Elyse kept her eyes closed as she murmured, “Just a few more minutes.”
Killian settled deeper into the lake. Together, they waited until she was ready to face the world.
21
Elyse
Elyse and Killian, now dry thanks to Elyse’s magic, stood outside Mrs. Southwick’s house, facing the front door. Their fingers were intertwined, for which Elyse was grateful. Being back in Sevhella, especially at Killian’s home, had brought on another wave of emotions that threatened to smother her. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the little yellow potted flowers that adorned the front porch. It smelled like home, like belonging—a smell she craved but didn’t deserve.
Killian gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Ready?” he asked, both a question and an encouragement.
Elyse lifted her chin. “Ready.”
Still holding her hand, Killian opened the front door. A quiet conversation on the other side stopped abruptly, paired with thesounds of chairs scraping the floor. Killian went first, and Elyse trailed a step behind, trying her best not to tremble.
Everything was exactly as she remembered. The knickknacks, the bright colors and worn furniture, all of it so warm and inviting. Across the main room, beside the small dining table, stood Manny and Sera. Their feet were planted firmly, their expressions wary. A shield of hard air shimmered around them.
“It’s just us,” Killian said gently to his friends.
Manny still held his hand out, projecting the shield. Elyse waited for him to drop it, for his face to morph from worry to relief, but it didn’t.
Elyse’s heart sank to her stomach. Her friends were afraid of her. They were gauging her behavior, deciding if she’d gotten what she’d needed and would now dispose of them, or if Killian had failed and now she would retaliate.
Sera’s lilac eyes lowered to Elyse’s hand, still enveloped by Killian’s, and back up to her face. A look of surprise flashed across her features for the briefest moment before she was running.
Manny barely had time to drop the shield to keep Sera from colliding with it. She sprinted forward, her dark hair flowing behind her. She crashed into Elyse, knocking her backward hard enough that Elyse had to drop Killian’s hand. Killian laughed, but Elyse barely registered it. All she knew was the feeling of Sera’s slender arms crushing her, and the soft sound of her friend’s sobs.
“You’re back,” Sera gasped against Elyse’s hair.
“I’m back,” Elyse confirmed.
After a long, bone-crunching embrace, Sera finally pulled away. Silvery tears streaked her cheeks, but she smiled brightly.
“You’re not mad at me?” Elyse finally gathered the courage to ask.
Sera’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Mad at you?” she breathed.
“For…” Elyse began but trailed off. “For everything.” For being a bitch, for abandoning them for weeks, for leaving them to die…
Sera pulled Elyse into another hug. “I’ll forgive you if you promise never to leave us ever again.”
Elyse laughed, and damn if it didn’t feel good. “I promise,” she agreed as she nestled her head against Sera’s shoulder.
When they finally parted, Manny was there to take Sera’s place. “It’s good to have you back,” he murmured in Elyse’s ear as he hugged her tight.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Elyse whispered back.
Manny pulled away and met Elyse’s eyes.Always, his gaze seemed to convey.
Sera gasped so loudly that Manny and Elyse both whirled to face her. “Is that it?” she asked, a hand covering her mouth. Her other hand was extended, her finger pointed at Killian’s belt.
Killian frowned as he stared at Sera’s accusatory finger, then looked down at his belt. “Ah,” he said, his face snapping back up to meet hers. He smiled as he reached for the knife at his belt. With sheer pride, he freed it from his hip and held it out for Manny and Sera to see its curved, silvery blade.
“The Blade of Hanael,” he announced.
Manny and Sera both rushed to inspect it. Manny picked it up immediately and began flipping it around while Sera stared between the knife and Elyse, her jaw wide.
“How did you—But your soul?” she sputtered. Then, “You’ve got a story to tell.”
