CHAPTER 47

Many miles from Adia and the mountain, Tali followed Meira through the thickening underbrush. With every mile, the heat had risen. Even with a torn sleeve from his tunic wrapped around his forehead, sweat dripped into his eyes.

He hadn’t known what to think of this girl when she showed up at the cave to liberate him from Leeto’s ropes. She was dirty, and her hair was wrapped in filthy cloth, yet she carried herself like someone who was in charge.

Then, she had explained who she was. More importantly, she explained who he was. “Tali, I need you to believe me, even though I know that will be hard,” she had said, offering him bread and water.

Famished, he tucked into the refreshments before looking up. “Okay, tell me what you have to say. I’ll let you know if I believe you or not.”

She told him all she knew about his identity, and he couldn’t get used to the idea. A royal prince? Offspring of an evil king? Why hadn’t Silas told him? And what would Tovi say when she found out? He smirked at the thought. His sister would not like this news.

“Silas sent me to get you out of here, and we need to get going,” Meira said, not giving him time to let it sink in. “It won’t be long before Leeto comes to check on you. Also, the army from the mountain is coming. Let’s go.”

He looked into her eyes and saw excitement—not fear—in them. He recognized the same anticipation that he felt when heading off to a new adventure. He hopped up and followed her out of the cave.

Instead of leading him back to Adia, she took him around the north side of the mountain. They circled to the east and then veered south. They didn’t talk much, but it was an easy, companionable silence. When they did speak, they found they had many similarities. A thirst for adventure. A natural positivity and hopefulness. A trust in Silas. A willingness to go wherever he sent them.

The journey continued through untouched wilderness. There was no shortage of steep ravines and high passes. If Tali’s estimates were accurate, they were gaining only about ten miles a day due to the difficult terrain. Meira did not seem to tire, and this spurred him on.

When most would grow exhausted and want to give up, Meira seemed to grow lighter with each day. She was preoccupied most of the time, with smiles playing at her lips on more than one occasion. It was clear: She couldn’t wait to see her mother and the sea. Tali had to admit he felt the same.

Finally, after several days, they had reached their destination.

“Here we are,” Meira said, her eyes alight with excitement. She pulled back several thick ferns that were the same height and width as a fully grown man. Through the foliage, Tali took in his first glimpse of the vast ocean.

His feet discovered soft sand, and he breathed in the salty air. Bright turquoise water rimmed with foam lapped at the beach, and he had never heard anything like the rhythmic roar of the waves. Palm trees towered, their trunks covered in vines with bright pink flowers, and noisy white and yellow birds soared through the air.

Two huts stood on the beach, less than ten feet apart. One was weather-worn and bleached from the sun. The other looked brand new, the palm fronds making up the roof still green.

Meira gently pushed Tali out of the way and ran toward the huts calling, “Mom! Mom! I’m home.”

Tali stood back, not wanting to interrupt the reunion but longing to run to her as well. A woman who looked just like Meira came out of the hut. The only differences between the women were the slight wrinkles on the older woman’s face and her pure white curly hair with a hint of sea green at the very ends.

“Lena!” she cried, running to embrace her daughter. Tali smiled. Of course, he thought. Lena was her real name. He would have to get used to calling her Lena instead of Meira.

It was beautiful to witness the reunion, and he watched with a deep hunger and pain that he didn’t want to show. But try as he might, he couldn’t shove it away like he usually could.

The two women were talking animatedly, but the crashing of the ocean waves drowned them out. He watched their faces, unable to look away, yet feeling like he was spying on something sacred, a place where he did not belong.

Lena gestured to the spot where Tali stood. Thomae’s face suddenly lost its smile, and her eyes widened in a look of horror or shock. She lifted her hands and clutched her cheeks. Both women turned to look at Tali. Thomae’s knees gave way, and she would have collapsed if Lena hadn’t caught her.

Tali stepped from the shadows. It had been a long journey, and he had enjoyed getting to know his newly-discovered sister. But this was bigger and so much more. He had never known about Lena, so he hadn’t had the opportunity to miss her. He had always known he had a mother somewhere, and he had always longed to find her, even if his longings hadn’t been as vocal or demanding as Tovi’s.

And there she was. His mother. She was just feet away. And she was far more wonderful than he had dared to imagine.

They walked toward one another, and when they were close enough, she reached out to touch his hair with trembling fingers.

Not knowing where the word came from, and having never said it before, he sobbed, “Mama,” as his face crumbled.

Through her weeping, Thomae’s smile returned broader and more glorious than anything he had ever seen before. She wrapped him in her arms and kissed every inch of his face, laughing and crying and whooping.

“My baby! I never thought I would see you again!” She kept laughing, and Lena joined in. “I’m going to kill Silas when I see him. He told me to build another hut. He didn’t tell me it was for you!”

The three cried and laughed and talked into the night, never tiring enough to sleep.