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He blinked a few times, his eyes growing misty.“Thank you.”And then, because those words felt so thin, he added, “For everything.”

They held each other’s gazes for a few moments, and Colum recognized when Eric’s thoughts drifted to her.It was only natural they think of her.

“I wish—” Eric had started.

Colum shook his head, stopping him.“She’s here,” he said, tapping the side of his head, then placing his hand over his heart.“She’s always with us, Eric.”

Eric blinked at that, then nodded.“You’re right.She is.”

After that, they’d joined Xavier and Annie in Eric’s office.The three of them standing before him, waiting to get married.

Colum fought the urge to pinch himself, to believe he was truly standing here.Within the next fifteen minutes, every dream he’d never dared to dream was about to come true.

It was Josephine who had always been the dreamer, the one so certain that her future would be filled with love, laughter, marriage.She used to describe in great detail how he was going to be the world’s greatest uncle to her children—she’d planned on having four—and how he would accompany her family on summer vacations by the shore.Her imagination was vast, yet she never left him out of her dreams, determined the two of them would remain close throughout their lives.

Colum had never let himself focus on the future, always so certain that the future would look exactly the same as the present.But now he was determined to live that life she’d created in her mindforher.And him.

Annie shoulder-bumped him playfully.“Last chance to back out,” she teased.

“Never going to happen,” Colum said, as Eric looked up from the book he was flipping through, shaking his head, amused.

“I’ll bolt the door if he tries,” Eric said.“You two are good for him.”

“Throw open all the windows and doors if you want.I’m not going anywhere,” Colum repeated.

Colum had grown accustomed to Eric always looking at him with concern—and guilt—so it felt wonderful that his brother was smiling.Given the nature of Eric’s job—one that was filled with never-ending pressure and stress—it was rare to get a glimpse of genuine happiness on his face.But damn if it wasn’t present right now.It made Colum long for a camera, imagining he’d put the photo in a frame next to the one of Josephine on his desk.Then he glanced over at Xavier and Annie, standing close, holding hands, and he wanted a photo of them as well.

Family.

He’d felt alone and adrift for so many years, he’d forgotten just how good it felt to be a part of a family.

“Are the three of you ready?”Eric asked.

Colum nodded, as Xavier and Annie both replied with effusive “yeses.”

“Very well, then.First things first.”Eric rose from his desk chair.“You’re going to join the Masters’ Admiralty,” he said to Annie.“Then the three of you are getting married.”

Xavier placed his hand on the small of Annie’s back, then exchanged a glance with Colum, who lifted his to cover Xavier’s, overwhelmed by the need to touch them.

Xavier turned to Eric, one brow raised.Colum knew what he was thinking, and he chuckled softly.

“Something on your mind, Allard?”

Xavier smirked.“My mother won’t be happy with you.She’s already making plans for a big wedding.”Victoire Dubois was a force to be reckoned with as admiral, but that strong will seemed to triple in size when it came to her only son.She’d kept the three of them on the line for well over an hour, launching one hell of a wedding planning meeting, guiding them into discussions of locales for the ceremony, suggesting everything from the Ritz to a chateau to an opera house, andle muséeRodin.From there, she’d covered caterers, flowers, music, and so many other things that Colum’s head—still woozy from the poison—was swimming by the time they’d hung up.

“Yes.I live to piss off the admirals.I love getting yelled at,” Eric said with a sigh.“You can still have a big wedding.I’m not stopping you.”

On Eric’s desk sat a large, ancient book that Colum was familiar with.Eric had opened it to the appropriate page, turning it so that it was facing them.Colum recalled the day he and Josephine had joined the society together, standing in this same spot in front of the previous fleet admiral, Kacper.It was Eric who had recommended them for membership, vouching for them, and they’d both been so proud to become a part of something so meaningful, so important.Josephine had joked they’d done alright for a couple of farm kids from Galway.

Eric cleared his throat, his tone formal.“Anastasia Ward, you are called before me to join the Masters’ Admiralty.Do you stand before me today of your own free will and accord?”

“I do,” Annie replied, leaning back slightly against their clasped hands.

“Raise your right hand.”

Annie did as he instructed.

“Do you hereby pledge your life to the ideals and principles of the Masters’ Admiralty?Will you obey the rules and decrees, maintain the honor and integrity of our society, encourage creative, original thought, and strive to improve the world?”