Page 34 of The Iron Flower

Relief washes over Jarod’s face as he quietly approaches his family. His mother takes his face in her hands and murmurs something before embracing him warmly, clearly overjoyed to be with all her children again.

Diana wraps an arm around her little sister’s shoulders, squeezing her affectionately. “I’ve missed you so much, Diana!” Kendra cries. “I’ve so much to tell you! Did you get my letters? I got yours! Look, Diana! Look! I got a beaver tooth!” She holds up the necklace she’s wearing, decorated with a variety of teeth.

Diana fingers the necklace, clearly impressed. “That’s wonderful, Kendra!”

“And I got a celyrnium for my rock collection! Remember how I’ve been looking for one of those forforever?” Kendra proudly holds up the bag that’s slung haphazardly over her shoulder. “I brought the whole collection to show you! And my drawings. I did about ten new ones!”

“I can’t wait to see everything,” Diana says, beaming at her.

“And I got adeer, Diana! Just a few days ago!”

“Brought it down herself, she did,” Gunther crows, patting Kendra’s head.

“Abigone!” the little girl continues breathlessly. “I got it even before Stefan! He wassojealous!”

“She’s a fine hunter, your sister,” their father brags. “She may even give you a run for your money in a few years.”

Diana ruffles Kendra’s golden hair. “I don’t doubt it,” she says, smiling down at her small clone.

Her father pulls them both into a warm hug. “My strong, fierce girls,” he says adoringly.

I’m struck in that moment by the things Gunther takes pride in when it comes to his daughters—most Gardnerian parents value modesty and beauty much more highly than strength or bravery in young girls, and I find myself suddenly feeling melancholy and wondering what my father would admire most about me if he was still alive.

“Where’s Rafe Gardner?” asks Kendra, looking around the room. “I want to meet him! Boy, are you inserioustrouble!”

“Kendra,”Gunther chastises, his voice full of authority.

“Oh...forgot,” Kendra says, abashed, lowering her voice slightly. “Not supposed to talk about it. But where is he, Diana? Does he have weird eyes? They have suchweird eyes. I hope he doesn’t smell bad. Some of them smellreallybad!”

Diana says something to her father that I don’t catch and then gestures toward us, smiling proudly.

Cael turns to Rafe, a wry look on his face. “I still can’t believe you’re chasing after the alpha’s daughter.”

Rafe grins at him.

Cael shakes his head, amused. “I do hope you survive the day, Rafe Gardner.”

Diana’s father fixes his eyes on my brother, as if picking up on Cael’s use of his name. The alpha straightens to his full, intimidating height, the smile on his face and on the faces of the four Lupine males behind him quickly replaced by serious, forbidding expressions. Diana’s mother also looks to Rafe, her face taking on a look of deep concern.

All of them, with Diana and her father in the lead, start toward Rafe, moving together with a fluid, cohesive grace.

“Are they going to come over here and kill you now?” Trystan asks Rafe, his voice low.

“Nah,” Rafe says. “They seem nice.”

Trystan looks at our older brother as if he’s just sprouted horns. “Nice?Are you completely and utterly lacking the self-preservation part of your brain?”

Rafe flashes a smile, seeming oblivious to Trystan’s sarcasm. He secures his hold on the turkey and confidently strides toward Diana and her family.

“Father, Mother, Kendra,” Diana says with a big, happy smile. “This is Rafe Gardner.” She’s gazing at her family with the smug expression of someone who fully expects them to be as instantly besotted with Rafe as she is.

Her pack’s unfriendly expressions remain frozen in place—all except Kendra, whose eyes flit back and forth eagerly between Rafe and her sister.

“This is the scariest ‘meet the parents’ moment that has ever happened in the history of Erthia,” Trystan whispers to me.

“Rafe’s taller than Diana’s father. Have you noticed that?” I comment.

“And your point is...what,exactly? You think this gives him some type of advantage? Againstthem?”

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