CHAPTER 74 — “The Night the Stars Came Close”

Sophie’s POV

By the time the girls woke from their post-hike nap, the sky had dipped into deep indigo, streaked with violet and gold. A cool mountain breeze drifted through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and woodsmoke.

Lucian started building a fire pit outside the cabin.

Adrian arranged the stones like he was preparing a battlefield.

Cassian supervised with the confidence of someone who had no idea what he was doing.

My father sat on a nearby log, watching with soft amusement.

The girls ran around collecting sticks—mostly too small or too bendy—but Lucian thanked them like they were delivering treasure.

Aria thrust a twig at him. “Daddy! This is the BEST one.”

Lucian examined it solemnly. “This… this is exceptional craftsmanship.”

Arian handed him something similar. “Mine is better.”

Lucian nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. Yours is also… very structurally sound.”

Arianna delivered a pinecone. “THIS one is a fireball.”

Cassian clapped. “I approve of that one.”

Adrian took it away immediately. “No fireballs.”

Cassian pouted. “You ruin everything, Adrian.”

Adrian: “Correct.”

The girls collapsed into giggles.

My heart swelled again with that now-familiar feeling—peace.

Happiness.

Family.

I didn’t know how long this peace would last.

I didn’t know what the future held.

But tonight?

Tonight was ours.

Once the fire crackled bright and warm, we all gathered around it. The flames cast a soft amber glow across the clearing, illuminating faces I loved more deeply than I ever thought possible.

Lucian skewered marshmallows for the girls.

Adrian oversaw the roasting technique.

Cassian tried to teach them how to set a marshmallow on fire.

Lucian: “Cass.”

Cass: “What? Fire is educational.”

Adrian: “You are not allowed to educate them.”

Arian roasted her marshmallow to a perfect golden brown.

Aria somehow melted hers into her own hair.

Arianna proudly turned hers into charcoal.

Cassian nodded in approval. “Yes. THAT is how it should be.”

I handed out chocolate squares and graham crackers.

My father sat beside me, whispering, “I think Cass might be… unwell.”

“He’s fine,” I laughed. “He’s just… Cass.”

Cassian turned around dramatically. “I HEARD THAT.”

We all laughed.

The girls sat on logs, sticky-fingered and glowing with happiness.

Every time the fire popped, Arian gasped dramatically.

Aria whispered, “It’s talking.”

Arianna whispered back, “It’s telling secrets.”

Cass stage-whispered to me, “They’re gremlins. Adorable gremlins.”

But his soft smile betrayed him.

The moon rose, full and bright, casting silver light over the cabin. The fire crackled comfortingly. The girls sat cross-legged, eyes wide, as Lucian cleared his throat.

“Who wants a story?” he asked.

“ME!”

“ME!”

“MEEEEEE!”

Cassian: “I also want a story.”

Lucian ignored him.

“Alright,” Lucian began, settling into the firelight, “this is the story… of Princess Aria, Princess Arianna, and Princess Arian—three brave adventurers who lived in a magical kingdom.”

The girls gasped.

Cass whispered to me, “Did you hear that? I’m a prince. Obviously.”

Adrian: “He didn’t mention you.”

Cass: “I’m IMPLICITLY royal.”

My father chuckled under his breath.

Lucian continued, voice warm and soothing.

“These three princesses weren’t just any royalty—they were protectors of their kingdom. Brave, strong, and very, very smart. They had a magical guardian with dark hair—”

“Daddy!” Aria squealed.

“—and a wise warrior uncle who knew every spell—”

“ADRIAN,” Arianna whispered loudly.

“—and a funny, loud, dramatic uncle who claimed he knew everything but actually didn’t.”

Cassian slapped a hand over his heart. “I AM BEING SLANDERED IN A CHILDREN’S STORY.”

The girls cackled.

“And,” Lucian continued, “they had a very special queen. Beautiful. Brave. Clever. A queen who always protected them—even when she was scared.”

The girls all turned to look at me.

My throat tightened.

Lucian’s eyes flickered to mine.

There was a message there.

Soft. Deep. A reminder.

“You,” he said quietly, “are the queen.”

Arianna climbed into my lap immediately.

Arian grabbed my arm.

Aria hugged my leg.

My eyes stung with emotion.

Lucian finished softly:

“And no matter what challenges the kingdom faced… the queen and her family always stood strong, because their love was stronger than any darkness that tried to reach them.”

The girls clapped wildly.

I bit back tears.

When the girls drifted off one by one—Arianna first, then Aria, then Arian—Adrian carried them inside with surprising gentleness, like he’d done it a thousand times.

Cassian stayed at the fire, poking the embers.

Lucian came to sit beside me on the log.

The night was quiet.

The firelight warm.

The stars impossibly bright above us.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, brushing my hand.

“I am,” I whispered. “I don’t think I’ve ever been… this okay.”

He kissed my shoulder gently. “Good.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the wind in the trees.

Then my father walked over and took the seat on my other side. His eyes were soft, reflecting the fire.

“Sophie,” he said, his voice quiet, vulnerable. “Can I tell you something?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

He exhaled shakily.

Hands trembling.

Shoulders tight.

But not with fear.

With emotion.

“When I see you now,” he said, “laughing… smiling… living… I feel something I haven’t felt in decades.”

My chest tightened. “Dad…”

“I feel proud.” His voice cracked. “So proud of the woman you’ve become. Proud of how you mother those girls. Proud of how you survived. Proud of how you love.”

I swallowed hard. Tears blurred my vision.

“I was so afraid,” he whispered. “Afraid my past would destroy you. Afraid I’d bring danger into your life. Afraid I didn’t deserve to come back.”

“You do,” I said immediately. “You always did.”

He shook his head, tears building. “I was gone too long. I missed too much. I made mistakes I can never fix.”

I grabbed his hand firmly.

“You’re here now. That’s what matters.”

Lucian nodded beside me, voice steady. “You’re family.”

My father looked between us… and broke.

Quiet tears streamed down his cheeks.

“I’m grateful,” he whispered. “More than you’ll ever know.”

I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.

We held onto each other like the past didn’t control us anymore.

Because it didn’t.

Not tonight.

Not with the stars above us.

Not with the fire warm at our feet.

And not with my family—my whole family—close.

Cassian suddenly stood.

“That’s it,” he announced. “I need emotional support marshmallows.”

Adrian: “No.”

Cass: “YES.”

Adrian: “No.”

Cass: “YES!”

Adrian held the bag of marshmallows above his head, out of reach.

Cass hopped. “GIVE ME MY FEELINGS.”

We all burst into laughter.

The moment was perfect.

A little ridiculous.

A little emotional.

A lot beautiful.

It felt like healing—real, gentle healing.

Later, once the embers had dimmed and the moon was high, Lucian pulled me against him as we walked toward the cabin.

“You okay?” he murmured.

“More than okay,” I whispered.

He kissed my forehead tenderly. “Good.”

Inside, the girls were asleep.

Adrian was reading a book by the window.

Cassian snored loudly on the couch.

My father slept peacefully in the armchair, a soft smile lingering on his face.

The cabin was warm.

Dim.

Safe.

Lucian and I slipped into bed, his arms wrapping around me from behind.

“Today was perfect,” I whispered.

“Every day with you is,” he murmured.

I smiled, eyes drifting closed.

The stars stayed bright behind my eyelids, as if they had followed us into sleep.

And for the first time in a long, long time…

I drifted into dreams without fear.

Because I wasn’t alone.

I wasn’t running.

I wasn’t broken.

I was loved.

Protected.

Home.

With my family.