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.Maybe it was easier for her to think that.“Cal us if you have the chance, and try to come home for holidays.”“I’l try,” I murmured, stepping away.For a moment, I gazed around the farmhouse, reliving old memories,letting them warm me inside and out.No longer home, but it was a part of me that would always be there, aplace that would never fade away.I turned to Mom and Luke and smiled through the tears I hadn’t realizedwere falling until now.“Meghan.” Mom stepped forward, pleading.“Are you sure you have to do this? Can’t you stay, just a fewdays?”I shook my head.“I love you, Mom.” Drawing on my glamour, I swirled it around me like a cloak.“Tel Ethan Iwon’t forget.”“Meghan!”“Goodbye,” I whispered, and faded from sight.Both Mom and Luke jumped, looking around frantically, thenMom buried her face in Luke’s shoulder and sobbed.Ethan woke up, blinked at his parents, then looked right at me, stil invisible by the front door.His eyebrows rose, and I put my finger to my lips, praying he wouldn’t cause a fuss.Ethan smiled.One small hand rose in a brief wave, then he hopped off the couch and padded up to Mom, stilbeing consoled by Luke.I watched my family, felt their love and grief and support, and smiled proudly.You’ll be fine, I told them, swal owing the lump in my throat.You’l be fine without me.Blinking back tears, I gave my family one last look and swept through the front door into the waiting dawn.I WAS HALFWAY ACROSS the front lawn, forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other and not turn back,when a bark caught my attention, and I looked up.Something was bounding toward me over the grass, a shadow in the predawn light.Something large and furryand vaguely familiar.A wolf? No, a dog! A big, shaggy…no, that couldn’t be right…“Beau?” I gasped, as the huge German shepherd slammed into me with the force of a freight train, nearlyknocking me down.It was Beau.I laughed as his big paws muddied my shirt and his enormous tongueslapped the side of my face.“What are you doing here?” I asked, rubbing his neck as he panted and wagged his whole body in joy.I hadn’tseen our old farm dog since the day Luke had unjustly taken him to the pound, thinking he’d bitten Ethan.“DidMom decide to bring you home? How—”I stopped, my fingers brushing something thin and metal ic looped around his neck, under his shaggy fur.Wondering if it was a col ar with tags, I calmed Beau long enough to pul it free, drawing it over his ears andholding it up for a closer look.It was a familiar silver chain, on which hung the remains of a shattered amulet, glinting in the predawn light.My heart skipped a beat.With Beau stil dancing at my feet, I looked around, scanning the front yard and theedge of the trees.He couldn’t be here.I’d sent him away, released him from his vows.He should hate me.And yet…here it was.For a few heart-pounding moments, I waited.Waited for his dark form to slip out of the shadows, for thosebright silver eyes to find me.I thought I could feel him nearby, watching.I could almost imagine I sensed hisheartbeat, felt his emotions—or maybe that was my own longing.My own sense of loss and grief and regret,and the love I knew could never be.A weight pressed against my chest, and I smiled sadly.Deep down, I knew he wasn’t coming.We were fromdifferent worlds, now.Ash couldn’t survive in the Iron Realm, and I could not—would not—abandon it.I hadresponsibilities, to the Iron Realm, to my subjects, to myself.Ash couldn’t be a part of that.Better a cleanbreak than to drag it out, wishing for the impossible.He knew that.This was just his final gift; his last farewel.Still, I hesitated, my stomach in knots, hoping against hope that he would find me, change his mind, and comeback.But several silent minutes passed, and Ash did not appear.Final y, as the last of the stars faded fromthe heavens, I put the chain in my pocket and knelt to scratch Beau behind the ears.“He’s something, isn’t he?” I asked the dog, who blinked and thumped his tail solemnly.“I don’t know where hefound you, or how he brought you here, but I’m glad he did.I wish I could see him one more time…” A lumprose to my throat, and I swal owed it down.“You’l like it in your new home, boy,” I went on, trying to be cheerful.“Plenty of room, lots of gremlins to chase, and I think you’ll really like Paul.” The dog whined, cocking his head.I kissed his long muzzle and stood.“Come on,” I said, wiping my eyes, “I’ll introduce you.”The sky was now a soft pink.Birds twittered in the branches around me, and a faint wind rustled the leaves.Everywhere, life was stirring, moving on.I took a deep breath and looked to the sky, letting the breeze dry mytears.Ash was gone, but I stil had people who needed me, who were waiting for me.I could wallow in myloss, or I could trust my knight and move on.I could wait.Time was on my side, after al.In the meantime, I had a kingdom to run.“Majesty!”Glitch’s voice shattered the calm of the morning, and my first lieutenant came striding through the trees.Beaugrowled, flattening his ears, until I touched his neck and he calmed down.“Al you all right?” Glitch asked anxiously, violet eyes wide as he stared at Beau.“What is that…thing? It looks dangerous.Did it hurt you?”“Beau, this is Glitch,” I introduced, and the dog gave a tentative tail wag.“Glitch, this is Beau.Be nice, the both of you.You’l be seeing a lot of each other, I expect.”“Wait
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