Page 151 of Elemental Becoming

The woman beside him carries herself with effortless confidence, her sandy-blond hair woven into an intricate braid coiled over one shoulder. Her hazel eyes are softer than her sons’, but no less sharp. She wears a flowing gown of burnished copper silk that catches the chandelier light like living fire, gold-threaded embroidery curling along the sleeves and bodice in delicate flamework patterns. Elegant. Regal. Entirely Fire Clan.

And both of them are smiling like they’ve already decided they adore Lyra.

Lyra’s fingers tighten around my hand hard enough that I’m fairly certain she’s cutting off my circulation.

“Ahh, there she is!” Jarek announces brightly as he steps around the table to join his parents.

Rian flanks them easily, his gaze moving between Lyra, Garrick, and the rest of the family with obvious amusement, his smile widening by the second.

Lyra immediately pulls me forward, using me as a human shield.

“I meant theother‘she,’ but we might as well introduce the Spiritborn too,” Jarek jokes. “Mama, Papa, this is Amara Thalor.” His grin widens. “Amara, this is Declan and Maeve Kaelen.”

“I’m very happy to meet you both,” I say, extending the hand Lyra doesn’t currently have trapped in a vice grip.

They both step forward at once, clasping my hand between theirs as though they’ve known me my entire life.

“We believed in you from the moment the prophecy became public knowledge,” Declan says with genuine sincerity. “It’s an honor to finally meet you.”

Maeve smiles at me with the kind of affection only mothers seem capable of. “And I’m very pleased to finally meet the woman Thane keeps looking at like she hung the moon.”

She winks.

Heat floods my cheeks instantly.

“Aww, Mama, give Amara a break. She’s already had to deal with the nobles and Ardyn, for gods’ sake,” Garrick interjects.

“Oh my!” Maeve exclaims, bringing a hand to her cheek. “The nerve of that one!”

And suddenly, I understand exactly where Garrick and Jarek get their charm from.

“I’ve never seen Thane this light. And this happy,” Maeve continues.

She slips an arm around both Rian’s and Jarek’s waists, pulling them closer. She only comes to their shoulders.

“Oh my boys! Amara, I’ve claimed Rian and Thane as my own ever since they were boys of eleven.” Her expression turns somber. “And especially so after Thane lost his mother.”

“And I am so grateful to you, Mama Kaelen.” Rian rests his cheek against the top of her head for a moment.

When he straightens, he glances back at me with an easy smile.

“I didn’t see my parents often after I came to train at Volcaris. They stayed in Sevrin because I’m the oldest of five.” His expression softens slightly. “My youngest sister was only six months old when I left.”

Maeve squeezes his side affectionately.

“Mama Kaelen became a second mother to me.” Rian grins. “How lucky that I have two.”

Maeve peeks around me. “Now is this the Lyra we’ve heard so much about?”

Garrick gently nudges her forward, and Lyra suddenly finds herself standing beside me, still looking like a rabbit frozen in the middle of a field while a falcon circles overhead. The three of us remain linked hand-to-hand.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen Lyra speechless before,” Jarek teases.

I stifle a laugh while giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Garrick places his free hand over Lyra’s, now covering it with both of his.

“Mama and Papa, this is Lyra Durnhart. Of Earth Clan. She’s also a soldier. And Amara’s best friend,” Garrick says proudly.