Chapter 34: Leaving Them Behind
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Alyhana sat with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes steady despite the tremble in her voice.
Xander was the first to speak. "If this is what you want... I won’t stop you."
Alyhana nodded, her shoulders squaring slightly. "Thank you, Kaehli. I want to make her proud," she said. "And I want to help you, I’m not afraid."
Vimea leaned forward, her fingers laced together on the table. Her voice was calm, but there was something searching in her gaze. "Are you sure about this, Alyhana?"
Alyhana didn’t hesitate with her response, "I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life."
She looked around the table, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I know I’ve hardly ever left Iasora. I know I’m not a warrior or a strong fighter and I’m only good at healing magic. But I believe in what Maia believed in and I believe in Xander. And I believe this is where I’m meant to be."
Eli let out a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You’re still grieving, Alyhana...this isn’t the time to make rash decisions."
"I...it’s not rash," Alyhana said gently. "It’s right."
Gaea scoffed, pushing her chair back slightly. "You’ve never even seen the world outside these walls. You don’t know what’s out there."
"I know what’s in here," Alyhana said, placing a hand over her heart. "And I know I can’t stay behind and... wonder what I could’ve done."
Vimea glanced at Gaea, then back at Alyhana. "You’ve grown," she said softly. "More than we realized."