*Isla*
The open air sitting room overlooking the beach shimmers like gold in the soft afternoon sunlight. I stare down at the newborn baby girl in my arms, my thumbs gently brushing back her dark hair. Goddess, she looks like Poppy. My heart squeezes in my chest as I peer over at my friend who is asleep on the couch across from mine, a sleeping baby Asher in her arms.
Elijah and Emery are… somewhere. Emery is making the most of the last day here in Maatua, especially now that she can see it at its best. Elijah came into the castle this morning during breakfast, totally drenched and covered in sand. We’d only caught a glimpse of Emery as she sped toward her quarters, just as wet as Elijah.
She’d swam out a little too far into the ocean, and he’d gone in to save her life, at least he thought. He hadn’t realized Emery was a very strong swimmer; she ended up having to rescue him instead.
But that had been this morning. Now we are just… waiting around. Our boat will be here tomorrow, midday, according to the captain. I’d hoped to be heading back to our kingdom today but the Goddess had other plans.
“Isla,” Maddox says from the archway to the sitting room. I look up, smiling as he takes a single, quiet step into the room. “Are you ready?”
I nod, looking down at the sleeping infant once more before I slowly rise and carry her with me. Maddox gives me a look that sets my heart thumping rapidly in my chest as I carefully lay Daphne into his waiting arms.
“Only a few months until we have one of these again,” he whispers, stroking the top of her head.
“Are you excited?”
“Of course,” he smiles, sighing heavily. “I am… a little worried about the birth.”
I give him a soft, knowing smile in return that doesn’t quite meet my eyes. It was an incredible risk given that I’d literally died and was resurrected after Isaac’s birth. But still, I wanted to have another baby, and lately Maddox wasn’t in the habit of telling me no.
Footsteps sound in the corridor ahead of us, and we pause as Antony comes into view. He pales a bit but steels his expression, giving us both a regal nod in greeting.
I try to bite back the scowl threatening to spread across my face, but I’m unsuccessful. I know Maddox and Antony have talked. They spent most of the day today locked away in Antony’s offices. I haven’t talked to Antony, however. I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can ever forgive him for what he put us through.
But I do love him. He’s still my cousin. And Poppy loves him. I think Maddox is fond of him, too.
“Antony will be on a short leash for a while,” Maddox says in a surprisingly chipper tone. Antony’s cheeks burn, but he says nothing.
“What do you mean?” I ask, ignoring the icy glare Antony is giving Maddox.
“He means that I’ve just signed my life away in service to Maddox and his kingdom,” Antony growls then clears his throat. “Allies.”
“I thought we’re already allies?”
“Not officially,” Maddox replies, smiling at Antony despite Antony’s death glare. “But now we are, on paper. If Antony pulls another stunt, we will be at war.”
“Oh,” I chirp, unsure what else I can say to that. “Wonderful…”
“Come, the seer is waiting for us,” Antony says briskly, glancing at me and then Maddox who is still holding a sleeping baby Daphne. “Is Poppy–”
“She’s been asleep for a while,” I cut in, giving Antony a smile I don’t think he necessarily deserves. Antony only nods, looking solemn at the mention of his mate.
“Good,” he says, then steps forward to take Daphne from Maddox. I notice how the lines of stress beside Antony’s eyes and mouth soften as he gazes down at his daughter. He takes a shattering breath, and I swear I hear the whisper of a prayer leave his lips before he turns on his heel and walks away.
Maddox knits his fingers in mine as we follow, neither of speaking for a moment.
“How are you?” he asks. “I haven’t seen you since this morning.”
“I’m al lright,” I say, squeezing his hand as we turn a corner, and the corridor opens up to a wide open space lined with archways on one side leading out to a terrace overlooking the ocean. The other side of the corridor is lined with doors leading to Goddess knows what.
Antony opens one of the doors and goes inside. I hesitate at the threshold, but Maddox lays his hand on my lower back. I look up at him. “I don’t know why I’m nervous.”
“It’s all right, I am too.”
I purse my lips and nod before taking a deep breath then step through the door. An elderly woman stands near the window at the far side of the room, her body shrouded in a pale yellow robe, and her stark white hair gathered in a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She’s beaming at Antony, her fingertips trailing over Daphne’s wispy, silken hair as she meets Antony’s eyes. I can’t hear what she’s saying. I’m too focused on those stunning orbs.
She turns to me and I freeze. Her eyes are… silver. A pure metal color that sends a shiver of familiarity down my spine. They seem to swirl with what I can only describe as power.
“Hello, Luna,” she says in a voice that sounds like music, sweet and lifted. She bows her head to me slowly. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for some time.” She turns her gaze to Maddox, bowing her head as she greets him, “Alpha King.”
Maddox nods in greeting, but his mouth is a tight line. I can feel the tension in his body–tight as a bow string. I resist the urge to squeeze his hand again before letting go and stepping forward.
“This is Chrisandra,” Antony says softly. “The High Priestess of KiloKilo.”
Shock ripples through my body as I look at the tiny woman in front of me dressed in colors that remind me of a warm spring day. She looks nothing like the wizard who’d just unleashed absolute havoc on Maatua. But her eyes… that’s why they’re familiar.
“It’s a–uh–a pleasure,” I mumble. Chrisandra smiles kindly, stepping forward with her hands folded over her waist.
“What you did for Maatua is quite the feat, Luna. I am more than impressed by your skill.”
“Is that why you wanted to meet with me?” I asked. “To tell me you were impressed–”
“Oh, my dear,” she cuts in with a sweet, gentle laugh. “No. I understand the past few days have been exceedingly chaotic and… scary, if I can be so bold. The people of KiloKilo went through something similar, I’m afraid. I’m here to express our gratitude to you and your loved one for helping us mend the rift.”
“The rift?”
“Yes, the rift. The rift between brothers that has plagued our island system for many, many, many years. Alatar has been… quite uncontrollable.”
She moves a little closer to me than stops, glancing up at Maddox. “I’ve confirmed that Alpha King Antony does not possess powers after coming out of the falls,” she says.
Maddox nods, and I glance between the three of them, my gaze settling on Antony.
“You don’t have powers?”
“I don’t,” he replies. “I was just brought back to life. I was healed.”
“I don’t understand–”
“Alatar cursed the falls long ago so his brother couldn’t use it without consequences. You still have your powers, Luna. As will your… daughter, correct?”
My gaze snaps to Chrisandra, unease tightening my chest.
“How did you know–”
“Isla, what is she talking about?” Maddox asks, his voice laced with concern.
“Ella will be quite a force to behold,” Chrisanda smiles, her eyes suddenly welling with tears. “This has never happened before, you know, powers like yours being passed down. You carry a rare gift, Isla. And Ella–”
“Ella,” I whisper, my throat tightening. “We haven’t named her–”
“She hasn’t told you her name yet?” Chrisandra steps forward, closing the distance between us. “May I?”
I’m too stunned to speak and only nod. Her hands gently caress the soft swell of my stomach which is barely visible beneath the airy white sundress I’m wearing. I feel… warmth, then something a little sharper as Chrisandra’s hands begin to glow a pale yellow like the very robes she’s wearing.
Maddox narrows his eyes at her, but I shake my head at him. Something about this feels right, like this woman knows exactly what she’s doing, and she’s… good. Her powers are good and have only been used as such.
“She’ll be beautiful,” she smiles, “but a handful–especially in her younger years. Toward you especially, Maddox,” she laughs. “Oh, dear. Yes, quite the handful.”
I feel tears welling in my eyes as she continues, her brow furrowing. “I can’t see what the future holds for her, which is odd. This is my gift, you see. Knowledge of what’s to come for the individual person, especially the unborn. But she… when she comes of age, she’ll have to make an exceedingly painful choice, but what the choice is isn’t clear.”
“Maybe she’ll have to choose between going to Wells or another college?” Maddox tries to joke, but I can tell he's just as nervous as I am as Chrisandra pulls her hands away and tucks them in her robes. She meets my eyes, smiling softly.
“You’ll survive her birth. It will be easy in comparison to her brother.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, my lips twitching with the hint of a smile as a single tear rolls down my cheek. “You said her name is Ella?”
“That’s what she calls herself now, yes. She won’t remember the name the Goddess gave her, of course. None of us do.”
I look up at Maddox, who is looking down at me with the same look of shock and understanding.
Mystica’s mysterious bundle, the only one we’d yet to open, had been addressed to Ella, and none of us had known who that was. We’d spent months trying to find her, when in reality, she’d hadn’t even been conceived yet.
How had Mystica known?
And more importantly, what was in the bundle?
“You’ve done it,” she smiles at me and Maddox. “You broke the curse. Peace can finally reign between our kingdoms and in your lands.”
I believe her. I really do. I look up at Maddox and find myself close to bursting into tears as he wraps his arms around me. I glance over Antony, who is smiling down at his daughter, fresh tears in his eyes.