“Brigid.” Callen’s voice.
My eyelids are leaden, but light stabs through, hazy and too bright. Shapes resolve slowly, five faces hovering.
“There you are.” Tiernan brings my hand to his lips.
Rory exhales, half-sob, half-laugh.“Took your damn time, love.”
Lochan says nothing. He doesn’t have to. His palm settles against my cheek, and the bond between us hums, steady and real.
Marius lingers behind them. Always a step apart. His gaze locks onto mine. Blood stains his skin. His blood. His sacrifice, given freely, to save me.
I try to sit up. Tiernan’s hand slides behind my shoulders, supporting without asking as the room tilts.
“Easy,” Callen says.“You’ve been gone for three days.”
“Three—” My throat cracks.
Tiernan’s grip tightens almost imperceptibly.
Marius hasn’t moved.
I reach past Callen’s shoulder, fingers trembling. Marius’s hand meets mine halfway, knuckles stained with pale gray markings brushing my skin.
"You saved me," I say.
Marius's eyes, dark as night, flicker with an emotion I can't quite name. His fingers tighten around mine, and for a moment, the world narrows.
"We all did," Marius says. He glances at the others, a hint of uncertainty in his stance.
To my surprise, it's Lochan who breaks the silence. He steps forward, his mouth set, but his eyes are clear and steady as he meets Marius's gaze.
"You risked everything," Lochan says, the words seeming to cost him.“What you did," Lochan says, his tone gruff but lacking its usual edge where Marius is concerned, "was damn near suicidal. But it worked."
The admission hangs in the air, heavy with meaning. Marius's eyebrows lift slightly, a split second look of surprise crossing his face before he controls his expression again.
Rory claps Marius on the shoulder, his usual exuberance tempered by exhaustion and relief. "You crazy bastard. I thought we were gonna lose you both."
Marius tenses at the contact, but doesn't pull away.
Callen moves next, his usual smooth charm replaced by a solemn intensity. "What you did for Brigid... thank you doesn't begin to cover it." He extends his hand to Marius, a peace offering. "We owe you a debt."
Marius hesitates, his gaze darting between Callen's outstretched hand and my face. I nod, encouraging him. Slowly, he clasps Callen's hand.
"No debt," Marius says.
The moment stretches, fragile as spun sugar. I hold my breath, afraid the slightest movement will shatter it. The tension that's always simmered between Marius and the others seems to have eased, if only a fraction. It's a start.
Tiernan squeezes my hand, drawing my attention back. "How do you feel?" he asks, his eyes searching my face.
I take stock of my body, surprised to find that while I'm exhausted, I don't feel the searing pain or overwhelming darkness I expected. "I'm okay," I say, my voice rough. "She's still there, but contained."
Rory's brow furrows. "Is that safe?"
"I don't know," I admit. "But it's better than before. I can think clearly now."
Marius steps closer, his shadows curling around my ankles. "The Raven King's power is yours now, and that should help keep her in check," he says. "But we'll need to be careful. She won't give up easily."
I nod, a shiver running through me at the memory of her fury. "What about you?" I ask Marius. "The Raven King... "
