The Luna Queen's Rebirth (Ellie and Dominic) novel Chapter 410

Ellie’s POV

After the walk over, the meeting house was almost too much all at once-the din of voices, the smell of roasting meat and woodsmoke and spiced wine all mixing together, upbeat music playing on multiple instruments at once.

A few heads turned when I came in. I pushed my hood back and scanned the crowd, searching for my father’s face.

Terence found me before I could lose my nerve. He came across the floor with his cane, his face splitting into a grin the moment he spotted me, and the knot in my chest loosened a little.

“There she is,” he said, taking my hand in both of his. “Goddess. You’re wearing a traditional outfit.”

“Amelia and Marta talked me into it,” I said, looking down at myself with a small smile. “They didn’t really give me a choice.”

“It suits you.” He looked at me like he was trying to memorize the sight, then seemed to catch himself and turned, waving me along. “Come. There are people who’ve been waiting all day to meet you.”

He led me toward the head table, where three boys stood in various states of fidgeting.

“These are your brothers,” he said. “Half, technically. We don’t bother with that around here.”

The oldest was nearly my height, dark-haired like our father, with a guarded set to his jaw. He looked me over once, head to toe, the way Marta had in her shop, then gave a short nod.

“Bastian,” my father introduced for him.

The middle one, a little younger than the first, didn’t wait to be introduced. He shoved his hand out, grinning. I’m Nico. Is it true you took down a boar by yourself? Dad told us.” It all came out in one breath, and his ears went red when Terence set a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s true,” I said. “Wouldn’t recommend it, though.”

Nico beamed at that.

The littlest was half-hidden behind Bastian’s leg. He couldn’t have been more than four. When I crouched down to his level, he studied me warily, then said, almost like it was an accusation, “You have Papa’s eyes,” he said.

“I do.”

He ducked back behind his brother, apparently satisfied. Terence chuckled. “That’s Eli. He’ll warm up.”

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