“Hera, Hera, wake up. We’re here.”

Hera woke to a start to the mysterious woman’s voice.

But this time she wasn’t in the desert. She was still in Damon’s cabin. “Am I dreaming?”

Damon had his arm draped over her and was sleeping soundly. Fog had entered the room, shrouding everything except for a bright oval light big enough for a person to walk through.

“We’ve come to take you back home.”

Hera pushed herself up. It’s what she’d been wanting. She’d been asking to go back home and to not compete with Queen Cosima, but then why was she shaking and snuggling closer to Damon?

Damon stirred. “Hera?” He jerked awake. “What the hell’s happening?”

“Hello, Damon,” the woman said. “We’ve come to take Hera back home. She’s proven herself worthy to return.”

Damon wrapped his arms protectively around Hera, holding her close to his beating heart. “No, I won’t let you have her.” His voice turned into a threatening growl.

“If you try and stop us, dragon. You’ll find yourself the size of a small lizard.”

The anger in her voice struck fear in Hera’s heart.

Hera stuck out her hand. “Don’t hurt him. I…I love him.”

“You do? Has he claimed you?”

Hera frowned. “How do you know this?”

“I’m a witch, remember? I told you the council could combine our powers and use a portal to get here.”

Through the fog, Hera could see the outline of several women. It was true. It wasn’t a dream. She could go home.

Damon gently turned her shoulders around until she was facing him. “Is this what you really want?”

“We haven’t much time, Hera,” the woman said. “The portal will close soon.”

“Hera?”

Hera’ eyes widened, and she broke from Damon’s clasp. It was if another key unlocked a secret in her mind. She knew that voice. “Pandora?”

A woman raced out of the fog. She had brown hair and brown eyes and was slightly shorter than Hera, but Hera remembered her. Remembered all the times they fought together, played together, laughed together. It was her sister. Hera couldn’t contain her excitement and hugged her.

“I’ve missed you so much.” Pandora returned the embrace. “I hated it when you were banished. You can come home now.”

“Damon, this is my little sister.”

He grunted, but didn’t otherwise respond.

“Where is home?” Hera asked.

“The memories will return if you come with us,” the woman said. “Pandora, you’re still under oath not to reveal all of our secrets.”

Pandora nodded. “I understand.”

Hera looked between Pandora and the outline of the women standing in the portal. All she had to do was go with them, and all of her memories would return. But then she caught Damon’s eyes. He’d been so tender and loving, but now, he looked so lost.

She thought of the Orion and the brave Zalarians. She’d risked her life for them, for Damon.

Pandora stretched out her hand. “Come on, let’s go home.”

Hera hesitated. The last few months had been so hard, so lonely, and on board the Orion, she’d been safe. Damon was everything to her. Her place was with him. Afraid they’d force her to return, she darted past Pandora.

“I am home.” Hera scooped up the pearl on the nightstand and clutched it tight in her fist.

Sizzling power surged through her, rushing through her veins, and she screamed out Damon’s name. Fear seized her that she’d go through the same miserable pain she’d experienced on Zalara.

“Hera!”

“Stay back, Pandora!” the woman ordered.

Damon jumped out of bed and folded his arms around her, holding her tight. When he touched her, warmth and love shielded her. “In the name of the Fates, I claim you to be mine until the end of time.”

Something softly tickled inside her chest as if a feather was dusting over her. It was as if those words were inscribed on her heart. All her doubts melted away. She knew without a doubt her brave Zalarain guard loved her.

Hera didn’t know how, but she managed to repeat the same words.

Light swarmed around them, blinding them, and then they both fell on their knees, trembling.

“You chose me?” Damon asked in wonder.

“Of course, I love you.”

“Hera, your eyes!” Pandora said. “They’ve turned gold.”

“Come, Pandora,” the woman said softly. “She’s made her choice. She’s mated with a Zalarain, which is why her eyes have changed.”

Hera broke away from Damon as Pandora passed into the portal. “Wait. Pandora, don’t go.”

“Don’t worry, Hera,” the woman said. “You will have the power to see her again. Master the book. And remember, I’ll be watching.”

With that, the fog, portal, and women, including Pandora, disappeared. Hera hung her head as a fleeting sadness descended upon her.

Damon came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Are you all right?”

His presence gave her strength, chasing away the sadness. She turned around, her body still trembling. “I made the right choice, Damon.”

“But she was your sister.”

“I’ll see her again. I know I will. But my place is by your side.”

He twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. “You’ve made me the happiest Zalarain alive.”

Heat warmed her sad heart. But then she thought about what Pandora had said. “Are my eyes really gold?”

He touched her chin. “Yes. They’re beautiful. This only happens when mates are in love.”

“But you must have known the queen was in love with the king.”

“I did. I honestly didn’t know what love was until I met you. Cosima will always have a place in my heart, but you have my whole heart and my soul.”

“And you mine.”

Hera grasped his hand and led him back to bed, knowing she had the answers she needed for now. She had a sister who was a witch. She’d been forgiven, and she was powerful enough to capture the love of a Zalarian.

She kissed him deeply, and he returned her passion. They explored each other’s body, unleashing the madness between them until they were both panting with desire. She came again, screaming his name, never guessing that she would find true love and a home in the stars with a dragon.