“BY THE HAMMER of Harmon!” Em yelled as Arkayna and Zarya dove to the ground, now transformed back into their Mysticon identities. They landed on the roof. Arkayna’s hands were still trembling.
“That was fab-tacular!” Piper cried.
“Did we get her?” Zarya asked, looking around.
“Did we destroy Necrafa?” Arkayna couldn’t believe it was true.
“Did we ever!” a familiar voice called out. The Mysticons turned to see Gawayne, Arkayna’s stepbrother, who ruled the city now that their parents were trapped in bone. He was hanging out of the top of a limo, his butler right beside him. Hundreds of grateful citizens surrounded him.
“Get in here, girls,” he called out to them. “Come on, hug it out. Butler, prepare a victory party—no, wait—a victory fiesta for the entire city.”
He leapt out of the limo at the Mysticons, then threw his arms around them in a hug. Arkayna closed her eyes, already annoyed with her stepbrother. He hadn’t done a thing and he was trying to take all the credit, as usual.
“We make a great team,” Gawayne sighed.
* * *
That night, the sky exploded with fireworks. The balcony of the Royal Tower was packed with people. The Sky Pirates danced and sang to the music, and even Choko busted a move. Arkayna hated to admit it, but Gawayne had thrown an incredible party. He could at least do one thing right.
“Oh my goblin, this is going to be amazing,” Arkayna said to Zarya as they considered their new sisterhood. They were sitting beside each other on a couch, hanging out with Kitty and Malvaron. Arkayna kept thinking about how cool it was that they were in the Royal Tower together, the same place their mother had lived for so many years. There were so many things she and Zarya still had to do and say to each other. “We can stay up all night and tell each other secrets! We can start sister diaries together! Oh, I have to get you your own quill!”
“Quills … I love quills…” Zarya said skeptically.
“You wanted her to be happy,” Kitty said to Zarya as Malvaron invited Arkayna to dance. “She’s happy.”
Arkayna pretended she hadn’t heard them as she twirled around the dance floor with Malvaron. It never felt so right to be back in the Royal Tower, where she grew up, with the twin sister she never knew she had. As confusing as the past few days had been, she was grateful for everything that had happened. And most of all, she was grateful that she didn’t have to worry about the prophecy coming true.
Arkayna spotted Proxima at the far end of the roof. She’d looked so hurt when the truth came out, and everything had happened so fast Arkayna hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to her yet. The secrets Nova Terron kept had been devastating for all of them, but finding out you aren’t who you think you are? Arkayna would have to find time to make sure Proxima was all right.
But for now, Arkayna was determined to enjoy the moment. She spun around once, then again, letting the music cheer her. She looked up into Malvaron’s sweet brown eyes, and for the first time in a long time she felt safe and happy. The realm of Gemina was finally at peace. She wanted this feeling to last forever.
Was that too much to ask?