I take the bag, clutching it to my chest as I climb out of the car. “I will.”

Liam smiles at me through the passenger window, his bangs falling across his brow. “I’m really proud of you, Colin. You’re going to be a great Raven.”

The words fill me up, and I wonder how I could have ever thought smothering my emotions made me stronger.

Right now, I’m unstoppable.

“Wait!” I say as Liam shifts the car into drive. I fish the journal out of my bag. “You should take this. You’ll need it more than me if you’re out hunting. I can start a new one.”

Liam considers the journal. “Why don’t you keep it for now? I’ll be able to pull from it wherever I am, and you can use it as a model for yours. I’ll come for it in a couple weeks.”

I retract my hand. “Is that a promise?”

He smirks. “It’s a promise.”

I’m still grinning when the car disappears down the driveway.

I take a quick detour inside to toss my bag down a laundry chute—the house grumbling a hello—and then I’m through the kitchen and out onto the porch.

Anna is still sitting at the bonfire, drawing shapes in the dirt with the toe of her shoe while Max pats her comfortingly with a paw.

I jog down the grassy hill and she looks up, hopeful.

“I’m staying.” I drop onto the bench beside her. “For as long as you’ll let me.”

She laughs, throwing her arms about my neck, and Max leaps up onto my shoulders to headbutt me.

“How does forever sound?”

I grin. “Out of this world.”

The sun has nearly set now, basking us in gentle light. It feels amazing, and I close my eyes, relishing it.

The fresh autumn scent of the grounds, the familiar creaking of the house settling in, the warmth of Max on my shoulders—they’ve taken the place of all my old lonely feelings. Tomorrow, I’ll take over Anna’s chores while she practices her powers with Nora, and later, Elaine will roll out the big table from the kitchen and we’ll train in the crisp afternoon air, and at the end of the day, I’ll go to sleep in a room that’s mine. Really, mine.

Ravenfall is everything my parents had to give up to keep us safe. They loved this place once. The life of it, the magic. Now I’ll love it enough for all of us. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned the last few months, it’s that I belong here.

I’m home.

When I open my eyes, Anna is staring at me, a smile plastered across her lips. She holds out her root beer bottle to me. I clank the top of mine against hers, and then the bottom.