Page 73 of Reign of Light
His brows furrow, and his lips turn into a frown, as if he’s already realized what all of this means. I give the last few final goodbyes to everyone as they step in front of us, leaving Roley and Mara to be the last. My head throbs, and my face feels swollen. I don’t know if I have it left in me to let go of everyone left standing on this ship.
“When I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect it to be my last day here. I don’t think any of us did,” Mara says quietly as her gaze trails over the four of us. “I just wanted to say thank you for never giving up, and for forgiving me. The last days here were hard, and I can’t imagine how much worse they would be if I were alone.”
“You’re welcome, Mara,” Weston says, and she gives him a shy smile before gesturing to Roley standing beside her.
“I’m going to take him home. We live near each other, and I don’t want to send him back by himself.”
“I appreciate it,” Weston says with a nod, just as Roley steps in front of me.
“Goodbye, Lennox. I’m going to miss you.” His gaze falls to the deck at his feet, and his hands stay clasped behind his back.
“I’m going to miss you too, Roley. Keep working with that bow, alright?”
Head snapping up, and eyes brightening, the words rush out of his mouth. “Can I bring it with me?” He looks to Weston expectantly.
“As long as you make good choices when you use it. Target practice only,” he grumbles, and is met with excited nods from both Fin and Roley. He juts his chin toward the entrance to below. “Go get it.”
Fin releases my leg, and the boys race across the deck, and disappear down the steps. The quiet is thick around us; even the crash of the waves sound more faint than normal. I turn to Mara, and my chest tightens.
She was my firstrealfriend here on the island, even though we had a rough start. Bonded over the hope to save our mothers, furthersolidified when she helped me instead of letting jealousy overcome her. After years of searching and leaving empty-handed, she could be returning to nothing, her mother long gone and no one else waiting for her. Nowhere to call home.
I smile weakly. “Thanks for saving my life, but then trying to kill me again.”
She laughs, the sound brittle and sad. “Any time. Thanks for being a traitor. If you hadn’t been, we never would have gotten home.”
“Anytime,” I say through even more tears.
I step forward and wrap my arms around her shoulders, squeezing her in a tight hug, before stepping back again. “If you’re alone, come to the castle in Blackwood. Ask for me. You won’t be alone anymore.”
She quirks her head. “What, do you work there or something and can get me a job?”
After our conversation in front of the mountain, we were too distracted by the unworthy decision that we never talked about who I was again. There’s nothing to hide anymore, and I don’t want her to leave without knowing.
“I’m the princess, Mara. It’s my kingdom.”
She narrows her eyes playfully, with no trace of the same shock that Stassia and Auralie had on learning the same news. “So youcanget me a job.”
I let out a feeble laugh. “Sure, if you want one.”
The boys bound up the stairs, their tiny feet pounding across the empty and quiet deck, holding their bows and full quivers above their heads.
“We got them!” Roley yells, and comes to a halt in front of me. Fin sidles up beside him, and I crouch down, wrapping Roley in a tight hug.
“Be good, Roley. Remember to keep your back elbow up.”
He pulls away, nodding fiercely with a look of determination on his face like he’s trying to commit that to memory.
He turns to Fin then, both of their faces etched in sadness, and once again my heart shatters into pieces.
“Bye, Fin,” Roley says.
Fin gulps, his tiny face falling as he looks at his friend. “Bye Roley. Thanks for being my friend.”
They come together, wrapping their arms around each other in a hesitant hug, before backing away, each with tears in their eyes.
“Voyagers forever,” Roley mumbles.
“Castaways forever,” Fin replies.
