Page 91 of Finding Closure

“No, but she’ll see it too.”

“She will,” I agreed as I walked over to her and rubbed her shoulder. “She doesn’t need to realize it today, and it’s not your fault if she doesn’t. You’re a kid too, okay? I longed for myparents all my life thinking they ditched me. Family and parents are always complicated. You are older and saw more. That means you saw more of the truth.”

“I did, and I wish they would listen to me,” she rasped.

“We do the best we can, but everyone needs to find their own answers. Just give them the ones that you have and trust they’ll come up with the right ones for them.”

“Thanks. Really.” She quickly wiped her eyes. “And this place is great. Everyone’s nice to us. Even if we’re not related to fairies. The people in charge are super protective and didn’t let anyone try to scan us for your magic or anything.”

I frowned. “Good. I’ll make sure people know about that and kick someone’s ass if need be.”

She snickered. “The woman who runs this place did that. A few times. She said you are the one who taught her to open portals under people to the ocean and she likes your style. The guy was just gone. It was great.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Let me know if you need anything.” I turned to leave, but her next words stopped me.

“I’m sorry your dad died. People are talking about it. That you had to let him die after your coronation. That sucks. I don’t know I could do that for people I don’t know.”

“It was more complicated than that,” I whispered. “His soul was tied to my mom’s and she was gone. My dad had to give up his immortality to have a child, so he was fading. I—it was painful to watch even as I wanted him around longer.”

Her eyes were bug wide. “Wow, he really loved you.”

I frowned. “Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “Your mom had visions of you, right? He had to really love you to give up hisimmortalityso they could have you. That’s really cool.”

I nodded. “He was amazing like that.” I nodded to her sister. “Take care of them and contact me if you need me.”

“I’m ready to be healed,” she blurted. “I mean if it doesn’t hurt you.”

“No, it doesn’t hurt me,” I promised her as I touched her arm and healed all the scars on her. “I’ll come back and heal your siblings as well. I’m not supposed to be here. I’m—I just needed to check on her.”

“Someone’s checking on you, right?” she worried.

“They are.” I smiled at her and left, touched she was worried when she had so much on her young shoulders.

I went to see Rich—for real this time. I told him about becoming queen and losing my dad. I told him to make sure to introduce himself to my parents. I really hoped he got to go to the same place, because if he’d adopted me like a little sister when I was no one, he should get the perks of being the adopted son of a demigod now.

That made me smile. He deserved that kind of love and happiness. He really did.

Next, I went on a tour of my wins. The fae dog fighting ring and breeder I’d shut down. Several of the Underground bases I’d shut down.

I tried to picture all of the lives I’d saved and people who were better off because of me and my magic as I did, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing seemed worth the sacrifice of my parents. Even seeing the healed wings that no one had been able to heal before.

It should never have happened. It should never have come to this.

Lucca found me out by my unicorns checking on the babies.

I chuckled when he opened his mouth. “You have something to grab on the moon and then are dying to see one of the rings of Jupiter so I’m distracted and busy?”

He was so,sobusted that he couldn’t even get his mouth to work and I just laughed. He let out a cute huff and crossed his arms over his massive chest. “They all said I was going too farand making it obvious, but we were having fun too. You can have fun and be sad. Plus, it was a better plan than just holding you while you cried. It hurts to see you cry, cream puff.”

“I’m still going to cry and need to,” I said gently.

“I know. I just—we were having a good time though, right?”

I nodded. “A lot of it was great, relaxing. I’m just tuned out and numb for too much.”

“That’s understandable,” he muttered as he moved closer, cupping my face. “Is there anything I can do to help?” He leaned down and ran his nose along mine. “You are so beautiful, cream puff. Watching you out here with the cute unicorn twins is just—you amaze me.”

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