“And the Underground?” she asked.
“Freed as well. Both totally emptied.”
“Chassina?”
“Got away.Kseniawent after her but we haven’t heard.”
She nodded, glancing around at her surroundings for the first time. Her gaze took in the various instruments and books strewn about and I knew she was thinking the same thing I had. Who would bring all this to a war?
“Gryfon…” she started, throat tight, refusing to look at me.
I frowned. Locked in this wagon with her as I'd been, I didn't actually know the status of the general. I hadn't seen him since he'd disappeared in the sands on his way back to Sanctuary but I hadn't seen much of anyone else either.
“I know you don’t trust me, Adrian," I started, slowly. No matter where the general was, despite what he meant to her, I couldn't forget what I'd seen him do in that battle. She had a right to know. "I don’t expect you to after…everything. But there are things about the general you don’t know. Have you never noticed—”
The door to the wagon flew open to reveal a smilingPrimastanding just outside.
“She lives,”Primaannounced, grinning broadly. “Good to see you awake, Adrian.”
She leapt gracefully up into the wagon.
“I have to admit, I thought you were crazy when you suggested freeing Sanctuary but we’ve actually done it,”Primasaid, blowing out a breath in disbelief. “And we’re back inArchí, thousands of refugees in tow. It’s going to take a lot of work to turn this place into somewhere that can house all of them but the humans have promised to help out and we’ve got more hands for the work now so…”
She trailed off, looking between us, sensing the awkwardness.
“Right,” she continued, slowly. “Well, I found someone I thought you might want to see.”
She stepped aside to reveal a familiar young man standing behind her. His hair was a light brown, face gaunt from either starvation or struggle, body long and lean, but he had her eyes. The same eyes as Adrian.
Adrian let out a whimper I’d never heard before and launched herself, on shaking legs, into the man’s arms. They collapsed onto the floor of the wagon together, shaking with silent sobs as they clung to each other. He looked much older than he had when I’d last seen him only a couple of years ago, his bones more pronounced, expression more hollow, but I recognized WarrenBexleyand understood at once that I needed to get out of here.
I slipped past them, pastPrima, and dropped onto the ground beyond the wagon.Primafollowed me out, closing the door to a crack behind her to give the newly reunited siblings some privacy.
“You didn’t run,” she said, coming up behind me. “You had the chance to defect, to go back and tell them all our secrets, and you didn’t do it. I’m impressed, Viper. Maybe there’s some hope left for my house after all.”
“I take it you haven’t met it’s patriarch yet,” I replied.
She frowned down at me but turned away at the rustling of wings.Kseniaand Phantom landed in front of us and I was more relieved than I cared to admit when I saw the human spy dropping from her saddle and striding over to us, safe and sound.
“Chassina?” Prima asked.
“Got away,”Kseniaexplained, brow furrowed in obvious fury. “I chased her all the way back toPavosbut they’ve fixed the cracks I used to slip through. I couldn’t go in after her."
“It would have been suicide anyway.”
“Might have been worth it. I went to the Captain first. His side faired better than yours, as expected. He's been cursing himself for missing Chassina's departure from the city ever since. I doubt he'll ever forgive himself for the failure. Adrian?”
“She’s fine.”
Ksenianodded, looking to me. She gave me a curt nod as well, anacknowledgementthat we were both still alive and breathing. I nodded back.
“Have your reunions and then meet me in the caves. There’s something we all need to discuss,”Primasaid, already walking away from us.
We watched her go, both of us remaining silent until she disappeared into the crowd of refugees milling about at the entrance of theArchíencampment. I could practically feel the fear and uncertainty radiating off of them in waves. And I didn’t think I imagined the fact that most of them seemed malnourished or sickly, far worse off than they'd been when Adrian and I'd left. What had happened to our home since?
“Walk you to your reunion?” Ksenia asked.
“Don’t bother,” I told her. “I have no interest in seeing anyone from Sanctuary.”
