessly across the gathering without the need for amplification.

Her gaze swept over each of Kyra's sisters in turn and then the children. "You enrich our community with a new maternal line of strong, smart, and beautiful ladies and your equally strong, smart, and beautiful daughters and sons. Your journey to us has been marked by suffering, loss, and courage. Today, we celebrate not only your safe arrival but also the beginning of a new chapter in your lives—one of freedom rather than oppression, of choice rather than constraint."

Soraya was tearing up and dabbing at her eyes, Rana was clutching Azadeh's hand so tightly that her knuckles were white, and Yasmin had her arms wrapped around her five children, pressing them to her sides.

"In this village, you will find safety," the Clan Mother promised. "You will find purpose. You will find community. And most importantly, you will find the freedom to become your truest selves, without the artificial limitations imposed by those who fear feminine power."

The goddess's gaze found Kyra then, seeming to see through her to the core of her being. "Kyra, daughter of Shiraz, sister, and mother—you have traveled the longest road to return to your family. Your courage in the face of darkness has lit the way for others. Know that you are valued, you are seen, and you are home at last."

Tears flowed down Kyra's face now. Max's arm tightened around her waist, anchoring her as emotions threatened to overwhelm her defenses.

"The bonds of family—both blood and chosen—are sacred," the goddess continued, addressing the entire gathering. "When darkness comes, as it inevitably will, remember that together, we are stronger than the forces that seek to divide us."

With that, she stepped down from the podium, and the spell of silence that had held the crowd spellbound broke into enthusiastic applause.

"The Clan Mother is incredible," Kyra whispered to Max, hastily wiping away tears.

"She is," he agreed, his own voice rough with emotion.

This was everything Kyra could have hoped for—a beginning filled with promise and possibility. Yetamidst the joy, she felt a nagging sense of incompletion, a loose thread that needed tying before she could fully embrace this new chapter.

"Max," she said, turning to him. "I need to talk to Eva."

He frowned. "Now? Why?"

"I need closure with Boris," she explained. "He deserves to know that I'm alive, even if I can't tell him everything. But I can't see him looking like this." She gestured to her face. "I need Eva to make me look much older."

50

EPILOGUE

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