Chapter 55

It took some fancy maneuvering to lose Zak and Ray, but Nema had learned quite a bit since her na•ve self had left Avhallonn.

When they stopped to refuel, she commandeered another vessel that was just leaving and then jumped to another, muddying her trail. For the last leg of her journey, she bought a ship she could fly alone.

She didn't return the same handmaiden who'd left. Her arrival was met with little fanfare, just her mother greeting her at the port, hugging her a moment before Nema burst into tears.

"What's happened?"

"It's over." The only thing she could say that encompassed everything. How to explain she'd met two amazing males? That she wanted to give up everything she'd ever wanted for them. Only she couldn't.

Artuur had thought he could leave and take part of the Lake with him. It didn't end well, which meant, while she could leave on short jaunts, unless she wished to give up the Lake, she could never truly leave home.