“I told you, it’s my job?—”
“She’s teasing you, Matheo,” Wex interrupted with a laugh. He stepped back from the doorway, gesturing into the room. “Please, come in. Can I get you both some coffee? I was just about to put a pot on for Ellan and me.”
Mariah nodded absently, striding into the warm living space. There was a simple seating area to the left, a square table in the center, and a kitchen in the corner. Lights flickered in recessed alcoves on the ceilings, along with a few fans to ward off the desert heat, all powered by those strange panels that lined every roof in Desva. A staircase ran along the back wall, leading presumably to the bedrooms.
And seated at the table, rising to his feet with a bleary expression that slowly, slightly brightened, was Ellan.
Mariah rushed to her younger brother, wrapping him up in her arms and holding him tight. They’d never been particularly close—no closer than any pair of siblings—but something about his familiarity tugged at her cold and empty soul, refilling it with warmth she hadn’t known in days.
Yet, as she held him, she noticed something different.
Pulling back, she raked her gaze over him. “You’ve grown.”
Ellan smiled—or attempted to. Sadness still hung behind his green-hazel eyes. “A bit.”
Mariah scoffed but her own smile spread across her face. “You used to only be an inch or so taller than me. What happened to my stunted little brother playing at being a warrior?”
Ellan shrugged. “He’s still here, I guess.”
He didn’t look it, though. In all the chaos at Khento and their fractured arrival in Kreah, Mariah hadn’t noticed all the ways he’d changed since she’d left Andburgh. Gone was the scrawny boy she could look directly in the eyes, the one who only had a few pounds on her—if that. Before her stood a man, lookingmuch more like their father than he ever had, but with rich auburn hair instead of golden blond. He’d grown at least four inches, now standing well over six feet. His shoulders and back had broadened, filling in with muscle that was also visible in the arms of his short-sleeved shirt.
Mariah crossed her arms. “That’s good. Because no matter how much you grow, I think I could still take you down.”
Ellan’s eyes flashed with challenge, the first true spark of life. “Let yourself keep thinking that, M.”
“No sparring before coffee.” Their father shouldered past, heading to the kitchen. “Assuming you still want some, Ellan?”
Ellan nodded. “Yes, please.”
Amusement danced in Matheo’s eyes as he set the basket down on the table. “Mariah also brought some food from Amasis’sserekah. Fruit, cheese, and a loaf of Mikael’s famous bread.”
“Let me guess. She made you carry the basket here.”
“Hey.” Mariah playfully shoved her brother’s shoulder. “I carried it myself, thank you. Matheo only took over when we got here.”
Matheo grinned again. “Nice to meet you, by the way,” he said with a friendly dip of his head.
Ellan nodded back. “You, as well. I’m Ellan.” His brow furrowed, cheeks flushing slightly. “Are you one ofthem?”
Mariah’s amusement doubled. “Yes, Ellan. He’s one of my Armature. But don’t worry.” She leaned in conspiratorially, whispering, “He’s only seen me naked once.”
“Oh, by the Goddess.” Ellan groaned, cheeks staining darker. He returned to his seat at the table, pulling out the chair and settling in. Mariah, still laughing, took the seat diagonal from him as Matheo sat across from Ellan.
That strange, foreign warmth still danced and spun in her chest. It wasn’t happiness; too much darkness still lingeredover them and the world for that. It was something comforting and familiar, something that served to distract her from the emptiness in her soul better than any amount of despairing solitude could.
This had been a good idea.She needed this.
Mariah removed the food from the basket and spread it on the table just as her father returned, carrying four empty mugs in one hand and a full, steaming pot of coffee in the other.
“Our countries have had very little contact for thousands of years,” Wex said as he set out the mugs and started to pour the warm black liquid. “But somehow, we all still share an affinity for Vathan coffee.”
“I’ve heard the locals here like to drink it over ice.” Ellan took a tentative sip. “With how hot it gets here, I can imagine why.”
Wex murmured his assent.
“So.” Wex finally took his seat, folding his hands in his lap. Exhaustion settled again across his features, the heartbreak Mariah knew he felt re-writing itself into the etch of his brow and the downturn of his mouth. “Is there any particular reason for this visit, or did you just miss us?”
Mariah glanced out the kitchen window, something painful panging in the hollows of her chest. The sun pushed past the wispy meekness of dawn, flooding the room with a hazy yellow glow.
