By sunrise, Morzael was awake. Soft light spilled through the windows. He turned and saw Yora standing by the bed, checking on the girls, a small smile on her face.
"Good morning," he said in a deep voice, yawning.
"Morning," she replied in a whispering tone.
"Thank you," he said.
"For?" she asked, turning to him.
"My girls," Morzael said softly. "They slept without a spell. Sometimes they don't sleep at all. My castle is very quiet and empty—filled with sadness. The twins giggle, but they become sad whenever they see other kids with their mother."
Yora listened silently. She looked at the girls and gently rubbed their hair.
"Hopefully you will be fine," she said. "And you need to be strong for your daughters."
They looked into each other's eyes for a while. Morzael stepped forward, the gap between them slowly closing. Neither of them looked away. Neither of them let go of the moment.
Suddenly—
Zelith yawned.
They both quickly stepped back from each other awkwardly.
"Good morning, Papa," Zelith said with a yawn.
"Morning, love," Morzael said, kissing her forehead. She smiled.
"Good morning, ma," she said, rubbing her eyes as the other girls woke up.
"Good morning, pretty lady," Nyxelle said in a cute, sleepy voice.
Yora sat on the bed and kissed both twins on their cheeks.
"Good morning, pretty lady," Vireya said happily. "I saw Mama!" she said again with a giggle.
"Us too," Eryxa and Zelith said with smiles.
"Thank you, pretty lady," Nyxelle said as she kissed Yora's cheek, and the girls ran out to bathe together.
Yora and Morzael looked at each other again. She quickly left the room.
Morzael finally smiled.
"Do you like her, Dad?" Zelith asked, her sisters standing behind her.
"Huh… uhmm… no," he said.
"Papa is a big liar!" Vireya giggled. "She put us to sleep, Dad. That's something you have been trying to do but couldn't," Eryxa said, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah! We like her!" the girls said together.
"Maybe I will talk to Xavi about it," Morzael said quietly.
Meanwhile, with Adris…
He hadn't eaten anything. His body ached badly from the lashes his father had given him. His nerves screamed with every movement.
Carliet opened the door slowly and saw him. Tears filled her eyes as she wiped them away.
"Your Majesty…" she said softly.
Adris froze.
He turned to look at her—his wife.
"Did you just say Your Majesty?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She lowered her gaze.
"Carl, darling?" he said again in a sweet tone. He bent down to meet her eyes.
"S… sorry," she whispered.
He kissed her lips gently. "It's fine," Adris said.
She handed him a cup of ginger, clove, and cranberry tea. He drank it slowly.
"Thank you, love," he said.
Then she noticed something on the right side of his chest.
Adris knew exactly what she had seen.
Carliet moved closer, staring at it. Adris took her hand and guided her toward the sunlight.
Then she saw it clearly.
Her name was carved into his skin like art.
𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓽
She looked at him, stunned. "You're crazy," she whispered.
"Yet I am yours," he said, cupping her face. "I love you so much, Carl."
"I love you very much, Adris," she said.
He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply, holding her like he never wanted to let go.
"Meet me at the cottage by nine," he said, pointing toward the deep forest, where a small green house sat close to the lake.
She nodded.
At the dining table, Xavi fed Josephine as she breastfed the boys. Suddenly, Novara's eyes glowed.
"Nova?" Anesthesia asked.
"Bluey!" Novara shouted.
The little girl sped off and vanished.
Josephine looked at Xavi, who was momentarily lost.
"I will get her," Orion said, his eyes glowing dark blue as he followed her speed.
He arrived in Zephyria and saw Novara crying.
The blue tiger lay on the ground.
One of the guards had stabbed it.
"MY BLUEY!!!!!!" Novara screamed. The whole kingdom heard her cry.
Xavi sped to Zephyria and saw his child crying.
"Nova, baby, calm down. We will save him, okay? Ron, take her," Xavi said.
Orion tried to pull her—
"NO!" Novara screamed.
Her eyes glowed white. The sky darkened. Heavy rain poured over Zephyria.
"MY BLUELYYYYY!!!!" Novara screamed into the sky.
Josephine handed Vaedor to Queen Kendra.
"Shhh, sweetie," Queen Kendra said to her great-grandson.
Josephine snapped her fingers and vanished.
Adris came running down. "What happened?"
"It's Nova. She lost it," Ophelia said.
Adris held her hand, and they both sped off.
Novara was floating in the sky when Kara arrived, looking up. Josephine, Adris, and Ophelia appeared beside her.
"Hi, Jojo, love," Kara said, hugging Josephine. "What happened to Nova, baby?"
"Her tiger died. A guard accidentally stabbed it," Xavi said. "Now she's like this."
"BLUELY!" Novara cried.
"NOVA, COME DOWN, LOVE. BLUEY IS STILL ALIVE!" Lyra shouted as she checked the tiger.
Novara looked down. Slowly, she descended and waddled toward him.
"M… my Bluey is okay?" she asked, sobbing heavily.
"Yes, love. Look," Lyra said as she bandaged the tiger.
Novara waited, still crying, her hands moving as she mumbled to herself.
Xavi and Josephine looked at each other.
"Nova, love, come here, sweetheart," Xavi said.
Josephine opened her arms. Novara hugged her tightly.
"Bluey will be fine, love," Adris said, rubbing her hair.
"Jojo, Nova is going to be the next Queen of Zephyria. Her powers are growing. Look at the crown mark on her neck," Kara said.
They saw it—the mark of Zephyria's crown glowing on Novara's neck.
Lyra came out of the healing room with Bluey.
Novara squealed happily and grabbed him. Bluey gave a soft little roar.
"Let go, Papa. I will take my Bluey with me," she said, holding him tightly.
Xavi held her hand, and the family vanished back to Adris's castle.
Novara giggled loudly as Bluey kicked her face. She fed him, bathed him, and played with him until they both fell asleep.
Xavi covered her with a blanket.
It was 2:30 p.m.
Morzael saw Yora staring at Caldrik's picture, crying.
"Please come back to Mama… please," she whispered through tears.
Morzael felt her pain. He went straight to Xavi.
Queen Kendra and the family were there.
"Xavi," Morzael said.
"Yeah?" Xavi replied.
"I want Yora's hand in marriage."
The room went silent.
"Huh?" Celine said.
"But Sister Yora doesn't want to get married again after her son's death," Celeste said.
"Yeah," Anvic added.
At that moment, Yora entered the room holding a white teddy bear.
Josephine looked at her with pity.
Yora heard everything.
"I… I accept," she said.
"What!?" Queen Kendra gasped.
"Y… yes. Just to get rid of my loneliness. Besides, his daughters are nice girls," Yora said sadly.
Josephine looked away.
"What happened, love?" Xavi asked.
Josephine's eyes glowed dark red.
She looked at Morzael. His daughters were standing there too.
The Nightmare Sovereign appeared in Josephine's hand.
She cut Morzael's palm.
"Ouch!" Morzael said.
"Papa!" the girls cried, holding him as his blood poured out beside Yora.
A light glowed near Yora's legs.
A spirit formed.
Josephine used all her energy. Morzael's blood wrapped around the space between him and Yora, swirling like a tornado.
A tiny arm appeared.
Then another.
Slowly, a full little four-year-old boy formed, wrapped in dripping blood.
It was Caldrik.
"Mama?" he said.
Yora froze.
Josephine collapsed.
Xavi caught her.
"Mama?" Caldrik said again as he waddled to Yora and hugged her leg. "Mama, those people are very, very mean."
Yora bent down and cupped his face.
"Caldrik?" she whispered.
"Yes, Mama," he said with a smile.
She hugged him tightly.
Caldrik cried too. "Mama, Papa and I missed you very, very much, Mama," he said, yawning.
"Thank you," Yora whispered, holding him as tears fell.
Xavi held Josephine, unconscious in his arms.
Morzael stood weakly, barely able to stay upright after the blood he had given.
But for the first time in years—
A broken family had been returned.