“Again,” I said. “I guess.” Titles still felt a bit fast and loose. But I supposed Rhyan and I were both Arkasva at the moment—though of which country or how—I wasn’t sure.
But Dario didn’t seem to care. He rushed over to me, his arms slapping around my back as he pulled me into a bear hug. “Thank you. Thank you!” he yelled. And then he turned toRhyan, his entire body shaking. “You. Godsdamned. Gryphon shit. Bastard,” he sobbed, then pulled him into a hug, grabbing his face, and planting a violently affectionate kiss on his cheek. Then another. Dario wouldn’t let go. He just kept kissing Rhyan’s face, calling him a bastard again and again as he cried.
Aiden hugged me next, then joined his other two friends. He stood back, his eyes shining. For a moment he was silent, and then a shaky breath escaped from him. “You scared the fuck out of us,” he shouted, breaking all of his normal “Aiden” decorum.
I laughed, already crying again, and then Meera flew into my arms.
“Lyr, Lyr! Gods, we were so worried. What the hell happened to you? You vanished on us.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I have so much to tell you.”
“So do we.”
I squeezed my arms around her, holding her as tight as I could. “Gods, I missed you. I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“Us, too,” Meera said.
“We need to tell them the news,” Jules said suddenly.
I pulled back from Meera, looking at my cousin. My best friend. The part of my soul who’d been missing. My heart felt heavy as I took her in. She’d gained weight in the last two months. She looked healthier than when we’d taken her from the Palace. I was grateful. Dario had kept his word. He had kept her safe. Which was all I could ask for. But my heart panged. She was still standing back from me.
Rhyan looked past the circle of hugs he was trapped in with Dario and Aiden, locking eyes with Jules. “Hey, friend.”
“Hi,” she said, her voice a little shaky.
“What news?” Rhyan asked, turning to smile at Meera. “Hey.”
“It’s your father,” Meera said. “We’ve been searching for you for the last few days, but we just found out. The tournament has been moved up. It’s happening tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I asked. “No. We were supposed to have a whole other day to travel and prepare.” I paused. “Wait. How did you know we were heading to the tournament?”
“I’ve seen it,” Jules said. A vision. “He’s getting scared of the pushback. His people are unhappy. The distraction had to move up. Before any more soturi abandoned him. And there’s more that I’ve seen. I’ll explain everything.” She stepped forward, slowly taking me in, her eyes wide. Her mouth tightened, the corners of her eyes shining and red.
“Jules.” My arms were literally aching from missing her. But after all she’d been through, she hadn’t been ready to hug me, or be touched. And until right before I left to go after Rhyan, two months ago, I hadn’t been able to risk touching her. She was the reincarnation of Hava and could have activated the Valalumir inside me.
But we didn’t have to worry about that now.
Her hazel eyes searched mine, and then she sucked in a shaky breath. “Lyr,” she said finally. Her voice broke, “You’re okay?”
“I’m okay. You?”
She nodded, then rushed into my arms, wrapping me in a hug.
“Jules!” I sobbed, crushing her against me.
Chapter
Forty-Three
RHYAN
I had about five minutes for my heart to fill with joy as I stood with Dario and Aiden, my best friends. And even more joy as I watched Lyr’s aura light up with Meera, and Jules. Jules at last. Gods, it felt good seeing everyone like this, safe, together. Reunited. I wanted more time for all of us. A proper reunion, especially now that I knew my friends didn’t hate me. That they never did for what happened to Garrett, or for the way I left Glemaria. We were all okay. But we also had unfinished business, so much more we needed to talk about to fully clear the air.
I imagined Lyr felt the same about her group. My heart panged for her, knowing she’d had to leave Jules behind as soon as she’d found her. To rescue me. Because of me, they’d been parted.
Because of my father, they had.
I took a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to find some mead and bring Aiden and Dario into my tent so we could talk all night. Laugh and joke like we used to. But I already knew how easily this moment could be stolen from us—how fleeting it all was. We had to act first. The Empire was still against us.Morgana and Aemon. And my father had already moved up the timeline for our attack.
