Page 113 of Secrets of Avalon

You are not alone, Domina. We are family. Siva’s voice rings out softly in my mind. The smartest minds in the universe are here. They will end your curse.

Thank you, Siva, I whisper back softly to the sweet little guardian.

Tears burn behind my eyes, and I blink furiously, fighting them back. I shouldn't cry. I have no right to feel sorry for myself. My very existence has thrown this realm into disorder, igniting a war.

And I want to believe you. But I can’t hug you Siva. You can’t comfort me when I need a mom. Or tell me what I need to hear like a dad. It’s not the same.

The dragon tattoo on my wrist writhes, coming to life. Siva leaps from my skin, her ethereal green wings unfurling as she lands between me and the mirror. She's the size of a Great Dane, her eyes fixed on me with an intensity that cuts through my sorrow.

"Melinda?" Isolde's speaks my name as a question.

"It's alright," I whisper. "It's Siva, my guardian."

I force a smile, but Siva's gaze pierces through my facade. Overwhelmed, I sink to the edge of the dais, no longer able to stand under the weight of my emotions.

You may not be able to hug me, but I am here for you. Kellan and I both are, Siva's voice resonates in my mind, fierce with loyalty.

As if summoned by her words, the door flies open. Kellan bursts in, his face shadowed with worry. "Domina, what's wrong? I felt Siva emerge." He's at my side in an instant, taking my hands into his. "Did you see something? Was it Aena again?"

"Aena? Again?" Isolde's voice sharpens with alarm. "What did Aena do? What's happening to Melinda?"

She needs a hug, Kellan. Before I can process Siva's words, strong arms wrap around me, pulling me against his massive chest. The dam breaks, and traitorous tears spill down my cheeks, hot and relentless.

"Melinda!" Hawke's voice carries from outside, panic evident. Melinda! What happened? His mental voice echoes his fear as he rushes in, dropping to his knees beside me.

Hawke reaches for me, but Kellan's embrace tightens. In this moment, Kellan's fatherly comfort is exactly what I need, and I cling to him.

A broken laugh escapes me between sobs. "I'm sorry," I choke out against Kellan's chest. "The dress... it made me think of my parents. How they'll never see me marry. I just... spiraled." My body shakes with sobs. Siva's presence is there, a comforting warmth as she settles back into her place on my wrist. "Siva was trying to help."

Kellan's hand strokes my hair, the gesture achingly familiar. "You are not alone, Domina. You have me, and Siva, and the Princeling."

Hawke bares his fangs at the nickname. Kellan continues to ignore him, but I can't. Our bond thrums with Hawke's desperation, his need to comfort me himself.

"Give me my mate," Hawke growls, his words grating between gritted teeth.

"You have us too, sweetheart." Isolde kneels before me, squeezing between Kellan and Hawke. "Theon and I could never replace your parents, but you are family now. A soul-match is precious beyond measure. You are special to us, Melinda. You are loved."

I lift my head from Kellan's chest, blinking away tears. The room swims into focus—Kellan's concerned frown, Hawke's anguished eyes, Isolde's compassionate gaze. Even Lady Suriel hovers at the edge of my vision, her hands clasped anxiously. The weight of their attention presses down on me, and I struggle to find my voice.

When I finally speak, the words scrape past the lump in my throat, emerging as a ragged whisper. "But I caused a war." I wince at the broken sound, acutely aware of how fragile I must appear. Still, I force myself to continue, each word a shard of glass in my mouth. "People are suffering because of me."

The confession hangs in the air, my deepest fear laid bare. I brace myself for their reaction, half-expecting condemnation, even as their expressions show nothing but concern.

"No, child, because you're important," Isolde's voice rings with conviction, steel beneath the velvet. "You're not just some girl my son stumbled upon. You're his soulmate. You made him whole." Her eyes blaze with intensity. "You're a miracle that hasn't graced the universe in centuries. Wars have been waged for far less."

She takes my hand, her grip firm and grounding. "And you will be a queen. That is no small thing. If you weren't struggling, I'd worry there was something wrong with you."

The air in the room shifts, charged with a new energy. The walls that seemed to close in on me moments ago now expand, revealing endless possibilities. I'm not adrift in this strange world–I'm surrounded by a fortress of love, strength, and unexpected family.

This realization doesn't magically erase the hollow ache of grief in my chest or banish the fear coiling in my gut. But it ignites something else within me: a fierce, burning determination.

I want this. I want them. And by all the powers that be, I will fight for them.

My eyes lock onto Hawke's, and the intensity of emotion I see there and sense through our bond nearly takes my breath away. Kellan's arms loosen, and I reach for my mate with trembling hands. As Kellan releases me, Hawke pulls me into his embrace, his touch both gentle and desperately possessive.

Hawke's lips find mine, and I taste the salt of my tears. He pulls back, his thumbs tenderly wiping away the tear tracks on my cheeks. His voice is a low, fervent whisper against my skin. "I love you, Melinda. More than life itself. And know that you will never be alone. Never."

My heart clenches at his promise. I press my forehead to his, drinking in his presence. "I love you too," I breathe, the words carrying the weight of a vow. "I'm scared, but I do believe this is where I belong."

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