But Jules stepped past her, shaking her off, and I realized she was looking past all of us.
“Is that Auriel’s Flame?” she asked.
Meera folded her arms across her chest, her face full of hurt. My arms were aching with the need to hug Jules. Then I fully heard her question. Auriel’s Flame? What in Lumeria? I looked over my shoulder, half expecting to see a fire, or an apparition. But there was nothing, just the city of Thene.
“Jules?” I asked. “What do you see?”
She looked at me like I was farther than Lethea. “The inn,” she said, almost impatiently. “We’re in Thene?”
I nodded, surprised she knew that when she’d just woken up.
“The inn,” she said confidently now. “It’s called Auriel’s Flame.”
I didn’t even know that, and I’d stayed there for almost a week with Rhyan. Then again, I’d never exactly walked through the front door. We’d been trying to hide that we were together from everyone, even those Rhyan trusted. But Jules had never been here. I would have known if she had. I would have come with her. My first time was with Rhyan, and Jules had never traveled outside of Bamaria without me. There was no way she could know Auriel’s Flame.
“How—” I started to ask, when she waved me off.
“Because I’ve been here before,” she snapped. “And I stayed at this inn.”
“When?” Meera asked. “I don’t remember us ever—”
“After,” Jules said, her voice terse. “It was after. Okay?” She shook her head. “Gods.” She was getting angry. Her agitation and annoyance was palpable, radiating through her aura.
I wanted to cry. I never imagined if we reunited that it would be like this. I needed to hug her. Was she mad I hadn’t yet? I doubted Rhyan could have properly explained to her all that had happened to me and why it meant I couldn’t touch her until we were safe. I still felt awful about it. But then Meera had just gone to her. And Jules had pushed right past her.
“You had a chance to come here while chayatim?” Dario asked gently. “Lady Julianna?”
“No,” Jules said, her eyebrows narrowing. “Of course, not.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I was a prisoner of the Emperor’s. They don’t take you out to stay at inns. I escaped.”
“You did,” I said, my voice high. I took a step toward her. “What happened?”
“I was caught,” she said flatly, and looked away.
Rhyan suddenly appeared beside me, and stumbled. I grabbed his waist, supporting his weight before anyone noticed.
He took a deep breath, getting his bearings, but kept his arm around me. “We got lucky,” he said. “They had two rooms available. We’ll need to split up, four in one, four in the other. Cal and Marisol said they could bring some extra cots and blankets in for everyone. So we should be comfortable, but some of us will have to share. They also have food—Marisol’s scrounging some hot plates together right now. She’s very excited everybody’s here.”
“Who are they?” Tristan asked suddenly. He’d been quiet since the escape, his focus completely on Galen. He’d helped us fight the wards as we flew beyond the Palace grounds and into Numeria. But then he’d been silent, staring only at Galen. I knew he was worried about our friend. But I also suspected that he was attempting to face the reality of what he’d done tonight. Sacrificed his Ka, his wealth, his status. He’d given up everything. For Galen. For Jules.
And for other vorakh.
Gods. He was vorakh, too. For the first time since his Revelation Ceremony, he wasn’t hunting them. He was the hunted one now. Poor Tristan. I wanted to talk with him about it. But that was a conversation that would have to wait.
“Cal and Marisol own the inn,” Rhyan said. “My uncle Sean is married to their granddaughter.”
“We can trust them,” I said quickly. “They’ve hidden Rhyan many times before. And me, too.”
Tristan’s eyes met mine, his jaw clenching. The gravity of what I’d just said sinking in. He knew Rhyan and I were together. There was no way he couldn’t, especially after tonight. We weren’t exactly hiding it anymore. But there seemed to be something about openly admitting we’d spent more than one night together here that made the knowledge feel like something more. A confirmation of sorts. Especially in Tristan’s eyes.
At last, he pulled his gaze from mine, his mouth tight, his hand on his belt. “Fine. Let’s get inside.” He signaled to Aiden, and once more they picked up Galen.
“Are you okay to walk?” Dario asked Jules.
She answered by marching pointedly away from him and heading for the inn. Quietly, we all left the forest, traipsed through the park, which was completely abandoned at this hour, and then made our way to the street and the alley to remain discreet.
Then for the first time in all of my visits and stays, I walked through the front door.
An elderly man was behind the front desk, with a face exuding warmth and kindness. Cal, I assumed. I hadn’t met him during my previous stay since Rhyan had kept me hidden. But I’d heard his voice multiple times when he’d come to check on Rhyan or bring food to the room. Rhyan always ordered enough for both of us and pretended it was all for him. But I had a suspicion that Cal had seen through that. Marisol, too.
