Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #2)

by T.J. Klune

“You,” Zoe said gently, “and the strength of your convictions.” She looked at each of the other children in turn. “The way you stood up for David, refusing to let us conceal him. The way you have each other’s backs, even when the odds are stacked against you. I may be a queen, but it is you who have the true power. Never forget that.”

Arthur saw what Linus did when he gazed upon the phoenix: love, curiosity, and a staggering amount of pride.

“It’s taking everything I have not to run to him.”

It hit Arthur then, in this moment: everything he’d done, everything he’d lived for, fought for, all the sleepless nights and miles on the road, the good, the bad, and the ugly, all of it had led to this.

Everything else faded away as he stood in front of his beloved, the man who had carved a place for himself in a home on a mysterious island. The man who had come with his cat, his rule book, a misplaced sense of purpose, and little else. The man who had once lived where the rain never ended, and all color had been leached, leaving behind only muted shades of gray in the city. This man, this fussy, endearing man who had learned the world was far more mysterious than he’d ever thought possible, and instead of silencing it, had worked to ensure that no one would be silenced again.

“I didn’t know weddings had commercials,” Lucy said. “Next time, we’ll get sponsors,” Talia said. “Next time?” Linus said, aghast. “I beg your pardon.” Talia patted his leg. “Why don’t you let me worry about that? You have bigger things to focus on.”

Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for seeing us.”

Hope is the thing with feathers, yes, and hope is the thing with fire.