We don’t stop and rest for long, even though our bodies need it. Everyone at camp is restless, ready to see the fate of our kingdom. Zephyr pitches the tent for me and promptly leaves to check on the other fae. When he returns, he brings a healer with him to look at my arm. It’s not broken or dislocated, thank goodness, just hurts like hell. When the healer leaves, I try to get Zephyr to rest. He’s tired. I can see it in the way he sluggishly moves his body and how each blink lasts a little longer than the last.
Even when I manage to get him to lie down, his arms wrapping around me, he doesn’t sleep. To be fair, neither do I. I’m just as eager to get home and see Niko. I need tangible proof the curse is lifted. That our people are no longer sick and our plots can grow fruitful again. I just hope Rip truly can deliver food to us. Even if we broke the curse, it’s going to take some time to rebuild and restock our supplies.
After a few hours of attempting—but failing—to getrest, we agree it’s time to head out. The only person who seems to have slept is Finnick, because he wakes up with more energy than a sugar-infused toddler, flying from fae to fae as he explains in great, elaborate detail how heroic he was to jump into the well. How he alone committed the unselfish act of sacrifice.
“I’m basically a hero,” he says to a fae he cornered while the woman went to fill up her canteen. To save the peace of all those traveling with us, Zephyr pulls Finnick aside and requests that he fly ahead to alert them to our return. He’s quick to agree, since his concern for his brother weighs heavily on him.
The journey back is quiet, heavy with unspoken thoughts and a fragile sense of hope. It clings to us like morning mist—light, uncertain, and easy to lose. None of us speak aloud the question lingering in our minds:What will we find when we return? Will it be the miracle we’re praying for or another heartbreak?God, I hope it’s the former.
Zephyr hasn’t strayed far from my side since we came out of the well. His hand occasionally grazes mine or rests briefly on my back. Little touches, fleeting and wordless, but they speak volumes. It’s as if he’s grounding himself through me, needing the reassurance that I’m still here, still breathing. That I didn’t vanish beneath the water and leave him behind forever.
We once again share a horse on the way back, one of his arms wrapped securely around me. It’s different from before. His touch feels more possessive, like he’s finally giving himself permission. There’s so much left unsaid between us, so many unknowns. If there is one thing Ilearned for certain from the well, it’s that I love Zephyr Ashoar.
And I think he loves me too.
I want him and Niko. Together. Perhaps that makes me greedy, but I don’t care. The three of us are just right. It’s always been the endgame, even if Zephyr fought it. I don’t think he wants to fight anymore, but even if he does, I won’t let him. He’s not his parents, won’t ever be his parents. He’s protective and fiercely loving. Not once has he ever shown jealousy over Niko and me. If anything, his eyes darken with primal need when we’re together.
There’s a conversation waiting between us—words that need to be said, truths we’ve been skirting around—but it doesn’t feel right to have it without Niko. Not yet. Not while everything still hangs in the balance.
So, instead, I lean into Zephyr’s chest. His other arm wraps around me without hesitation, solid and warm, and I let myself melt into the quiet comfort of him. His heartbeat is steady beneath my ear, a rhythm that soothes the ache in my chest.
Then he leans down, brushing his lips gently against my cheek. The tenderness of it catches me off guard, and I can’t help but smile. It’s such a small gesture, but it carries so much feeling, more than words ever could.
He’s so careful with me, so gentle, and I realize I like this soft side of him just as much as I’m drawn to the sharper, guarded parts. The edge is where his strength lies, but this softness is where his heart is. And in this quiet moment, I get to feel both.
I stay pressed back against him the entire ride, barelyeven registering the strain in my thighs this time. It still sucks, but Zephyr makes it bearable.
The following morning when we emerge from the woods, the castle glows like a beacon in the light ahead. A half chuckle, half sob leaves my lips at the sight of it. It’s beautiful, but I’ve always known that. I just didn’t appreciate it enough before. The air feels different this time. The damp earth beneath us has a thin layer of dew, making each grass blade shine. It could be my imagination, but the ground looks healthier. More vibrant.
Even the trees look taller, growing up toward the sun as if desperate for their branches to reach it. I’m not the only one to take notice. Soft murmurs drift from all around as the others take in our home. There’s something different now. The stench of decay no longer lingers in the air, and I swear I get a whiff of flowers.
That has to be a good sign, right?
As we approach the castle, I find myself growing more nervous. Each step closer to Niko has my heart pounding in my chest. Zephyr squeezes me gently, placing another soft kiss to my temple. “Our mate is going to be fine.”
I want to believe him—part of medoesbelieve him. But there’s another part that needs to see and touch him.
As the castle gates grow closer, some of the others who accompanied us break off, having found their family or friends. My heart aches each time I see someone run into the arms of their warrior, kissing them like there’s no one else in the world. I’m happy for them; I truly am. I know we’re lucky we didn’t lose anyone, but I can’t help the jealousy that rears its ugly head inside ofme because I want to be the one running into Niko’s arms.
Figures slowly come into focus, none of them I recognize until I spot a woman beaming at us. Lady Thalia. And on her shoulder perches Finnick, grinning and waving lazily. He seems happy, which should be a good sign. That means Niko is fine, but where is he? I don’t see him amongst the others, and?—
“There.” Zephyr reaches for my chin, guiding my attention toward the right side of the castle. At first, I only see stone walls with vines surrounding the castle. But then I catch a glimpse of red sprinting toward us. It takes my mind a moment to register Niko because this is not the same Niko we left behind.
The Niko we left behind was sickly pale with black tendrils in his veins, sucking the life out of him. He was bedridden and could do little more than sit up. The man running toward us has a healthy flush to his cheeks. His face no longer looks gaunt, though it’s clear he’s lost some weight. Still, he appears healthy, and no sign of the curse runs through his veins.
Itworked. We did it.
“Niko!” I cry, twisting in Zephyr’s hold. He doesn’t hesitate because he knows exactly what I need and helps me down from the horse. My feet hit the ground hard, stumbling beneath me, but I find my balance quickly and take off running.
The world narrows to a single point: him.
Wind rushes past my ears as I sprint, heart pounding, legs burning, dirt kicking up beneath my boots. We meet halfway—me breathless, him waiting—and I leapinto his arms without slowing. He catches me effortlessly, pulling me into a tight embrace. His arms wrap around me like they were always meant to. He smells of fresh earth and warm sunlight. Of home. Of happiness. Of summer.
And then there’s another set of arms around us, squeezing us tightly.
Both of my men are here. Safe. Healthy. Alive.
Tears spring to my eyes, and I bury my face into Niko’s neck. When the first tear falls, it’s like the dam has broken, and I can’t control the sobs that rack my body. It’s a release of emotions I have been harboring since I left him. Fear. Anxiety. Sadness. It all sheds away with each tear that streaks my cheeks.
