Page 74 of Reign of Light
Mara extends her hand to Roley, and he takes it. Without hesitation, she reaches into the outstretched pouch and grabs enough dust for the two of them, sprinkling it over their heads before they disappear.
A tiny sniffle meets my ears, and I can’t bear to look down and see Fin crying. Each goodbye has been harder than the last, but this…
This feels like I’m losing the brother I never had.
“Come here, little guy,” Jorn says as he walks toward us. He scoops Fin into his arms and tosses him into the air. Peals of laughter break the silence, halting Fin’s crying instantly. “Want to climb the mast one last time with me?”
“Yeah!” Fin cheers, and Jorn sets off, lifting Fin onto the first beam and following closely behind him.
Sig steps in front of Weston and me, and it’s the first time I’ve actually seen her face since we walked back through the portal. She’s just as much of a mess as I feel, with her eyes puffy and her cheeks tear stained.
She holds her hand up to us, her eyes averted. “I’m not leaving tonight. I—I—can’t. Not yet. If that’s okay, Cap.”
“It’s alright, Signee,” Weston murmurs. He moves to step toward her, but she steps back.
“Don’t.” She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes shut. “I can’t take any more tonight.”
Weston nods, and she turns away, her shoulders shaking as she wraps her arms around herself and disappears below.
Weston’s arms wrap around my shoulders, and he pulls me into his chest. If I thought I wasn’t holding back earlier, I was wrong. Sobswrack my body as I bury my face in his hard chest. He holds me tightly and lets me cry, one hand wrapped around the back of my head as he gently strokes my hair.
After a few moments, I feel the rumble of his voice against my cheek.
“I’ll bring Fin home, then I’ll be back.”
I can only nod and cry harder, the reminder that this is final, too overwhelming to utter any words. I told Fin I would try to visit him, but I have no idea when that could be. I have no idea what is going to meet us back in Blackwood, if my father’s wrath will have effects that last years, or if he will be too caught up in both of our return that he will forget.
I don’t ask Weston to leave some dust here when he goes. He knows I trust him to come back for us. He wouldn’t ever leave Sig or Jorn or me behind. But this is his one final act as the captain, and I know he wants to see it through.
I barely hear when they approach from behind. Fin’s sadness is gone, his excitement from racing Jorn up the mast overshadowing it all.
Weston’s arms loosen around me and I pull away, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes and sucking in air, trying to steady my breaths before crouching down to talk to Fin.
“Is it time to go?” he asks softly.
“It is.”
His chin quivers as he throws his arms around my neck and squeezes tight. I hold him, and let the tears fall silently now, shocked that I even have this many left in me.
“I love you, Lennox,” he says, the sound muffled against my shoulder. “I wish you were my sister, too.”
“I love you, Fin. I may not be your sister, but I’m so glad I get to be your friend.”
I lean back and hold him at arm’s length.
“Weston is going to bring you home safe, alright? He’ll know where you live, so maybe one day we can visit.”
“Will you practice your stories so you can tell me more?”
“I will do that.” My voice cracks on the last word, and I pull him into another hug before letting him go.
For how long, I do not know.
I now know how overwhelmed Sig felt because it feels like the world is crashing down on me.
The deck is too empty. The island is too quiet.
I can’t watch two more people I love disappear, even if I know one of them is coming back.
