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“And you sailed all the way here alone on that little sailboat?” my mother asked incredulously.

I nodded. “The journey took three days. There was no fishing gear in the boat, so I couldn’t fish or hunt.

There wasn’t water either, and of course, it didn’t rain so soon after a storm.

” Telling the story made me relive it, reminded me of everything that had happened to get me here now, safe in my bed with my family.

My eyes turned to my father, and his dark eyes were heavy with the weight of sorrow.

“I’m still here because of you. I kept that galleon above water because of the storms we faced together.

I killed men who boarded our ship and slaughtered a commander who was more beast than a man.

And I made it across the ocean in that little boat… because of everything you taught me.”

His eyes misted in both pride and pain.

“I’m the only survivor…because of you.”

This time, he didn’t blink his tears away or redirect his stare. He’d never looked more proud to call me his daughter, never looked more emotional than he did now, like he’d fulfilled his purpose as a father. “That’s my girl.”

I stayed in my old bedchambers for a few days until I was fully recovered.

When I felt strong enough to go out on my own again, I left the castle and went back to where I’d been living before I left, one of the villas, a private building that was separate from the castle on top of the cliff.

It had a spectacular view of the ocean, was near the olive trees in the garden and the mighty oaks that cast long shadows at sunset.

It was a one-bedroom house with a large living room and a kitchen, close enough to the castle that I was near my family, but also far enough away that I had my own privacy as an adult.

Six months on my own had made me treasure my independence and privacy, but it also made me appreciate my family more than I had before.

The villa was the perfect compromise.

I cooked my own meals and spent time alone. My parents seemed to understand that I needed space. A lot had happened to me recently. The guys who had shared the galleon had been more than crew members, especially after sailing together for six months. We’d become a strange, dysfunctional family.

I sat at the dining table alone with a hot cup of tea, the fire burning in the hearth for warmth as the sun went down and the cold crept in from the surface of the ocean. I listened to it crackle and burn, saw earth-toned eyes in the red flames.

A knock sounded on the door and shattered my reverie. “It’s open.” It had to be my mother or father, because a dragon didn’t knock. He just barged into my head whenever he felt like it.

My mom opened the door, holding a casserole. “Thought you might be hungry.”

“Is it sweet potato casserole?”

She smiled. “Your favorite.”

I patted the surface of the table with my palm. “Have a seat.”

She chuckled then placed it in the center before she sat across from me.

I grabbed two forks from the kitchen then sat down again, eating straight out of the dish because it was just me in this villa. The meal was still warm from being pulled out of the oven, and it practically melted on my tongue the second it was in my mouth.

My mother watched me eat, motherly affection in her gaze. “I know the final part of your journey didn’t end well, but what about everything that came before it? You must have seen some amazing things.”

“We did. We traveled far to the west and found these beautiful, warm beaches. We took a long respite there just because the fruit from the trees was so good. We had been on the verge of getting scurvy, and it cured that really quick. Met other pirates who said they were searching for the treasure of an old king…doubt they’ll ever find it.

We also headed far to the north and found snow. I’d never seen that before.”

“I hate the snow.” She grabbed a fork and took a bite.

“I kinda liked it.”

“I’ll take the warm beaches over the cold any day.”

“It was nice to lie by the fire in a cabin and watch the snow fall outside.” While I was there, the rest of the crew had headed into the main city to participate in the Tournament of Cards.

Apparently, one of the champions was a snake.

I’d stayed behind with Viper, and we’d hardly left that cabin for weeks.

“Sounds cozy.” She took another bite and gave me a look. The kind full of playful accusation. Like she knew something, even though she’d been halfway across the world. “The only thing better than a warm blanket in the cold is a hot man…”

“ Mom .” I set down my fork, so red I couldn’t take another bite.

“Just sayin’.” She smirked then took another bite. “So…was there a blanket or a man?”

“Did you really just ask me that?”

“Sweetheart, you’re an adult now. I’m not your mother anymore.”

“You’ll always be my mom, no matter how old I am.”

“Alright, then. Forget I said anything.” She continued to eat.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” I said. “When I was lost out there, all I wanted was Dad to fly through the sky and help me. I’ve been an adult for years now, but there will never be a time when I don’t need you guys for something. When I don’t get scared…or want a sweet potato casserole.”

She dropped her guard and smirked again. “I’m still your mother…even after all these years.”

I heard my father talk about his parents sometimes, his brother Silas. He kept their memory alive. “Well…there was someone else in that cabin.”

Her eyebrows rose, and that knowing smile was back. “You don’t say…”

“His name was Viper.”

“And what was he like?”

“Hot,” I said with a chuckle. “Big and muscular. Strong and silent type.”

“That does sound hot.”

“And he was a vampire.”

She was about to scoop her fork through the casserole when her eyebrows jumped up on her face. “What did you just say?”

I chuckled. “Want to go back to being my mother?”

She ignored what I said. “As in, one of those blood-sucking monsters that feed off humans? That can turn you into a soulless monster?—”

“None of that happened, so we’re good, Mom.”

“Fuck me…” She took a second to compose herself, to let the terror pass by. She had dark hair like I did, and her green eyes had been passed down to me. I had a little bit of my father in my appearance too, but it was subtle. His attributes were mostly in my soul and personality—and my temper.

“It was fun.”

She rolled her eyes. “I bet it was.”

“He didn’t ask me to stay, but he wanted me to stay. Now, I wished I had. If I’d just waited another week, perhaps we would have skipped all that tragedy.” And I wouldn’t have met a god who was both my enemy and my savior.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I missed home. And I didn’t see it being more than it was.”

“Some men are just for a night—and one man will be forever.”

“Did you have your vampire phase, Mom?”

She quickly shook her head and focused on the casserole again. “Your father is my one and only.”

“Really? You seem more adventurous than that.”

“Well, I was young when I met him.” She kept her eyes on the casserole and scooped another bite. She’d been so excited for information a second ago, but now she seemed withdrawn. “Every love story is different.”

“How did you know he was the one?”

She finished her bite but still took another moment to answer the question. “When I realized he was the first man I could truly rely on. When I knew he would burn down the world and everyone in it just for me.”

It was romantic and violent…and suited my father perfectly. “That’s sweet.”

“I hope you find a man who does the same for you.”

A man in a dark-blue uniform and a black cape appeared in my mind, his stare ruthless, his command unquestionable. Then it disappeared as quickly as it came, like the flicker of a candle. Did I picture that myself…or did I actually see it?