Page 110 of Forged in Fire

“Plus my secret weapon,” Mara pipes up.

“Secret weapon?” Caleb frowns.

“Snickers Bars.” Mara grins. “Keeps me sharp.”

“God help us,” Luke mutters, then looks at Viktor. “I’ll keep a handle on her.”

Viktor nods in approval. “Straightforward mission. In and out within forty-eight hours.”

Chairs scrape against the floor as people begin to rise, conversations splitting into smaller groups focused on specific preparations. The Romania team clusters around Mara’s tablet, reviewing technical requirements. Viktor and Kieran move toward the door, already deep in discussion about debriefing protocols.

“You sure about this?” I ask Ember as she gathers her things.

“About which part? The visions or defying my mother’s protective instincts?”

“Both.”

Her smile holds echoes of her parents’ determination. “The visions are real. And sometimes you have to take risks to protect the people you love.”

Fair point. I’ve taken exactly those kinds of risks.

“Besides,” she continues, glancing toward where Luke and Mara are comparing equipment lists, “I’ll have good protection.”

Something in her tone makes me look closer. The way she watches Luke move, the careful attention to his tactical explanations. Interesting.

“Iris.” Vanya approaches, elegant composure hiding maternal worry. “Thank you.”

I tilt my head. “For what?”

“For taking her seriously. For showing her what strength looks like. For teaching her that she has a voice.”

“She didn’t need teaching,” I reply honestly. “That came from you and Hargen.”

“Perhaps. But seeing it in action…” Vanya’s smile holds genuine warmth. “It made a difference. My little girl isn’t a child anymore. I’m so proud of that… even though I probably come across as overprotective.”

The Romania team heads for the door, voices carrying back as they discuss flight times and equipment checks. Ember’s excitement mingles with her parents’ worry, Luke’s protective instincts already shifting to accommodate two charges instead of one.

Routine cleanup mission. Simple containment work.

The words should be reassuring.

Instead, they make my shadows simmer with unease I can’t name.

“Ready to go home?” Riven asks, his hand finding mine with casual intimacy that still feels miraculous.

Home. The word tastes different now. Not a place I’m searching for, but something I’m building. With him. With the people in this room who’ve become family in ways that have nothing to do with blood.

“Yeah,” I tell him, fingers threading through his. “I’m ready.”

But as we walk toward the door, as Luke’s team disappears around the corner heading for the exit, unease trails behind us like a shadow.

Routine missions have a way of becoming anything but.

Chapter 33

Iris

I sigh with contentment as I sit on the terrace, looking out over the valley. For the first time in years, I’m not calculating escape routes or scanning for threats. Just sitting with my legs curled beneath me on the outdoor couch, Riven’s arm draped over my shoulders, watching my chosen family enjoy a moment of peace.