Chapter 113: Bring me back

Astrid POV

The sun was warm on my skin as I walked between Jason and Killian, both brothers keeping their quiet, protective pace at my sides. Their presence alone made my chest feel light. We hadn’t even gotten far before Damon, Killian’s beta, appeared with his usual no-nonsense face. He gave a small bow of respect to Killian, then his gaze flicked to me—lingering just long enough to remind me that word of last night hadn’t reached everyone yet. Thank the goddess.

Before I could greet him, a familiar voice rang out. “Well, well, well… my missing roommate.”

I turned, cheeks already heating as Dove strolled toward me with that sly grin of hers, Hera just behind her.

Dove’s eyes narrowed playfully as she crossed her arms. “Didn’t sleep in the dorm, huh? I see why.”

Jason coughed to hide his laugh. Killian didn’t bother hiding his smirk. My own giggle slipped out before I could stop it, and I quickly excused myself, tugging Dove toward a quieter corner.

Her eyes sparkled, mischief radiating from her. “So…” she leaned in conspiratorially, “what happened? Did you—” she waggled her brows, “—do the do?”

My smile only widened, lips pressing shut as I tried to keep from laughing outright. That was answer enough.

Dove’s jaw dropped. Then came the squeal—loud, sharp, drawing Hera’s curious glance. “No way! Astrid! You actually—” She cut herself off with another squeal and smacked my arm in excitement. “Oh, my goddess, I am so proud of you!”

Her joy was infectious, and I couldn’t stop the warm laugh that bubbled out of me. It felt so good—being able to share this with someone who understood.

But just as quickly, her expression softened. The mischief drained from her eyes, replaced by a serious glint I rarely saw from her. She caught my hands, squeezing gently.

“Astrid,” she said quietly, “this bond… it’s beautiful, I can see it all over you. But it also makes you a bigger target. If the Black Sun couldn’t break you alone…” she swallowed, “they’ll try to tear apart what you love.”

Her words settled heavy in my chest. My joy didn’t vanish, but it deepened, steadied. Because she was right.

I nodded, clutching her hands tighter. “Then they’ll have to go through me first. I swear—I’ll protect them all. Every single one I love.”

Dove’s eyes softened, and with a small smile, she pressed her forehead to mine. “And I’ll stand by you. Always.”

The moment stretched warm between us until Hera’s voice cut across the courtyard. “Astrid! Dove! Stop whispering like conspirators and come eat before Archie devours everything!”

Dove groaned dramatically, and I laughed as we linked arms, heading back to the others.

The long table was already crowded when we arrived. Archie was waving down a server, Zora tucked under his arm with her amused little smile. Elsie was busy teasing Damon about his bedhead while Hera, of course, had stolen the seat right across from Killian so she could keep poking at him. Jason’s quiet smile greeted me as he pulled out a chair, and Dove slid into the one beside me, winking.

Plates of steaming breakfast were set down—pancakes, fruit, eggs, pastries—and instantly chaos broke loose.

“Archie, for the last time, you can’t just hoard the bacon!” Elsie snapped, smacking his wrist as he tried to drag the plate closer.

“It’s called claiming rights,” Archie shot back, though Zora rolled her eyes and stole a strip right off his fork.

Dove leaned close to me, whispering, “See, some mates steal hearts, others steal bacon. Equally tragic.”

That made me snort into my cup, nearly spilling juice all over Jason’s lap. His eyes flicked toward me, amused, while Killian arched a brow and murmured, “Easy there, little witch. Don’t choke before your second day of glory.”

I kicked him under the table.

Laughter circled the group—small jokes, warm teasing, soft smiles. For once, it felt… whole. Like this ragtag collection of people, bonded by chaos and war and strange twists of fate, was my family.

And as I glanced around the table—at Dove’s bright grin, Hera’s dramatic hand gestures, Elsie’s smirk, Archie’s never-ending antics, Zora’s quiet calm, Damon’s easy sarcasm, Jason’s steady gaze, Killian’s wicked smirk—my chest filled with something bigger than joy.

Hope.

Maybe, just maybe… we could hold onto this.

Odin leaned back in his chair, fangs flashing faintly as he smirked. “You know, this table looks far too serious for breakfast. Why don’t we play something?”

Archie immediately perked up, half a pastry stuffed in his mouth. “Cards? If it’s gambling, I’m in.”

“You gambler” dove  laughed.

Odin chuckled, shaking his head. “Not gambling. A conversation game—TableTalk. I have the deck.” He reached into his coat pocket and placed a slim black box on the table, sliding it to Hera. “Questions, dares, confessions… it’s meant to spark things that matter. Makes you speak truths you normally wouldn’t.”

Hera’s eyes lit up instantly. “Oh, I like this already.” She tapped the box against her palm, grinning like a cat. “Rules are simple. Everyone draws a card on their turn. You either answer, or…” she smirked wickedly, “you leave the table.”

A groan rippled around the group, but not a single person stepped away.

“Fine,” Jason said quietly, gaze flicking to me. “We’re all in.”

Hera shuffled the cards dramatically, then set the deck in the center. “Zora, sweetheart. Ladies first.”

Zora leaned forward, plucking a card. She read softly, her fingers brushing Dove’s hand under the table. “What’s one thing you never want to lose?”

Her gaze didn’t waver. It went straight to Dove. “You.”

The table erupted in teasing—Archie groaning, Hera clapping dramatically, Elsie whistling low. But Zora only blushed as Dove kissed her knuckles tenderly, eyes bright with that rare softness she only ever showed Zora.

Archie grabbed the next card. “Alright, let’s see what the universe wants from me…” He squinted at the words. “If you could go back in time and change one moment… what would it be?”

A rare silence fell as his joking demeanor slipped. He cleared his throat. “I… would’ve been there when my sister needed me. Maybe then she wouldn’t have…” His jaw locked, words choking off. He forced a laugh, waving his hands. “Alright, enough of that. Next!”

But nobody laughed. Zora rubbed his shoulder gently, and even Hera’s expression softened, though she quickly masked it.

Then it was my turn.

My fingers hovered over the deck, heart beating faster for no reason I could explain. When I finally drew a card, I stared at it for too long. My throat tightened as the words sank in.

“‘Do you regret anything in this school? And… if there’s one thing you want your friends to know, what would it be?’”

Silence stretched.

I swallowed hard, voice trembling at first but steadying as I spoke. “I don’t regret anything. Not one choice, not one scar, not one night. Because every moment led me here—with all of you.” I paused, my vision blurring. “But… if one day, things go wrong—and gods, I know they might—if I lose myself… if I forget who I am, or who you are…”

My voice broke, and I pressed a hand to my chest. “…then please. Please bring me back. Remind me of this. Of us. Because there’s no better life out there than the one where I have all of you.”

The silence after felt different. Heavy. Sacred.

Archie, of all people, sniffled first, dragging a hand down his face. “Damn it, Astrid, now I’m crying before noon.”

Even Hera blinked quickly, her voice rough as she muttered, “You’re not allowed to say things like that. Not here. Not like that.”

Dove’s grip tightened on my hand. She shook her head, biting her lip to stop it trembling. “That day won’t come. It can’t. But…” Her voice cracked. “If it does, I’ll be there first. You’ll never be lost to me.”

Her words should have soothed me, but the way my face must’ve looked—like I already believed that day was looming—made her blink back tears harder.

Killian’s chair scraped as he leaned close, voice low, certain, cutting through everything. “Even if you forget your name, Astrid, I’ll make you remember. I’ll make you remember us. Your family. Always.”

Jason nodded silently, his hand resting over mine too, his eyes saying everything words couldn’t.

The weight of their promises pressed into me, and for a moment I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I nodded through the tears burning hot in my eyes. “I’ll hold onto that. I will.”

The table sat hushed, heavy with the ache of it all.

And then Damon cleared his throat, his timing too sharp to be accidental. “Well, that was beautifully depressing,” he said dryly, slicing through the thickness. “Do we want to pass tissues around, or can we lighten the mood before we all drown in tears?”

A weak laugh broke from someone—Archie, I think—and soon enough, the tension unraveled just enough for the air to loosen again.

But beneath it all, I knew they felt it too. That whisper in the dark. That inevitable storm creeping closer.

And even if I smiled through breakfast, part of me knew the game had only pulled truth into the light.

The day was coming.