Page 21 of Rings and Wings and Stardust Things

Didn't it?

Ryon's feathers ruffled, and I could sense his agitation. “Father, my feelings for Savannah have nothing to do with Sharlar and Helko's disappearance.”

“Enough!” Alget's wings flared again, his beak snapping shut with an audible click. “This human has been nothing but a distraction. She needs to leave at once.”

My heart sank. Leave? After everything I'd experienced here, the wonders I'd witnessed, the connection I felt with this strange, beautiful world... and with Ryon. Leave?

“It’s clear you were only interested in getting close to Ryon,” Alget spat, his beak clicking in disapproval.

I felt my cheeks heat up. The worst part? He wasn’t entirely wrong. But before I could defend myself, Ryon stepped forward.

“That’s enough,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Savannah didn’t do anything wrong.”

Varie’s eyes narrowed. “Ryon, this is family business.”

“And she’s part of my life now,” he countered, his wings fluttering in agitation. “I won’t give her up.”

I stared at him, shocked by his defiance. “Ryon?—”

“No,” he interrupted, turning to face me. “They need to hear this.” He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “I love her.”

Silence fell over the room, as heavy as the weight in my chest. Alget’s feathers ruffled in disbelief.

“You barely know her!” Bhelenia scoffed from the side, her wings snapping with indignation.

“Doesn’t matter,” Ryon replied, his eyes locked on mine. “I want to spend my life getting to know her.”

My heart skipped a beat. This couldn’t be happening. Not like this. “Ryon, you can’t be sure?—”

“I am sure,” he insisted, taking a step closer to me. “And I’ll leave the Zorax family if that’s what it takes.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Alget’s voice boomed again.

“Ryon,” I said softly, reaching out but not quite touching him. “Think about your responsibilities here. And what about my life back on Earth?”

His gaze softened as he looked at me. “It all comes down to one thing, Savannah.” He took my hand in his winged grasp. “Do you love me?”

The room seemed to shrink around us as his question hung in the air. I searched his eyes for any sign of doubt but found none.

Did I love him? My mind raced through the whirlwind of emotions and moments we’d shared since I arrived on Teloril—the laughter, the fire, the unexpected connection that had grown between us.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the truth settled over me like a warm blanket on a cold night. Yes, I did love him.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. “I love you.”

A collective gasp echoed through the room as tears spilled down my cheeks.

Ryon pulled me into an embrace, his wings wrapping around me protectively. “Then that’s all that matters,” he murmured into my hair.

Before I could fully process the weight of Ryon's declaration, he lifted me up and swung me around in a joyous circle. My feet left the ground as a giddy laugh escaped my lips, the sheer elation of the moment washing over me like a tidal wave. In that instant, nothing else mattered—not the stunned silence from his family, not the consequences that might await us. All I knew was the profound love I felt for this extraordinary being holding me close.

As Ryon set me down, still beaming, a cheerful voice rang out from the side. “Yes! I knew it!” Ranna emerged from her hiding spot, feathers ruffled in excitement as she bounded over to us. “You two are perfect together!”

I couldn't help but smile at the young Draen's enthusiasm, her unbridled joy a stark contrast to the thunderous expressions on the faces of Alget, Varie, and Bhelenia.

“This is unacceptable,” Alget growled, his wings flaring out in a display of dominance. “You will not dishonor our family like this, Ryon.”

Ryon's grip on me tightened, his body tensing as he pulled me closer. “With all due respect, Father, my feelings are not up for debate.” His voice was steady, unwavering in the face of Alget's wrath.

---