Chapter 198- The First Flames Return
Lexy
The moment I had waited for since the war began came quietly, without horns or ceremony. No armies lined the path, no leaders gathered to witness. Just the soft crunch of wheels on dirt and the faint chatter of guards escorting the wagon that carried my heart back to me.
I stood just outside the main hall, my palms damp despite the cool air. CJ was beside me, his arm brushing mine in that subtle, steady way he always offered when my courage faltered. And though I had faced Adrian’s wrath, Kael’s darkness, and the burden of fire that could consume worlds, this moment terrified me more than any battlefield.
Because I was not a Queen here. Not a warrior. Not a phoenix.
I was simply a mother.
The wagon slowed. The flap pulled back. And there they were.
My triplets.
A bit more taller now, their cheeks no longer round with baby softness, their movements quick and unsteady like flames trying to decide which way to dance. Their eyes—my gods, their eyes—met mine with curiosity and recognition that hit me like a physical blow. 2 months and more, and yet the bond between us hummed like it had never frayed.
“Mami?” one whispered, hesitant. While my other son whispered "Papi?"
My knees gave out before the word finished leaving their lips. I crumpled onto the earth, tears blurring my vision as I opened my arms wide. “Yes, my loves. Mami’s here.”
They didn’t hesitate after that. They tumbled forward, three bodies colliding into me, warm and real and alive. I wrapped them all close, burying my face into their hair, inhaling the scent of sunshine and earth and something uniquely theirs. My chest shook with sobs I couldn’t contain, the kind that scraped raw but healed at the same time.
Behind them came two women who had carried the impossible weight in my absence—my mother and CJ’s. Their faces were lined with relief and pride, eyes glistening as they watched me cling to the children.
“Mom,” I breathed, looking up through tears.
Her smile trembled as she cupped my cheek. “You’ve carried the world on your shoulders, Lexy. Let yourself carry them now.”
CJ’s mother touched her son’s arm, her voice gentle. “You’ve both given everything for this kingdom. Let us give this moment back to you.”
CJ knelt beside me, his large hand smoothing the hair of our daughters, his other arm circling around all of us at once. His golden eyes shone brighter than any fire I could summon. I had seen him face death without flinching, but here, he was undone.
“They’re perfect,” he whispered, voice breaking.
“Yes,” I managed, pressing kisses to the tops of their heads. “Perfect.”
We moved inside, where the hall had been emptied for privacy. The children clung to us, shy at first, overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all. But as the minutes passed, their laughter grew, their questions tumbled out, and soon the room was filled with the kind of chaos only children could summon.
They touched everything—my hair, CJ’s scarred hands, the faint flickers of flame I let dance for them like a trick. Their awe reminded me that while the world saw me as queen, they saw me simply as Mami with the fire.
My mother and CJ’s took seats at the side, content to watch as if this was the reward for all the battles they had endured themselves. I caught my mother’s gaze once, and in it, I saw her pride, her forgiveness, and her unshakable love. It steadied me in ways no battle victory ever had.
The triplets soon grew bold, running circles around us, squealing with delight when CJ chased them clumsily. He let them “catch” him, collapsing dramatically to the floor as if three small hands could topple a king. Their giggles filled the hall, sharp and bright, cleansing the shadows that had lingered here since the war began.
I sat back, one hand on my stomach where new life stirred, the other wiping at my cheeks. My fire burned steadily now, no longer frantic. This—this was why I fought. Why I endured.
As the evening wore on, the children grew drowsy, their energy finally waning. They climbed into my lap without hesitation, three small bodies crowding against me as if afraid I would vanish again. I wrapped my arms around them, rocking gently.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered into their hair. “Never again. You’re home now.”
Their breaths evened, their eyes heavy. But before sleep could claim them, one of them stirred. My son, the one who had first whispered Mami at the gates. He looked up at me, eyes wide and solemn.
“Can we show you something?” he asked softly.
I nodded, though my throat tightened. “Of course.”
The three exchanged glances, then slipped off my lap. They stood together, small hands joining, faces set with a seriousness far beyond their years. And then, as if they had practiced in secret, they lifted their free hands and moved them in unison—small, deliberate gestures that mimicked the motions of a flame rising and falling.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then a spark flickered at their joined hands. Tiny, fragile, but real.
My breath caught. Tears blurred my vision as I pressed a hand to my mouth. “Oh, my loves…”
They beamed at me, proud and bright, though the spark faded quickly. “We wanted to be like you,” my daughter said. “So, we practiced. Together.”
I broke. The tears came freely, unstoppable, as I reached for them again, pulling all three back into my arms.
“You already are,” I choked out, my voice breaking. “You’re already everything I could ever hope for.”
CJ’s hand rested on my shoulder, his own eyes damp as he whispered, “Our legacy.”
I kissed each of their heads, my tears soaking into their hair, my heart fuller than I thought possible. The war, the battles, the pain—all of it paled before this.
For in that moment, I was not just queen. I was not just fire. I was a mother.
And my flames had returned home.
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