As the sun dipped below the trees on the horizon, we packed up our meager belongings, as well as the additional supplies Rhyan had gathered over the last few days. The sky was a burnt orange giving way into winter’s looming darkness.
After I’d woken from a rather long and deep nap, we’d all decided that Rhyan would take Meera first to our new location. We were simply waiting for the exact moment to go. Once he had Meera settled, and took some time to restore his energy, he’d return for me. Not the best plan in the world, but the only one we had. Neither of us liked being separated, but we knew that if the soturi did find me, I had a far better chance of fighting them off on my own than Meera did.
I stood outside the cave with her as we waited for Rhyan to complete his final sweep inside. Meera was dressed like a soturion now. With her hood up, she blended perfectly with the pine trees. It was the first time we’d been alone since our fight.
We stared at each other, not speaking.
Finally, I said, “I’m sorry about earlier.”
She looked away. “You should be.”
“Meer.”
She took my hand, wind blowing through her braid. “You’re wrong about me.”
“I know! That’s what I’m trying to say. I’m trying to make up with you.”
Huffing out a breath, she looked back at me. “I hear you. I just … don’t believe you.”
I squeezed her hand back. “You’re not weak, Meera. You know I know that. You’ve shown your strength and your resilience in ways I’ve never had to. You would have …” The backs of my eyes burned as I considered that this future had been taken from her, taken from all of us. “You would have been a great High Lady and Arkasva.”
A sad smile crossed her face, obvious doubt shadowing her eyes. “Thank you.”
“I just … I got used to protecting you.”
“And I need to protect you, too. If you’ll let me.”
“You do,” I said, my voice shaking. And I could feel it then. Something had broken between us a long time ago. I wasn’t even sure when. And it wasn’t fixed, not by this fight, not by this conversation. But this felt like a start. Meera was becoming more determined, like the Meera who should have been wearing the laurel. Maybe when we unlocked her memories, figured out which Guardian she was, she’d become even more powerful than she was now.
Her eyes scanned the horizon, tracking the wind moving against the pine trees surrounding our clearing. “I hate leaving you. Promise you’ll be careful,” she said.
“I promise. It’s only for a little bit. I’ll be fine. I know how to fight.”
Rhyan stepped outside then, all of his belongings in a bag strapped across his shoulders. His soturion belt held his dagger and two swords. A third sword was strapped to his back. He pulled up the hood of his soturion cloak, the scar across his left eye darkening. “Are you ready to go?” he asked Meera.
“Ready.” She hugged me tighter, and then stepped back.
Coming to my side, Rhyan took my hand, his eyes roving over me with studious precision. I wore my soturion cloak with my hood up, and my armor hidden beneath. We’d both begun wearing our armor beneath our cloaks since we’d left Bamaria to further conceal our identities. My belt held my dagger, sword, several small knives, and now also my stave.
“Partner.” He took my chin in his hand, tilting my face up to kiss him as his hand ran down my side, past my hip. His fingers grazed across my weapons, reverently touching the hilts, before running down the leather scabbard that held my stave. “I’ll be back for you as soon as I can. I’m not expecting trouble. But don’t hesitate with these. If you need to defend yourself—strike first, think later.”
The muscles in Rhyan’s jaw worked as he reached for my hip, fingers digging into my flesh, like he needed one more touch. His chest rose and fell as he squeezed, like he couldn’t bear to let go. His gaze held mine, his breath deepening. Then he released me.
“And stay with him.” Rhyan walked over to the beast, offering a stroke to his beak. “Tovayah,” he said softly. “Tovayah.Keep her safe.”
The gryphon’s eyes landed on me, then rolled back, but he didn’t move from his position. Rhyan caressed my hand again, before tugging me closer and kissing the corner of my mouth. He breathed into my neck, inhaling before whispering in my ear, “I’ll come back for you, to this exact spot.” His voice lowered, his good eyebrow lifted. “So be a good girl, and be right here when I return.” There was obvious desire in his hooded eyes. But they were laced with anxiety. He stepped back, eyes lingering on me before he held his arms out for Meera.
“Both of you be careful,” I said.
“See you over there, Lyr,” Meera said.
I tried to communicate with her silently, reminding her that she might need to catch Rhyan when they landed. She gave me a nod.
He spoke quietly, and she screwed her eyes shut, her hands gripping tightly at his sleeves. Emerald eyes latched onto mine one last time, holding me captive. And then they were gone.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. The last time Rhyan had traveled with Meera and left me, Morgana had betrayed us. We were now too far east to see the Allurian Pass. There was nothing but snowcapped mountains on the horizon. But I stared through them, wondering if Morgana was still there, wondering what she was doing, if she regretted her decision. But mostly, after everything, I wondered if she was all right.
Probably foolish to think about. For all I knew, she and Aemon were already making their way to the capital. To go after Jules. Or more pieces of the Valalumir.
