Freya rubbed her arm and then stepped over to the couch and sat down gracefully. She tugged at a strand of blonde hair, and with every second of silence, my anticipation grew. Finally, she raised her chin, and her eyes bored into mine.

  “Gryff, I want to go home.”

  Chapter Eight

  “What do you mean, Freya?” I frowned. “We’re home right now.”

  “Not here.” The blonde shapeshifter shook her head insistently. “I mean my original home in Hawk Clan. I have been thinking about it for the past few days, and I would like to return as soon as possible.”

  “What’re you saying?” I asked, and my heart felt like it was plummeting off a cliff. “I don’t think I’m following.”

  Freya’s words had been in the common tongue, so I wanted to believe this was just a miscommunication or mistranslation, but my wife’s face was as stoic and unreadable as ever.

  “I want to go home,” Freya repeated in a firm tone. “To Eyrie Island. I miss my mother and father, and I miss my sweet Vahla. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them, and the wedding made me see just how much I wanted to be with them again. I miss spreading my wings and feeling the wind on my back.”

  “Freya… ” I trailed off as I struggled to find the right words to say. “I don’t understand.”

  The blonde shapeshifter tilted her head to the side in a bird-like way. “Why do you look so saddened, my mate? Did I say something wrong?”

  I let go of her hands, stood up from the couch, and began to pace around the room anxiously.

  “I-I’m just trying to understand why you want to leave us,” I stammered as my mind ran in circles trying to make sense of things. Was I wrong when I believed Freya had finally assimilated to her life in Mistral, and if I was, what would that mean for us and our family? “I understand the homesickness, trust me, I do, but I thought we were all happy together here. Was I wrong to assume that?”

  “I am happy here.” Freya frowned. “In fact, I am incredibly happy.”

  “Then why would you want to leave us?” I repeated.

  “I don’t want to leave anyone,” the warrior princess insisted. “I just want to go back home.”

  My eyebrows knitted together. “I’m sorry, but now I’m really not following what you’re saying.”

  “You told me when I was in the beginning of my pregnancy that once Lahrra was born, we could go and see my mother and father,” Freya said. “Is that still an acceptable request?”

  Suddenly, everything made sense.

  “Oh, Maker, do you mean you want to go back to Hawk Clan for a visit?” I clarified.

  “Of course.” Freya nodded, as if it were completely obvious. “What did you think I meant?”

  “Maker, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” I laughed, and I placed my hand on my chest in relief. “I was worried you meant you wanted to return to Hawk Clan permanently.”

  “No, no, no!” Freya shook her head back and forth. “No, my husband, I do not wish to abandon our family. I would never leave my sister-wives or my beloved husband. I simply want to visit and introduce our daughter to her grandmother and grandfather. I miss them and my sister.”

  I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. Thank the Maker this was all just a misunderstanding, because I was nearly on the verge of losing my mind.

  “If you want to visit your parents, we can make that happen,” I assured her as I took her hands in mine. “I don’t like seeing you so unhappy, so if there’s anything I can do to make you happier, let’s do it.”

  “Really?” Freya asked in a hopeful tone, and her face lit up with excitement. It was rare to see the warrior princess fully display her emotions, and the sight was lovely.

  “Of course, my love,” I insisted. “I promised you we could go, and I’m not one to break promises. I think it’s important your parents meet our daughter, and I’d certainly love to see them again.”

  “Oh, Gryff.” Freya flew up from the couch, threw her arms around me, and pressed her body against me so tightly I could barely breathe. “Thank you, my mate. I’m so relieved to hear you are fine with it. I was so nervous you weren’t going to agree, and I felt bad that I was ruining the evening when we’re supposed to be celebrating your victory.”

  “It’s no problem at all,” I assured her once she loosened her grip around my torso. “Don’t apologize for that. I’m glad you told me, and besides, you left your entire life behind when you joined me and the others. The least I can do is take you back to Hawk Clan for a visit.”

  “I don’t regret my choices for a single moment,” the warrior princess insisted. “I knew from the second I met you that I would follow you to the ends of the world, and I do not regret the decision to come back to Mistral with you. Varle has taken some time to adjust to, and there is much I still do not know, but I have been happy here with you, our daughter, and my beloved sister-wives. The only sadness that reaches my heart comes when I think of my family in Hawk Clan. I miss the people who raised me from a fledgling. I might live in Mistral now, but being the daughter of a chief will always be a part of me.”

  “And I wouldn’t want you to let go of that for anything,” I said in a firm tone. “Your dedication and loyalty to your Clan are part of what made me fall in love with you in the first place. You might be a part of this family, but you’re also a part of theirs, and I don’t expect you to abandon your other family and never see them again.”

  “When may we leave?” the hawk-princess asked with widened eyes. “I know there is much to pack and plan before we can depart…”

  “Before I can give you a definitive answer, I’ll have to speak with Arwyn and Headmaster Sleet,” I said. “With the mistwolf sightings around Mistral, I don’t know when would be the best time to leave. If Hunnah and Quilla were to show up, and I wasn’t here… ”

  A lump formed in my throat, and I couldn’t bring myself to finish my sentence. If the remaining Archons arrived at the Enclave, and I wasn’t around to stop them, I would blame myself completely.

  “I understand.” Freya nodded, and she tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear. “Duties to Mistral must come first. I only request we make the plan to visit Hawk Clan as soon as it is safe enough to do so. I don’t want to pull you away if we are needed here. The monster goddesses must be claimed by you.”

  “If somehow, things start to seem like they’re improving, maybe we could make it happen over winter break,” I proposed to her. “I can’t promise it’ll be possible that early--”

  “I can wait,” Freya interjected. “Knowing we will visit soon is enough to ease my sadness. I have waited this long, and I will continue to wait as long as I have to.”

  “We’ll make it happen,” I assured her. “Whether it’s winter break or just a little bit after, I’ll find a way to take you back to Eyrie Island.”

  I wasn’t sure how soon I would be able to get the warrior princess back to visit with her family, but I would do my damndest to make it sooner rather than later.

  “Oh, my parents will be so happy to meet Lahrra,” Freya mused, and her soft pink lips turned upward into a smile. “For so many years, we discussed what it would be like to grow our family and fortify the strength of the clan with grandchildren, and now here I am with a child of my own. It feels so strange to think of those times now, they feel so long ago.”

  “They’re going to love her.” I smiled. Our golden-haired, golden-eyed daughter could charm anyone with a single look, and I knew Hawk Clan would adore their newest princess as much as we did. “I just know they will. Your mother is going to weep with joy when she sees how adorable Lahrra is.”

  “Vahla will be happy, too,” my wife sighed happily. “She loves babies, and I know she will love her niece most of all.”

  Vahla was Freya’s younger sister, and I knew while my golden-haired wife was happy when she’d left Hawk Clan to join me, she missed her sibling dearly.

  “I’m sure she will,” I agreed. “It’ll be nice to visit with her again, and I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see you both. I’m curious to see how the Clans have progressed since we left.”

  “I am wondering that as well,” Freya said. “I remain hopeful we will return to an island of peace and that conflict no longer touches it.”

  For nearly their entire history, the different Southern Clans had been at war with each other over territory. The biggest source of conflict had been the dispute between Hawk Clan and Moose Clan, and I knew my wife still held on to anger toward the latter. Moose Clan had been responsible for the kidnapping of her mother, Ratreya, when Freya was a young girl, and she’d never released her resentment toward the moose shifters for taking her mother away.

  This hatred carried over to her relationship with Mur, too. No matter how hard I tried to get the pair of shifters to be friends, Freya refused to acknowledge the moose as anything but her enemy. Maybe a trip back to the Southern Continent would help mend the relationship, but it was doubtful.

  “May we bring Cyra with us as well?” the warrior princess inquired. “I don’t know if she would wish to come, but I would like her to join us.”

  “I don’t see why Cyra wouldn’t want to.” I shrugged. “She is your closest friend, after all.”

  “Cyra told me we are what’s known as ‘best friends’,” Freya emphasized, and my hawk wife’s excitement over the term was adorable. “She has met my parents before, but we were not ‘best friends’ at that time. I would like for my family to properly know my sister-wife.”

  “I think that’s a really great idea,” I agreed with her.

  “Of course, I would like to ask our other sister-wives as well,” the blonde shapeshifter insisted. “We are family, so I know they would be welcomed back by my mother and father.”

  “We can ask them if that’s what you want,” I said. “If your parents would be okay with all of us there, I don’t see why we wouldn’t all go for a visit. We’ll just need to make sure everyone is comfortable traveling so far with the children.”

  “That is a fair point.” Freya nodded, and she gave me a thoughtful look. “I want them to join us, but only as long as the babies will be safe. I will speak with my sister-wives and determine their feelings on the matter.”

  “Speaking of the others, would you like to rejoin them back in the kitchen?” I proposed. “I’m sure everyone’s wondering where we’ve disappeared to by now.”

  “Yes,” Freya decided. “I would like to celebrate my husband’s triumph over the dreaded exam with my sister-wives now that my sadness has faded.”

  Her full pink lips were still curled up in a radiant smile, and relief flooded through me as we stood up from the couch. Then I wrapped my arms around my hawk wife and kissed the top of her head.

  “I love you,” I said.

  “I love you, too,” the shapeshifter replied, and she nestled her head in the crook of my shoulder. The lavender and sea salt smell of her hair was familiar and intoxicating, and as I hugged my wife, I was reminded of the dark seas of the Southern Continent.

  “Before we tell the others about the plan, I’ll need to talk to Sleet and Arwyn,” I said once we pulled away from one another. “So, let’s keep this between us for right now. I’m sure they won’t have any issues with it, but I would rather do the responsible thing first.”

  “I won’t say anything until then,” Freya agreed with a vigorous nod.

  When we walked into the kitchen hand-in-hand, the rest of our family eyed us with curious expressions, but none of my women pressed the issue. Freya and I took our seats at the table, and Layla continued on with a story about a stray dog her brother had brought home once.

  I studied Freya as we laughed, and I was pleased to see the princess in a better mood. I wasn’t sure if leaving Varle was the best idea, considering the circumstances, but for my women, I would do whatever it took to keep them happy.

  The following day, Arwyn and I were invited to Headmaster Sleet’s office to discuss the results of my exam, and while we were there, I planned to knock out two birds with one stone and go ahead and ask about whether a trip to Eyrie Island was going to be possible or not. Though I was sure of the answer, I had to try anyway.

  As Arwyn and I made the long and winding trek to the headmaster’s office, my heart thrummed frantically in my chest like a hummingbird’s wings. I was certain I did well on my exam, but a tiny hint of doubt curled itself around the back of my mind that I just couldn’t shake.

  I tried to keep an air of calmness in front of Arwyn, but the crimson-haired professor saw right through it.

  “Breathe, Gryff,” she instructed me in a softened tone. “Don’t be nervous.”

  “I’m not nerv--” I began to say, but Arwyn’s eyes narrowed before I could finish the thought. “Okay, okay, I’m a little nervous. I was feeling decent while I took the exam yesterday, but today, I’m second-guessing myself. I know I did better than I think I did, but there’s a lot of pressure with this. I want to rejoin my classes and get back to a somewhat normal life. I know that sounds silly… ”

  “Don’t do that,” the healer mage assured me. “Don’t try to downplay how you feel. I understand where your mind is at, Gryff, and I know you care about this strongly. But take a deep breath and try to relax.”

  “Can you just tell me if I passed or failed?” I joked. “Spare me the anxiety over all of this?”

  “The headmaster made me promise to keep the results to myself,” Arwyn sighed, and she gave me a sympathetic smile. “I know I’m your lover, but I have to remain objective when it comes to your academic affairs.

  “I had a feeling you were going to say something like that,” I admitted. “I understand, though. We’re together, but you’re also my professor, so I have to respect the professional boundaries.”

  “I appreciate that.” The redheaded healer mage smiled at me. “Don’t worry yourself too much, though. We’re nearly there, so you won’t have to wait much longer.”

  True to her word, Arwyn and I reached the irritatingly large and steep staircase that led to the headmaster’s tower office, and together, we began the ascent. I made myself count the steps I took as a way to ground myself in the present, and soon enough, I was feeling calm. No matter the outcome, I worked hard and did my best, and that’s what really mattered. I could stress night and day over how I did, but knowing I pushed myself to the limits and accomplished my goal was the most important thing.

  When we reached the top of the stairs, Arwyn knocked on the door to the office daintily.

  “Come in!” Headmaster Sleet called from the other side of the door.

  Arwyn gave me a reassuring smile and then opened the door.

  The moment we breached the entryway, I was struck by the smell of old books and tobacco, and something about the familiar mix helped add to my calmness. I’d been in the headmaster’s office more times than I could count, and it was nice to be here for reasons that didn’t involve a monster mission or an Archon attack. We were simply a headmaster and a student for once, and the change of pace was refreshing somehow.

  “Mister Gryff,” the headmaster greeted me in an enthusiastic voice. “I am so pleased you could make it. Please, take a seat.”

  He gestured at the empty chair in front of him, and I crossed over and sat down as professionally as I could manage. This wasn’t exactly a formal setting, but I wanted to appear as dedicated to my academics as possible.

  “How are you today, headmaster?” I asked politely.

  “Very well, thank you for asking.” Sleet flashed me a bright smile. “I trust you are good as well?”

  “Yes, sir.” I nodded.

  “Good,” Sleet replied, and he straightened up in his seat. The headmaster was clad in a midnight-blue robe that made his pale silvery eyes look even paler, and the effect made him appear wiser somehow, more regal. “So, let’s get on to the subject of this meeting. Miss Hamner and I worked through the afternoon to grade your comprehensive exam yesterday. I know what you did was strenuous and grueling, but we wanted to make sure to cover everything we could on the test.”

  “And I appreciate that,” I assured the headmaster. “It was difficult, and studying for it was intense, but it forced me to work hard and recall everything I’ve learned thus far, so I appreciate the refresher.”

  “Well, your hard work certainly paid off,” Sleet continued on. “I’m pleased to tell you that you passed your exam, and not only that, but you earned a perfect score.”

  “A perfect score?” I repeated back in surprise, and when I glanced over at Arwyn, she offered me a proud smile.

  “Congratulations, Gryff,” she said. “We knew you could do it.”

  “Since you’ve successfully completed the exam, you are welcome to begin your third-year classes,” Sleet continued on once I turned back to face him. “At this point in the semester, we’re so close to the end-of-semester finals that it would make the most sense for you to enter your classes after winter break.”

  “That makes sense,” I agreed with him. “And in the meantime, what would you like me to do?”

  “For now, I’d prefer for you to work with the research team as much as your schedule would allow,” Sleet decided with a stroke of his silver beard. “I won’t overwork you for the sake of overcompensation, so I will grant you the discretion to choose how many hours you’d like to put in. However, with the Archons you have under your control, you have a valuable tool that would greatly benefit the rest of the team, so keep that in mind.”

  “Will do.” I nodded. “I appreciate you giving me the option to hang back, but I’d rather spend my time helping wherever I can. With Hunnah and Quilla on the horizon, I’m sure the research team could use all the help they can get.”

  “Indeed,” Arwyn confirmed. “I feel as if we’re on the verge of a breakthrough, but we aren’t quite there yet. You might have something to contribute we haven’t explored yet.”

  “I’m in,” I said, and then I turned to the headmaster. “There was something else I wanted to ask you about. If it isn’t possible right now, that’s absolutely fine, but I figured I would ask anyway. Last night Freya disclosed to me she was homesick, and she wants to go back to Hawk Clan for a visit. I know there’s everything with the Archons and the mistwolves, so the timing isn’t convenient--”

 

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