Page 48 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

T he breath left me in a whoosh as I dropped into a throne carved from pale marble. My fingers tightened, and I looked around, trying not to let panic set in.

I’d never been here before, but I knew for sure that I was home.

The throne room had seen better days. Char marks snaked up the walls, remnants of fire and magic etched into the stone.

Tattered banners hung in ragged strips that fluttered in the draft that flowed in through broken windows.

The throne itself, though, was perfectly preserved, down to the gemstones inlaid in the armrests.

I laid my hand onto the hilt of my whip and then paused as golden, glowing script appeared on the stone floor below, pulsing with so much magic that I could see it without trying. Words appeared…words I had penned myself a few minutes earlier.

Guardians three.

My brain stuttered for a second. Duncan, Hook, and Billy?

A soft pop echoed through the chamber, and a familiar form burst into existence before my eyes.

Fetch.

“Hey there, boy,” I whispered, my throat tightening at the sudden reunion.

He burst forward in a mess of feathers, landing awkwardly on my arm. He pressed his beak to my cheek, and my heart soared with relief. It’d been right to leave him behind to watch over Molly and the kids, but that hadn’t made me miss him any less.

Guardians three. I’d assumed Duncan, but the truth was that Fetch had been my very first guardian. The brave falcon was with me from the very start, from the day I left C’an Saas and my Pawpaw had found me in the woods.

Another pop sounded, and Hook appeared, landing on the golden letters. He staggered slightly, disoriented, before locking eyes with me, the relief plain on his face.

“Well done, Princess.” He glanced around, taking in the room. “Not half bad.”

Before I could reply, Billy burst into view. Her hand went instantly to her bow, but she relaxed as she spotted me.

“What in the seven hells happened?” She shook herself, then scanned the chamber. “And where’s the ox?”

“I—I don’t know. Somehow I…wrote you into this world with me.”

Hook took a step closer, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the throne. “Is this your home?”

I nodded. As unreal as this all felt, there could be no doubt. “My parents’ throne room. I’ve seen it in dreams.”

The ground shimmered again, this time a few feet to the left of the first set.

“Sister in spirit, found family,” Billy murmured the words, flicking a glance my way. She let out a short shriek as Molly popped into the room.

Her copper hair stood out in the dreary room, but not as much as her smile when she caught sight of me.

I sprinted toward her, unable to find my voice as she called out to me.

“There she is. I knew you could do it!”

Fetch took to the air as I moved to pull her into a hug, but she stopped me short with a raised hand as her eyes narrowed.

“What’s the secret handshake?”

I blinked, mind still reeling with excitement at seeing her, so it took me a second to put it together.

The secret handshake she’d created for the two of us so we’d know that neither of us were doppelgangers.

I waggled my brows and held out my hand. “Two firm shakes, slide up, grip the wrist, then pull back down until we’re almost not touching...and sizzle fingers!”

She wriggled her fingertips against mine and tossed her hand in the air with a flourish and then dragged me into a bear hug. My arms locked tight around her, squeezing until she gasped with laughter, hugging me back just as tight.

“I missed you so fucking much,” I whispered.

The joy in her expression dimmed slightly as she pulled back, scanning the room. “I-is this everyone?” she asked, sounding nervous as she flicked a glance between Hook and Billy.

“No.” But I cursed myself for not knowing the answer to the question she was asking.

Had I brought Xander and the kids along?

And if I hadn’t, was it even possible to send people back to where I’d gotten them from?

I tried to remember all the words of the prophecy as I put on my bravest face, for Moll’s sake.

“It’s going to be okay. Whatever happens, I’ll make it right. ”

“Already replacing me, eh?” Billy cut in, flashing a smile as she eyed Moll. “Who’s this?”

“Billy O’Donnelly?” Molly asked, eyeing her dubiously. “But not our Billy?”

“I promise, there is only one Billy O’Donnelly, and it’s me,” Billy said with a smirk.

I wanted to correct her, but Duncan materialized right behind her, with Bonnie perched on his shoulder.

A charming prince, a captain’s crew…

He glanced around, mildly confused, then grinned. “Glad to see you’re all safe. Good work, Harm.” He stepped up to Billy and gave her an affectionate shove.

A sudden commotion broke the quiet as Hook’s entire crew fwipped into existence in the room’s center.

They were clearly in the middle of something, gripping mugs of rum and playing cards.

A look of shock flashed across their faces as they took in the throne room, but the confusion quickly turned to relief as their eyes landed on Hook.

The crew murmured with excitement, and Xander pushed through from the back.

The first mate towered over the rest, his brilliant red hair glowing even in the dim firelight.

Unlike the others, he was dressed in casual clothing, and the crew seemed surprised to see him.

His eyes instantly found Molly, and his expression softened.

He closed the gap in two strides, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Hey, Cap!” He looked toward Hook, eyebrows raised. “Are we preparing for battle, then?”

Hook gave him a grim smile, a sparkle in his eye as he reunited with his friend. “Aye. If you’re game.”

“Always.”

The crew echoed Xander, those with mugs raising them high in spite of their confusion. “Always!”

A band of rogues, to name a few…

Oh, Gods…Billy!

I lunged toward her, and yanked her around to face me.

“I need you to listen and listen carefully. Something is about to happen that’s going to rock your world, but I need you to understand that while they might look like your brothers and sort of are, they’re from another?—”

“What the hell is going on here?” Paddy O’Donnelly demanded, his hand shooting to the hilt of his dagger as he took in his surroundings.

Scotty, as broad and imposing as I remembered, towered over the rest, scratching his head in confusion. “Where the fuck are we?”

“I summoned you here,” I blurted, a pit forming in my gut as I looked at Billy.

Andrew stood perfectly still, his eyes darting from Hook to Duncan. Jacob straightened his thin glasses, relaxing a bit as his eyes settled on me.

“Oh, it’s you again.”

Billy’s bow slipped from her grasp, clattering against the stone floor as she broke into a full on sprint toward her brothers. She collided into the pile of them a second later, nearly bowling over Jacob as she wrapped her arms around Paddy first.

The four of them stood there, stunned for a beat. Then laughter erupted from Paddy, who squeezed her tight.

“Well, hello to you too, lass. But what’s all this? We were talkin’ with you a moment ago…”

“Not me,” Billy murmured, clearly putting the rest of the pieces together herself. “I’m a different Billy. But I’m your sister just the same.”

Paddy raised an eyebrow as he leaned back and studied her. “I guess you do look a little different. Skinny. We’ll never say no to another Billy, though, will we boys?”

“Depends how many more we’re talking, and if this one’s as bossy as the other,” Scotty cut in, not bothering to dodge as Billy cuffed him lightly upside the head.

Through it all, the smile never left her lips as she stared at each one, as if memorizing every line of their faces.

Warmth spread through my chest as I caught Molly’s eye, jabbing my finger toward the three glowing sets of words that lit the floor.

Dawn will rise, a blossom’s kiss,

A hunter’s bounty, nature’s bliss…

Her face lit up as Caleb, Cissy, and Tristan shimmered into view at once. Their expressions shifted from confusion to wide-eyed excitement as they caught sight of us.

“Harmony!” Cissy cried out. “Moll!”

Fetch sprang from my shoulder, shooting right toward Tristan and landing on the boy’s outstretched arm.

His shoulders sagged in relief as he leaned in, nuzzling the bird.

I couldn’t deny that it hurt a little bit to see, but he wasn’t only my bird anymore, and it was good to see that the boy had been taking good care of him.

I stepped back as Caleb and Cissy made their way over to Moll.

“What the heck is happening?” Cissy asked, burrowing against her as Caleb took her hand.

Already, he looked like a different boy. Cheeks pink and plumper. Eyes gleaming with love as he looked up at Molly.

“Harm.” Hook’s low voice had me turning to face him. “Were those braziers lit when you got here?”

I flicked a glance at the lights set into the stone floor. “Yes, why?”

Molly swept up the kids in another tight embrace, but a loud crash cut their reunion short. Every head snapped toward the entrance at once, weapons drawn.

“We’re not alone,” Hook murmured, padding slowly toward the door as it creaked slowly open.

Dread pooled in my stomach as I waited for Almira’s face to materialize there. Instead, a stooped, elderly woman inched into the throne room, her jaw dropping halfway to the floor the moment she laid eyes on me.

She stumbled back, nearly collapsing against the whip-thin boy who strode in behind her, catching her by the elbow. She lifted a single, shaking finger toward me, tears streaming from her eyes.

“I told you she’d be back! Our Queen has returned!”