Seeing the destruction that still sat in the port had hollowed out something inside of her. The aftermath of the battle was still an open wound on the city, and now…
Now it would not even have time to scar. Not when Kakos was due at their door any day.
Aidon took up a spot next to her, his arms twining behind his back as he stared out the window. “They say Hyacinth is in the dungeons,” he remarked. Josie cut a glance at her brother. His lips were pursed, his brows drawn together. “I suppose that means Aya was well received.”
“I imagine if she wasn’t, it would be us in the dungeons,” Josie said. She turned away from the windows, her gaze taking in the gray stone of the palace walls. It had its own sort of beauty, she supposed. But seven hells did it feelblandcompared to her home in Trahir.
She stepped back into the main hall, where Aleissande was speaking with a Dyminara member. The warrior nodded before she pivoted on her heel and left the hall.
“She was discussing lodging,” Aleissande explained. “There won’t be room for everyone in the palace, but we can make camp on the grounds.”
Josie nodded. “We can—” She cut herself off with a sudden shriek as she caught sight of the woman walking through the palace doors. “Aya!”
Josie launched herself across the hall, her friend meeting her halfway as they collided in an embrace. They nearly fell, a tangle of limbs and laughter as they tried to steady themselves.
Josie squeezed Aya tight, her eyes filling with tears as she let out another relieved laugh. “Gods, it’s so good to see you,” she managed to choke out.
“And you.” Aya pulled away, her hands landing on Josie’s shoulders as she looked her over. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here. We couldn’t let you have all the fun now, could we?”
Aya grinned, but a muffled shout had her turning away from Josie, to where Aidon had Will in a firm embrace. Will pulled back after a long moment, but he kept a hand on Aidon’s shoulder as he murmured something to him, his voice too low for them to make out. Whatever he said made Aidon smile, his head dipping in what looked like gratitude.
“Wow,” Josie mused. “What a development.”
Aya laughed, her arm pressing against Josie’s as she leaned against her affectionately. “You havenoidea.”
Aya looked to where Aleissande was standing. “Speaking of developments,” Aya murmured pointedly beneath herbreath. “Last time I saw you, there was some…tensionthere.”
Josie elbowed her in the ribs. “Aya Veliri, I’ve never known you to be a gossip.”
“You’re right, that’s usually your role in our friendship,” Aya retorted, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
Josie lunged for her, but Aya stepped out of her grasp just as another voice rang out across the hall.
“Aidon?”
Josie turned to see a woman with long red hair walking beside a tall man with brown skin—a member of the Dyminara, Josie realized as she took in his fighting leathers.
She was beautiful, with tanned skin and green eyes and a mischievous smile that widened when her brother caught her gaze.
Aidon stepped away from Will, his own grin stretching across his face as the woman sprinted across the hall. He caught her in his arms, his laugh ringing out against the stone, light and free in a way Josie hadn’t heard in…gods, months? Maybe longer.
So this was her—the woman Aidon had mentioned only once but refused to elaborate on, even during their journey across the Anath.
“Dauphine Adair,” Aya told Josie, catching her curious look. “A Midlands mercenary.”
Josie raised a brow.A mercenary?
“Seven hells,” Josie sighed. “Always attracted to danger, isn’t he?”
“Aya represents that remark,” Will said lightly as he joined them. He tossed Aya a sharp grin as he tugged Josie into his arms, Aya’s retort getting lost beneath the content hum Josie made as she hugged him.
“I know she does,” Josie teased. She squeezed Will just a little bit tighter, her head resting against her shoulder.
“Thank you,” she said, privately. “I know what you did for him. How you helped with his affinity.”
Will’s smile softened as he released her. “He kept me alive, too.”
