When the heavy doors finally swing shut behind him, the silence is deafening. I finally look at my mother.She says nothing and just simply crosses the space between us in a few quick steps and wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a hug so tight it almost hurts.For a second I'm too stunned to move. My body stiffens, then I recover and hold her back just as tightly. I bury my face in her shoulder, breathing in that faint, familiar scent of lavender and sorrow. "I've missed you so much," I whisper into her dress. Her arms tighten around me. "I've missed you more, Ravelle," she whispers back, her voice breaking. "Oh, so much more."I pull back slightly, just enough to see her face. She cups my face with both hands, her thumbs stroking my cheeks. "You did it," she breathes, tears slipping down her own cheeks. "You did what no one believed you could do. You became King, Ravelle. King."I smile faintly. "You finally said it."She laughs through her tears, a watery, beautiful sound. "
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