Jinx reached out and took Aurora’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. “No. Everybody wishes they could change the world. You actually can. I hope you do everything you want to do and more. I genuinely believe you can. But if you do this … you have to put those people above everything else—your own needs and wants and fears. It won’t work any other way. And that’s what Kiran knows. He knows you will belong to your people more than you ever will to him.”

Aurora nodded, hearing his final words from their argument during the night.

I don’t belong here.

Strangely enough, she had felt the same way her entire life. Even now … she would never be a normal Stormling. But she loved her home, and she believed it could be better.

“Just give him some time. It is a lot to process for all of us, Your Highness,” Jinx gave a teasing half-bow.

Aurora groaned. “Please don’t start that. It’s been so nice to be treated like a normal person.”

Jinx tapped her finger on her chin. “I loathe to be the one to break it to you, but you are far from normal.”

“Says the woman who waged a full-on battle with vines she conjured from nowhere.”

“That was incredibly impressive, true.”

“It was,” Aurora said with a smile. “You always are.”

Jinx groaned and waved her hand in the air dramatically. “Enough with the mushy talk. I don’t want to catch your emotions.” She covered her mouth as though the weepy feeling in Aurora’s throat was contagious.

Feeling a spark of lightness for the first time all morning, Aurora threw her arms around Jinx for a hug. The witch protested loudly enough for the neighbors to hear, but her arms folded around Aurora without hesitation.

Aurora had not realized how close she’d been to breaking until the hug eased her back from the brink.

“You might be a princess,” Jinx whispered, “But you’re still a novie to me, novie.” Jinx pushed her back, dusting herself off as though the hug had left behind residue. “We’re going to be late to your meeting.”

“We?” Aurora asked.

“Of course. Like I would let you have all the fun.”

The sun had already broken past the horizon. Taven would be wondering where she was. If she did not get there soon, he would start searching for her. She pulled up her hood, and together she and Jinx set out at a clipped pace.