Aspen is already moving, following his brother toward the pool’s edge. “We should check on Callum anyway. Make sure he hasn’t done anything stupid.”
“I can check on Callum,” Kieran offers, but he’s already standing. His gold eyes find Kaia’s one last time — a long, soft look that saysnot tonight, but someday.
She meets his gaze. Something passes between them. Understanding, maybe. Or a promise.
Then he turns and follows Aspen out of the pool.
Torric reaches down and physically hauls Darian out of the water. The Eds come with him — clinging to his shoulders, his arms, his chest like a living cloak.
“They won’t let go,” Darian says miserably.
“They’ll let go eventually.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I’m choosing to believe it. Come on.”
Carl attempts to follow and trips over Steve. They both go down in a heap of shadowy limbs.
Finn watches the whole thing with obvious delight. “Ten out of ten. Perfect dismount. The judges are impressed.”
“Finn,” Darian hisses.
“What? I’m being supportive.”
Torric pauses near the pool’s edge, glancing down at Callum’s unconscious form. He’s still out cold, propped against the rocks where we left him.
“We should move him,” Kieran says quietly.
“I’ve got his legs,” Torric grunts.
Kieran takes his shoulders without argument. Between them, they lift Callum like he weighs nothing — which, compared to what they usually carry, he probably doesn’t.
“Berserker hall,” Aspen says. “There’s space to lay him down properly.”
The twins’ hall. Of course. Somewhere Callum can be monitored without being in the way.
Darian trails after them, still draped in Eds, looking like a man who has accepted his fate but resents it deeply.
Aspen pauses at the cavern’s edge. Looks back.
His eyes meet mine.
“Malrik,” he says. Just that. My name. But it’s loaded with meaning — approval, understanding, a hint offinally.
I nod once.
He smiles and disappears into the shadows.
“Don’t break anything,” Torric calls over his shoulder.
“That’s not—” I start.
“I’m talking to Finn.”
“Rude,” Finn says, but he’s grinning.
And then they’re gone.
