Calira stood near the Great Lake, watching everyone reunite. She looked down at her feet, awkwardly clutching her hands behind her back. She didn’t know what to say to anyone. Sure, she and Alec had rescued Jace, Charlotte and the other girl from terrible things to come, but Cali didn’t think she deserved a thank-you. At least, not from Jace. Maybe now they were even, though. 

“Hello, Empress.” Calira shook her head, retreating from her thoughts to find a small girl standing in front of her. The girl I had rescued along with Jace and Charlotte. The girl’s voice was throaty, as if she had not had water in a very long time. She likely hadn’t. 

Cali nodded toward her. “Hello.” Ever since they had escaped the prison-like facility, Cali had had a bad feeling about this girl. She hoped to end the conversation as soon as possible.

The girl cocked her head to the side. “What do they call you?” she asked.

Cali frowned at the wording of the question, but found no harm in answering it. “Calira Shacklevolt,” she answered curtly. “And you?” 

The girl furrowed her brows in thought. “They call me σεληνόφωτο. Moonlight,” she shuttered. “The creatures in the dark are fond of nicknames.”

Calira frowned. She wanted to ask about these so-called ‘creatures’, but resisted the urge. Something didn’t sit right with her about this. “Well, would you like me to call you Moonlight, then?”

The girl cocked her head to the side. “Most know me as Vella. You may decide what you wish to call me.”

Calira nodded, choosing to say nothing. Instead, she turned around and headed toward a certain pair of students standing near a large oak tree. 

Zelie turned around, hearing her sister’s footsteps. “Cali.” Much to Calira’s surprise, her sister’s face broke out into a smile. “Thank you,” Zelie ran over to her sister, wrapping her arms around Cali. “I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did,” she whispered, golden eyes wet with tears waiting to fall. 

Calira gripped her sister’s shoulders. “No. I’m the one in your debt, Zel. I did some terrible, terrible things to you, and to Jace. And I’m sorry,” she whispered. “For all of it.”

Zelie pulled back, smiling slightly. “I love you so much, Cali. And even though you did some messed up things,” her expression darkened slightly, “that will never change. So,” her lips quirked upward, “I accept your apology.”

Cali smiled and pulled Zelie toward her for one last hug before she turned to Jace. “I think I owe you an apology too,” she murmured.

Jace shook his head. “No, you don’t. We’re… even now,” he nodded slightly. “You tried to enslave my girlfriend and then saved my life. If Zelie’s forgiving you, I guess it won’t do any good to hold the grudge any longer.” He smiled and stuck his hand out to Cali. She shook it, a grateful smile gracing her lips.

Zelie leaned backward into her boyfriend, who wrapped his arms around her shoulders loosely. “Wow,” she murmured. “This certainly has been an adventure.”

Jace chuckled, and Cali braced her hip against the nearby tree, laughing. “Do you remember when we met? On the Hogwarts Express?” she asked, eyes twinkling. 

Zelie nodded, a fond smile stretching across her face. “I do. That was almost a year ago, wasn’t it?”

Jace nodded, resting his chin on the top of Zelie’s head. “Yeah, it was. We’ve come a long way, I guess,” he cracked a smile.

Zelie nodded. “I wonder what will be in store for us next.” 

Cali shrugged, looking over at the throng of students gathered together near the edge of the lake, watching them with curious eyes and soft smiles. “I don’t know,” she smiled. “But I think it might be wonderful.”