Chapter Forty

I SETTLED ONTO THE COUCH in one of our sitting rooms, and Rune pulled me into his side. After yet another long and trying day, we'd gathered with all of our friends to unwind. Everyone, including the twins whom we missed dearly, were spread throughout the room, and Khalani, being the ever amazing and thoughtful creature she was, had prepared drinks and snacks.

I pressed into Rune as the twins climbed into our lap, but I focused on the three girls across the room, who were busy pouring themselves drinks. "Thank you guys for finding and gathering all those Land Fae to join us." I elbowed Rune and added, "I can't believe you knew about that and kept it a secret."

It turned out that was the task he'd sent the trio of women and Ardley on—recruiting Land Fae to join us.

He chuckled and rubbed at the place I'd jabbed him. "It was a surprise."

"We just wanted to do our part in helping to end the war," Aidan said as she gathered her tea and came to settle on the rug near Jesiah and Akira's feet. The two men sat across from Rune and me on the mirroring sofa.

"We knew there were other Fae out there who wanted this," Yasmine explained, perching on the arm of the couch above Aidan. She made sure her fox tail draped over the edge and not into Jesiah's lap. "It was just a matter of gathering them and convincing them that committing treason would be worth it."

Bassel, who sat beside Akira, laughed. "I'm sure that went well."

"Actually, it was pretty easy in some cases," Ardley revealed. He leaned against the wall on the other side of Khalani and Jayanna. "Way more than I expected, at least. Some could care less about what other Land Fae, including Elias, thought. Others took a bit of convincing."

Newt shifted in my lap to look at Rune. "D-D-Do you th-think M-M-Mom will join us now th-that oth-thers have?"

The breath I'd just inhaled seemed to get stuck in my throat. Rune stared at his sibling, suddenly as still as a statue. Greshim's brow furrowed, and he tucked his head in the crook of Rune's neck, seemingly uninterested in the answer. Probably because Greshim knew the answer. We all did. But how could we tell them that their mom was eager to see all of us die?

Finally, Rune forced a smile and reached over to ruffle Newt's hair. "Maybe, buddy. We'll see."

Greshim pressed tighter into Rune's shoulder, and despite his effort, I heard the little boy whisper, "Liar."

I rocked the smaller twin in my arms and ran my hand through his long black locks, hoping he didn't hear his twin's mumble. My heart continuously broke for the three siblings whenever their mother was mentioned. Countless things in life weren't fair, and having a broken, empty woman be the parent to the three boys who craved her love was one of them. They deserved better.

We hung out for the next hour before everyone dispersed to get some sleep. Rune and I were so exhausted after traveling those four days followed by the immediate shit storm that found us when we returned that, as soon as we climbed under the covers, sleep pulled Rune under. I wasn't as lucky. I was drained, yet I couldn't seem to fall asleep. There was so much on my mind, and I couldn't even begin to sort through it all.

With a sigh, I quietly slipped from beneath the covers, wrapped myself in my silk robe, and stepped onto our private balcony that overlooked the Morardian Sea. I closed my eyes and listened to the waves' push and pull and the soft lullaby of its voice. I felt an itch to reach out and connect with it, especially since I could use the comfort right now.

As I drew some water to me from a window below me, I thought about what Queen Muna had said during our visit. She'd told me that one of our lost powers was the ability to see lost loved ones via water. She hadn't explained how to do it or if I even could, but it wasn't like I had anything better to do since sleep evaded me.

Plus, if I did it right, I could see my dad.

With that thought, I became determined to figure this out.

I created the screen typical for playing memories, but no matter how much I tried and thought about him appearing on the watery screen, it remained blank. Frustrated, I waved my hand over the screen, capturing the water as it collapsed in my hand in an ever moving and bobbing sphere. With a sigh, I slumped against the outdoor wall and stared down at the hovering orb in my hands.

"I wish there were someone to teach me how to do this," I mumbled.

I watched the moonlight reflect off the water, and I honed in on the pulsing hum within the center. Water was alive. I knew that now. It felt things and responded to me like an extension of my very soul . Our connection had grown leaps and bounds, so …

Closing my eyes, I focused entirely on my connection to the element in my cupped hands instead of trying to conjure the dead. "Please," I whispered to the water. "Please help me see him. Bring my dad to me."

A warm pulse shot into my palms from the orb, and I opened my eyes to see a flicker of movement within the ball. My heart skipped a beat with renewed hope, and I focused on the water again as I pictured my dad taking shape before me. Warmth flared again, and suddenly, the sphere left my hands to hover in front of me. More water from rooms around the palace suddenly drifted over the railing of the balcony to merge with the orb. It grew larger and larger, taking on a humanoid shape, and as it got bigger and more defined, my head got fuzzier. Finally, a man made of water stood before me, his features as sharp and distinct as if he were truly there, and when he looked down at me, tears sprang to my eyes.

He gasped, and that was when a massive wave of dizziness hit me. The connection snapped, and the man's form crumbled. The water fell to the balcony with a wet smack.

I worked to catch my breath from both the exertion and because my heart thundered after seeing him. It was so brief, but he was there , right in front of me. Eager to see my dad again, I ignored the overwhelming exhaustion settling in my bones and tried to conjure up that same connection. It was futile, though. I was far too spent, which was a huge surprise.

I'd managed to do quite a bit with my abilities, and it had never taken a physical toll on me. This one was different. Bringing my deceased father here through the water that connected us all was draining .

After another failed attempt to bring him back, I blew out a defeated sigh and slumped against the wall. "I guess I'll have to try again later."

THE FOLLOWING NIGHT, AFTER A long day of combat training and organizing all the new Fae that had arrived, I snuck out of bed and onto the balcony once Rune was asleep. I didn't want to bother him or anyone else with this new task I'd given myself—mastering this skill.

I summoned water to me like before, and this time, I gathered enough to easily shape into the large man I'd seen last night. Taking a few minutes to really breathe and focus on the water in front of me, I readied myself for the physical impact that was about to come. I stared into the shifting water and pictured my dad, silently commanding to see him. My eyes began to cross with a sudden wave of lightheadedness, but I did my best to ignore it as the water shaped itself into him .

The man made of water blinked a few times like he, too, was slightly dizzy, but when he looked at me, his mouth went agape. He inhaled sharply and took a step toward me. "This can't be real."

Chest constricting and eyes filling with tears, I whispered, "Hi, Dad."

The water had truly brought him here to me. I couldn't make out everything, like the color of his hair and eyes, or the smell of his skin, but he was here . He was talking to me, looking at me, and it was all him . I didn't give a damn about anything else. All that mattered was that my dad was right here in front of me.

He gave a disbelieving laugh and slowly reached toward me. "Is it really you? My—My darling Bria?"

I nodded and left the support of the wall to meet where he stood on watery feet. "It's me, Dad. I brought you here."

He cupped my cheek with his cold hand, and his eyes traced every line of my face. "Muna said she'd mentioned this ability to you." He paused and chuckled again. "God, you look just like your mother."

He kissed my forehead, and I leaned into it, wanting so badly to keep him here. To keep this moment here. But my limbs were growing heavy, and his watery form was starting to lose some shape. His hand on my cheek started to drip, and the hair on his head started to bleed together.

Seeming to know our time was running out, he pulled back to look at me again. "I love you so much, Bria. So much. And I am the proudest father."

Tears spilled down my cheeks while my heart soared with his words. "I love and miss you, Dad."

He smiled and leaned down to wrap his arms around me, but my energy was zapped. His form wobbled and collapsed, raining down to the balcony floor. I fell to my knees with the liquid, gasping for air as I barely managed to hold myself up on my hands.

My heart ached at the loss, but it also beat with furious love. This gift of who I was let me see my dad, despite his fate having taken him from this world. I finally got to see him, and hearing him say that he loved me and was proud made every bit of weakness coursing through my body worth it. I hated that the meeting had been so short-lived, but I also knew I could practice and get better at it. I could see him again.

I could get both my parents back—Mom, when we figured out how to pull her from the water, and my dad through this connection.

The realization that I could see both of my parents who had seemingly been taken from me also made me realize how much I hated Rune's situation. His mother was alive and well, yet it was easier for me to see my "dead" parents than for him to see his. She'd made choices and now harbored feelings that prevented him from seeing her. It didn't matter that Rune and the twins loved her and wanted their mom in their lives. She was too destroyed and empty after losing Balgair to care.

I stopped breathing and stared at the water beneath my hands and knees as my mind suddenly began to race. Myra's life had ended, and she'd changed when she lost Balgair. So, what if … What if she saw him again? What if he convinced her to join us and get her back to the mother she used to be?

"Rune could have his mother back," I mumbled into the quiet night air.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew what I had to do.

I was going to bring Myra back to her children.