Chapter 57: chapter 57

Alexis pushed open the wooden door with her shoulder, balancing a heavy load of firewood in her arms. The cold air clung to her skin as she stepped inside, exhaustion weighing on her every move. But as she turned, her breath caught in her throat. There, standing in the doorway, was Amelia.The firewood slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor."Amelia?" Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper, as if she feared her daughter would vanish like a ghost.Before another second passed, Alexis ran to her, wrapping Amelia in her arms, her fingers digging into the fabric of her daughter's cloak as if to convince herself she was real. Tears spilled from her eyes, warm against Amelia’s cold skin.Amelia clung to her mother just as tightly. "Mama..." Her voice cracked, heavy with emotion.It had been a week. A week of fear, uncertainty, and sleepless nights. Alexis had prayed relentlessly, hoping, begging the gods to return her daughter to her. And now, here she was—alive."My sweet girl, where have you been?" Alexis pulled back slightly, her hands cupping Amelia’s face as she searched her daughter’s weary eyes. "We were so worried about you. We thought we would never see you again.""Come inside." Her voice wavered as she led Amelia into the house, still unwilling to let go of her hand.Eric, Amelia’s father, sat by the fire, sharpening a hunting knife. The moment he lifted his head and saw her, the knife clattered to the floor. His breath hitched, his eyes wide in disbelief."Amelia..."He stood slowly, his hands trembling. Then, in a sudden movement, he dropped to his knees, his head bowed. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for bringing my daughter back."Amelia rushed forward, throwing her arms around him. "Papa, I'm here. I'm safe."Eric held her tightly, his rough hands shaking as he stroked her hair. "I thought I'd lost you, my girl."A rush of footsteps sounded, and then Amelia’s younger brother barreled into her, nearly knocking her over. "Amelia!" he cried, clinging to her like he’d never let go. "You're back! I knew you'd come back!"She laughed softly, pressing a kiss to his head. "I missed you too, little one."Her family surrounded her, each of them holding on as if afraid she’d disappear again. But as relief settled, so did the questions."Where were you, Amelia?" Eric’s voice was quiet, careful. "What happened?"Amelia hesitated. She had sworn not to reveal the truth, to protect the other world and ones who had helped her. So, she did the only thing she could—she lied."I was in the forest," she said, lowering her gaze. "Hiding from the king’s men. A man helped me escape. He was kind to me… He helped me get back home."Her father listened intently.  Then, after a long pause, he let out a sigh. "The prince was here, Amelia."She stiffened. "What?"Eric’s jaw tightened. "The king is dead. The prince has taken the throne. He was looking for you. He said someone abducted you from the soldiers' camp."Anger flared in Amelia’s chest, hot and seething. "And why was he here?" she snapped. "It was his father who tried to kill me. He was there and did nothing to stop it. Now he dares to come here, pretending to care?"Eric placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression heavy with worry. "I don’t trust him either, but if he comes back—""Don’t let him know I’m here," Amelia interrupted, her voice firm. "Don’t tell them anything, Papa. I don't trust them and I don’t want to be found."Eric hesitated but then nodded. "Alright."Alexis wiped the remaining tears from her face, her grip tightening on Amelia’s hands. "From now on, don’t go out," she said softly but firmly. "If anyone sees you, word will spread."Amelia swallowed hard, nodding. "Yes, Mama."That evening, the warmth of home wrapped around Amelia like a comforting embrace. The wooden table was set with simple yet hearty food—freshly baked bread, roasted meat, and a bowl of steaming broth. The flickering candlelight cast a golden glow over her family’s faces, their eyes filled with relief and joy.She sat between her mother and younger brother, their presence grounding her, reminding her of everything she had feared she might lose. After days of uncertainty, running, and barely surviving, she was here—home. Safe."You need to eat more," Alexis murmured, placing another piece of bread on Amelia’s plate. "You’ve lost weight."Amelia smiled faintly. "Mama, I’m fine.""You don’t look fine." Her mother’s gaze softened as she brushed a strand of hair from Amelia’s face. "You’ve been through too much."Her younger brother, who had barely let go of her since she arrived, spoke up between bites. "I prayed for you every night," he said earnestly. "I told the stars to bring you home."Amelia’s throat tightened. She reached out, gently ruffling his hair. "Then I suppose the stars listened."Laughter flickered around the table, light and warm, but despite the comfort of their presence, something inside her felt… hollow. She should have felt whole again, at peace. Yet, there was an emptiness she couldn’t shake, an ache in her chest that had nothing to do with fear or exhaustion.She glanced at the window, the dark night stretching endlessly beyond it. A strange restlessness stirred within her. It wasn’t just the memories of what she had been through—it was something else. Something she couldn’t quite name.Alexis noticed the shift in her expression. "Amelia?"She forced a smile. "I’m just… grateful to be home."Her mother studied her for a moment but said nothing, simply reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.Amelia held on, trying to convince herself that being here was enough. That the ache in her heart was nothing more than the remnants of fear. But deep down, she knew—it was more than that. Something was missing. And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, that emptiness would not let her go.