Nakiis.
Grey.
Jax.
My chest tightens, and when I try to breathe, it hurts to inhale.
Noah comes through the door, closing it behind him. “Hey,” he says again, his voice lower.
I don’t know if it’s his voice or his presence or if it’s just the weight of the world, but all of a sudden, I just . . . ?can’t. I take a step forward and wrap my arms around him.
Noah catches me and hugs me back. For the longest time, I hold my breath, because I’m terrified of what will happen if I don’t. But he doesn’t move, and his arms don’t loosen. My heart begins to slow, and eventually I can breathe.
Then I realize I’m clinging to him like a child. I draw back at once.
Noah lets me go. He never pushes. But now he’s studying me.
“Forgive me,” I say.
“It’s all right to need a hug, Tycho.”
I’m not sure what to say to that.
“I was worried I’d wake you,” he says. “I heard you showed up just before dawn.”
I shrug. “I’ve been awake for a while.”
That sentence seems to hang between us for a moment. My thoughts are churning again, and I take another step back.
Noah watches this, but he just says, “One of the women who works in the gardens asked me to bring her a salve for a bee sting. I was going to head that way after I saw you. Do you want to walk with me?”
“Ah . . . sure.”
I leave word with the hall guards so Malin will know where to find me, and then Noah and I head toward the miles of stairs and hallways that make up the Crystal Palace. After endless days of wearing weapons and armor in the rain, my body feels too light, too free. Once we step into the fresh spring air, I take what feels like the first deep breath indays.
“Thaaat’sbetter,” Noah drawls.
I cut him a glance—but he’s right. “I wasn’tthatbad.”
“If Jake found you first, he would’ve dragged you out on the fields to play with swords for a few hours. Unfortunately, I’m only good for dragging you along on medical deliveries.”
“I really don’t mind.”
He smiles. “I know.”
And just like that, the awkwardness is gone.
“Is Jake well?” I say.
“Grey woke us before dawn because he wanted Jake to go find out how many scraver attacks have happened near the city, so he’s probably not in thebestmood. But he’s been well.”
I wince. “Forgive me.”
“Why on earth is that your fault?”
I don’t have an answer for that, and we’ve reached the gardensanyway. A young woman tending the newly budding rosebushes curtsies to Noah and then to me. He offers her the small jar of salve, but asks to see the swollen mound of skin on her forearm. I expect him to heal it, because he still wears a ring of Iishellasan steel, but to my surprise, he doesn’t. I wonder if she’s afraid. He applies a small amount of salve, and we return to the path that heads through the vibrant gardens.
“You don’t need to head back to the infirmary?” I say to him.
