It's good to be back home

The boat swayed gently in the open sea, but to me, it felt like a relentless beast determined to make me suffer.

My stomach churned violently, a rising wave of nausea threatening to overthrow any semblance of composure I had left. The salty tang of the sea air, which I had once thought refreshing, now felt like a cruel taunt.

"Ugh," I groaned, clutching the railing with white-knuckled hands, my legs trembling beneath me. "Why didn't anyone warn me about this?!"

Elira, of course, was standing beside me, looking as composed as ever. Her red hair caught the sunlight, dancing around her face as she smirked at my misery.

"Boat sickness? Really? You fought monsters, trained with Valeria, and survived magic that could have killed you, and a little boat ride is what gets you?"

I glared at her, though the effect was probably ruined by the way my face had turned a sickly shade of green. "Not... helping." I swallowed hard, willing myself not to throw up.

"Oh, I think I'm helping plenty," Elira teased, leaning casually against the railing. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, her smirk widening. "You look like a fish gasping for air."

I clenched my teeth, trying to focus on her words rather than the endless rocking of the boat. "If I wasn't about to die, I'd push you overboard."

Elira burst out laughing, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. "You? Push me? You can barely stand!"

My knees buckled slightly as the boat gave a particularly nasty lurch, and I had to grab the railing to steady myself. "I hate you," I muttered, though it came out more like a pitiful whimper.

"You'll survive," she said, patting my shoulder in a way that was far more patronizing than comforting. "Probably."

The journey felt like an eternity, but finally—finally—land came into view. As the boat drew closer to the dock, I could feel the nausea subsiding just enough for me to function.

When the boat came to a halt and we disembarked, I practically stumbled onto solid ground, dropping to my knees in exaggerated relief.

For a brief moment, I considered kissing the ground but stopped myself just in time. It's dirty, Ren. You don't know what's been on it. Restrain yourself.

Elira chuckled behind me. "What, no dramatic tears of gratitude for surviving the great sea voyage?"

I shot her a look, brushing off my knees as I stood. "If you say one more word, I swear I'll—"

"Do nothing," she interrupted smugly.

I groaned but decided it wasn't worth the effort. A sleek carriage awaited us nearby, its dark wood polished to perfection. The driver stood by, tipping his hat as we approached.

I climbed in first, settling into the plush seat. The soft cushions were a welcome relief after the hellish boat ride. Elira joined me, lounging as if she owned the thing—which, knowing her, she might.

As the carriage set off, I leaned back and let myself relax for the first time since this journey began.

The rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the road was oddly soothing, and for a moment, I almost felt normal.

I glanced at Elira, who was staring out the window, her expression calm but alert. She was annoyingly composed, as always. I couldn't help but smirk, though, as a thought crossed my mind.

One day, when I'm strong enough, I'm going to beat them all. Valeria, Carlos, Elira—all of them. And I'll start with her.

The idea was so satisfying that I couldn't help the grin spreading across my face.

"What are you smirking about?" Elira asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she turned to look at me.

"Nothing," I said quickly, schooling my expression into one of innocence.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but didn't press the issue.

A few minutes later, the estate came into view, and my breath caught in my throat. I had almost forgotten how grand it was.

The sprawling manor, with its towering columns and sprawling gardens, looked more like a palace than a home.

The sunlight gleamed off the marble walls, and the neatly trimmed hedges seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction.

"Wow," I muttered, leaning forward to get a better look.

"Rich nobles," Elira said with a shrug, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

When the carriage finally stopped at the grand entrance, the doors opened to reveal my parents standing at the top of the steps, their faces lighting up the moment they saw me.

"Ren!" my mother cried, rushing down the steps with surprising speed. She enveloped me in a tight hug before pulling back to examine me, her eyes wide with concern.

"You're so thin!" she exclaimed, her hands gripping my shoulders as if to confirm it.

My father joined her, his brows furrowed. "Have you been eating properly? You look like a twig!"

Before I could respond, my older brother, Galen, stepped out from behind them, his usual stoic expression softening just a little. "Welcome back, Ren," he said, his tone quieter but no less warm.

"Thanks," I said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by their attention.

My mother fussed over me some more, brushing imaginary dirt off my clothes and inspecting me like I'd been gone for years instead of a couple of months. "We missed you so much," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"You act like I was on a battlefield," I muttered, though the truth was, I kind of had been.

"Well, it looks like you've been through one!" my father interjected, his arms crossing as he gave me a once-over.

"She's fine," Elira said nonchalantly, stepping out of the carriage behind me. She stretched lazily, her red hair catching the light as she grinned at my family.

"Oh, Elira," my mother said, her tone turning icy. "Thank you for returning her in... one piece."

Elira's grin widened. "It was my pleasure."

I rolled my eyes, deciding it was best not to explain just how accurate the battlefield analogy was.

Galen, for his part, just stood there with his arms crossed, his lips twitching as if he were holding back a smile.

"Miss me?" I teased, nudging him with my elbow.

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't push it."

It wasn't much, but coming from Galen, it was practically an outpouring of affection.

As my parents continued fussing over me, I couldn't help but feel a warm sense of relief. After everything that had happened the chaos, the training, the near-death experiences it was good to be home.

Even if it did mean enduring their dramatic reactions.