We’re often told that family is everything.

But what happens when the people who support us most aren’t related to us at all?

This is a question I explore throughout Trial By Firebird.

Kate’s family is bound by blood, history, and shared responsibility. Her brother Abaddon has spent centuries protecting and guiding his younger siblings, carrying the weight of their safety on his shoulders. Their bond is strong, but like any family, it isn’t without challenges.

At the same time, many of the most important relationships in the story are chosen rather than inherited.

Neros, for example, isn’t related to Abaddon, yet his loyalty has lasted for centuries. He chose to stand beside him, not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

The same can be said for Kane and his brothers. Over thousands of years, they have built a family based on trust, loyalty, and shared experiences. They support one another through victories, losses, and the loneliness that often comes with immortality.

That is what makes found family so powerful.

Blood may connect us, but love, trust, and choice are what strengthen those bonds.

I don’t think the answer is that one matters more than the other. Both shape who we become. Some people are blessed with strong relationships in both areas. Others find the family they need in unexpected places.

What matters most isn’t how the connection began.

It’s who stays by your side when life becomes difficult.

And sometimes, those are the people who choose to become family.