Tess' eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening to a sun-filled room. She felt instantly confused. Where was she? Had she died?

Then the face of her father came into view, and she knew she had to be dreaming.

“Hey,” he murmured, brushing some of the hair out of her face.

“Dad?”

“Yes.”

“Are you real?”

Falcon chuckled. “Last time I checked.”

“I mean... I’m not dreaming?”

He smiled. “No. Do you often dream about your parents?” he teased. “Because I think that’s probably not normal.”

She smiled back. “No.”

When it sunk in that he was really there, she sat up and practically threw herself into his arms.

“Ow,” he grumbled lightly. “You’re not so little anymore, you know.” But he turned serious when she buried her face in his chest and burst into tears. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head and held her close. “It’s okay. I’ve got you now,” he soothed.

It was several minutes before she could speak, and when she did, it was muffled since she didn’t move her head. “Please don’t hate me,” she whispered.

He gave a single laugh of surprise. “I could never hate you. I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

She cried harder. The feeling of her father’s secure embrace, the sound of his voice, hearing those words—all things she had thought she would never have again—overwhelmed her with a feeling of relief. She clung to him now, her fist clutching his green shirt in an iron grip. “I’m sorry... I just... messed... everything... up,” she got out between sobs.

“It’s okay now,” he said softly, rubbing her back.

“Ayden hates me... you had to go back to that... horrible place... I fell into his trap... so stupid. And everything’s just... ruined... because of me.”

“It’s never as bad as it seems.”

“No, it’s worse,” she moaned. “If you knew... you’d hate me, too.”

“Tell me then, so I can prove you wrong.”

“I can’t,” she whispered.

“I think I already know, though I don’t know why you’d think I’d hate you for it. Are you’re talking about what you did to make Ayden leave?”

She nodded.

“I think the only thing that could have made him go would be if you were with someone else.”

More tears fell. “You knew,” she mumbled. “You knew he loved me... like that?”

He sighed. “Yeah, I think everyone knows that.”

“Except me,” she said miserably.

“Sometimes you can’t see something when you’re too close to it,” he told her gently. “So, is it that Mathias guy?”

She nodded. “I wanted to be a hero... but I—”

“Fell for the bad guy?”

She laughed humorlessly. “Ironic, I guess.”

“Very,” he agreed. “But it seems he’s not all bad. He risked his life to save you. He turned against his mother and his god for you. And for a marked person to do that...” He shook his head. “It’s unheard of.”

“Is he okay?”

“Don’t know,” he answered apologetically. “The arrows that hit him had some sort of divine poison on them.”

She gasped. “Can’t Uncle Cael do anything?”

“No. He’ll get Sera just as soon as we dock.” He shook his head again. “Still, Mathias managed to destroy Kieran’s ghost even after being hit. He’s got strength, that’s for sure.”

She nodded. “Yeah, he does. But I can’t believe he did it, he—wait, how’d you know I was even at the temple?”

“He found Ayden, told him everything, and Ayden came to me.”

“But why didn’t Matt tell me?”

He shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t want to give you false hope.”

“He said no one knew I was there. But all that time... he was still trying to save me.” She sighed. “I hope he makes it.” She took a deep breath and messed with a piece of her father’s shirt for a moment before asking in a small, hopeful voice; “So... is Ayd here?”

He frowned, and she knew the answer before he told her. “He said he doesn’t want to see anyone,” Falcon confirmed. “Especially you.” He stroked her tangled hair comfortingly as she put her face back against his chest and started crying again. “Give it time. He’ll be okay with it someday, and then you two can be friends again.”

Tess looked up at him. “What’d he tell you?”

“Nothing. He said it was for you to tell, not him.”

She took another deep breath and let it out forcefully. “I’m not in love with Matt.”

“Then...”

“Ayd... saw me... with him.”

Her tone made her meaning clear, but he still asked, his voice tight and disbelieving, “You slept with him?”

“Yes.” She felt like she was suddenly hyperventilating. She couldn’t stand seeing the disappointment in her father’s eyes. She pulled herself back against his chest and sobbed. “Don’t hate me, Daddy. Please don’t hate me.”

He sighed heavily and put his arms around her again. “I don’t hate you. I’m just... I never thought you could be that girl.”

“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry,” she mumbled. Disappointing her father was devastating. She had wanted to make him proud of her, but she had failed in that, too.

Neither of them spoke again for a long time. When her sobbing turned to just crying and then finally into the occasional sniffle, he gently pushed her off his lap. He walked over to a bag near the door, pulled out a brush, and then sat back on the bed, against the wall. “Come here.” His voice was calm, but it still had an edge to it.

“I can do it,” she said weakly, not looking at him.

“I said, come here,” he ordered.

She obeyed and sat down in front of him. He started pulling the brush through the bottom of her hair, and she started crying again at his tenderness. Whether her father was upset with her or not—even if he was seriously angry—he was always gentle and caring. She was glad to be back with people who loved her and didn’t want to hurt her.

Her hair was so tangled that it took a half an hour for Falcon to brush it out. The whole time was spent in silence. It wasn’t until he pulled her hair back to start braiding it that she spoke.

“No, thanks,” she said quietly. “I don’t want it braided anymore.” She took a deep breath. “Actually... do you have any scissors?”

__________

Tess was so exhausted after everything that happened that she slept for the remainder of the boat trip. They were docked in Port Vallyn the next afternoon when she finally emerged from her cabin and found her father talking to her uncle on deck.

“Your mother is going to cry,” Cael teased.

She touched her hair. It had hung down to her waist before, now it fell just a few inches past her shoulders. “Yeah,” she agreed. “But this way it’s easier to take care of it myself.”

He nodded. “So your first adventure is under your belt.”

She groaned. “What a disaster.”

“Good.”

She looked at her father. “Did you tell him?”

Falcon shrugged. “He guessed, I didn’t deny it.”

“Damn Woodlander perception,” she said with a small smile.

“Exactly,” Falcon agreed.

“And you say good?” she asked her uncle incredulously.

“How can you learn if there are no mistakes?” Cael asked simply.

She walked over and hugged him. She knew from that one sentence that he forgave her and didn’t think badly of her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

When she let go, he smiled down at her. “Next time, you will do better.”

She frowned. “I don’t wanna think about a next time.”

“Neither did I, after my first,” he told her.

“Really?”

“Yes. I was trying to make the world a better place, but only succeeded in making it worse. And in the end, it cost me the people I loved the most.”

“What happened?” she wondered.

He shook his head. “That was many years ago, and it does not matter now. Besides, this is not the time for sad stories. The point is, I learned from it, and I did better the next time; though I still made some mistakes along the way.”

“Still does,” Falcon teased.

Cael gave his friend an offended huff. “You know very well that I am perfect.”

Falcon scoffed. “Maybe your wife believes that.”

Cael smirked. “And you will let her think it.”

“As if she’d listen to anything else,” Falcon returned, smiling and rolling his eyes.

“Where’s Mom and Aunt Lotus anyway?” Tess asked.

“Home with Gavin and all,” Falcon said, putting his arm around her. “I sent your mom a message this morning telling her that you’re fine.” Then chuckled and added, “but we’ll be home in just a few days so she can properly smother you.”

She smiled a little, then glanced up at him a little worriedly. “Are you still upset with me?”

“No. You can’t change the past.”

“But you can try to make the future better,” Cael put in.

She stared down at her hands for a moment before asking them, “How did you know that you were in love? You know, the whole romantic thing?”

Cael smiled at the memory. “I knew the second I saw her. We are soul mates, the elves call it rahnam. Woodlanders like Lotus and I feel it immediately. Actually, most humans do as well, but they dismiss it, thinking it nothing more than a silly feeling.” He shook his head at the foolishness of humans—as he often did. “But rahnam is very real. Before, Lotus and I were two halves, and then suddenly we were whole.”

“What about you and Mom?” Tess asked her father.

“You know our story,” Falcon said.

“Yeah, but I didn’t exactly pay much attention to the mushy parts.”

He smiled and nodded. “Well... she became my best friend. I just always wanted her around. And then, one day, I realized that I never wanted to let her go. She’d become everything that mattered to me, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”

“She was the very air he breathed,” Cael said knowingly.

Falcon rolled his eyes. “Yes, if you want the poetic version.”

Cael smirked at him, then looked seriously at Tess. “We both knew for the same reason you do now—it is the person who is part of you. The one you always want with you, whether you are happy or sad. The one you need to share your life with. The one who makes you feel complete.”

“And no, it’s not based on physical attraction,” her father added.

“No,” Cael agreed, then grinned. “That is just a very nice bonus.”

Falcon smiled and nodded.

“Thanks.” She looked down again. “So... where is he?”

“Ayden left this morning,” Cael answered quietly. “He said he will not be returning to Brunya City, but more than that, I do not know.”

She sighed, having guessed as much. “So... how’s Matt?”

“He’s with Sera in the cabin next to yours,” Falcon answered. “Sera was able to cure the poison, but he hasn’t woken up yet.”

“Okay. I think I’ll go see them,” she said and went below deck again.

Sera was sitting on the edge of the bed in Matt’s cabin, gazing down at him as he slept. He looked more peaceful than Tess had ever seen him. His lips had lost their color, and he was too pale. He looked like he was at death’s door. It made her sad to see him like that. He was so strong, and seemed so indestructible, that it was hard to believe he was really lying there so helpless.

“Can I come in?” Tess asked, already stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

Sera turned and smiled. “Of course.” She got up and crossed the room to hug her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Tess nodded when her cousin let her go. “Yeah, thanks to him. I mean, he’s the one that got me into the mess, but... he saved me in the end. He risked his life for me,” she said in awe.

After a moment, she walked over to him and touched his cheek gently. “I don’t know why you did it, but thank you.” She smiled sadly. “See? You don’t have to be the bad guy—you’re not anymore.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “You do decide your destiny,” she told him as she ran her hand over his short blond hair. “You did.” She started to back away but then suddenly gasped.

“What is it?” Sera asked, hurrying to the bedside.

“His birthmark,” Tess breathed, “it’s gone.” She touched the back of his wrist. “It was right here. But that’s impossible—there’s no way to destroy a god’s mark.”

“I think he found a way,” Sera said, smiling down at him.

Tess touched his face again, caressing his cheek tenderly. She smiled and blinked back tears. “You’re free, Matt.”

“I hope he pulls through and sees it for himself,” Sera said earnestly.

“Me too.” Tess turned and hugged Sera again. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

“I’m glad to. I’ll be staying in Port Vallyn with him until he’s recovered.”

Tess nodded. “Will you tell him what I said?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.”

Sera studied her for a moment. “So... your feelings are a bit mixed. I was just wondering... about you and him.” She glanced at Matt.

“What’d Ayd tell you?”

“Nothing.”

“But you’ve figured it out?”

“Pretty much,” Sera admitted.

“Damn Woodlander perception and empathy, no one can keep any secrets around here,” Tess complained lightly.

Sera smiled. “Tell me though; I don’t like to assume I’m right.”

Tess sighed and looked at Matt. “I was with him. I mean, I had sex with him. I liked him—I guess I still do—but I don’t love him. It was this stupid desire, and I just caved. It wasn’t planned, it just... happened.” She looked at Sera again. “So... how horrible do you think I am?”

“It hurts me to see Ayden so hurt, but I know you’d never hurt him on purpose, and I don’t think you’re horrible at all. I think we all make mistakes,” Sera said, sounding like her father. “And that kind of passion can be very powerful.”

Tess almost laughed. “How would you know?”

“You don’t have empathy and have to live with my parents. They can barely be in the same room without getting all worked up,” Sera said, rolling her eyes but smiling, too.

Anyone who knew Cael and Lotus noticed that there was a constant hunger in their eyes when they looked at each other. Tess had never understood it—until now. “But they love each other.” She glanced at Matt. “I never even wanted to date him. I mean, I considered it, but more out of shame for being so... easy.”

“Love is good, and it makes the attraction even more powerful. But lust is its own entity. It can be very strong and hard to resist. There are many people who cave to the temptation.” She glanced over to the bed with a smile and bit her lip for a moment before adding, “And it’s hard to blame you.”

Tess gaped at her cousin for a moment, then laughed. “You little minx!”

Sera grinned and shrugged. “What? He’s incredibly beautiful. It’s just easy to see why you were so tempted in the first place.”

Tess shook her head. “I know, and so does he. But it wasn’t just his good looks, it was that... well, he was the first guy to show any interest like that, the first to kiss me, and... I didn’t realize that it’d be so good.”

Sera laughed softly. “There’s a reason people like doing it so much. Or so I hear.”

Tess smiled. “Yeah, I get that now,” she said, but then grew serious again. “Be careful around him, okay? He’s... not gentle.” She automatically looked down at her arm, but the bruises weren’t there—Sera had already taken them away with her divine magic.

“I saw the fingerprints,” Sera said. “And your cheek was bruised. I know how hard he had to hit you to leave a mark. You haven’t bruised like that for years. But I’ll be fine. He’s being moved to the temple today and I’ll care of him there, where’s it’s safe.”

“Good. Oh, and don’t tell him how good-looking his is,” Tess said. Sera raised a brow. “He’s just heard it enough. There’s more to him under the cover.” She rolled her eyes at her cousin’s face, surprised since Sera was usually so mature about such things, being a healing cleric and all. “You know what I mean.”

Sera giggled. “I know.”

Tess chuckled. “Okay, I’m going now. See you soon.” She leaned over and gave her cousin a light kiss.

“It’ll all work out,” Sera told her confidently. “You’ll see.” She was always unwaveringly optimistic. This time, Tess really hoped she was right.