She wasn’t just crying anymore. She was panicking.
Coming to that realizationinthe same moment, Byn took a step in their direction. But the look in Ezra’s eyes… I knew he could handle it.
I tugged on Byn’s hand so he wouldn’t take another step forward.
Thiswasn’tabout him—despite how much I knew he wanted to help his sister.
Right now, she needed her other brother.
“Margo,you’realright,” Ezra said as he took her hands in his. Ever so gently, giving her all the time in the world to pull away, he unclasped one of her gloves at the wrist and slid it off.
Underneath, the skin of her hands was slightly lighter than the rest of her, signifying just how much she wore her gloves. Why, I stillwasn’tsure—though right thenwasn’tthe time to ask.
“I’malright,” Ezra reassured her softly as he clasped her hand in both of his.
Unprompted and still having trouble breathing, Margo shook off his grasp and lifted her hand until it rested on Ezra’s bare cheek.
Her gaze bore into his, but Ezradidn’tbalk. He rested his hand atophers against his face and stared back, his expression as open and clear asI’dseen it since his return.
“Weare alright,” he said finally.
With that, Margo’s breathing eventually began to slow. Her gaze shifted from Ezra’s face to focus on the air around him,almost asthough she could see something the rest of uscouldn’t.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Byn and Teagan share a look, though I was still so focused on the scene before me that Ididn’tstopto readinto it much.
“I’m sorry,” Margo said once she caught her breath. “Ididn’tmean to get you hurt. Ididn’t—”
“I know, Margo. But you have to know that I don’t regret a thing, alright?” Ezra replied.
“You look…” Margo hesitated as she dropped her hand from his face, finally taking him in fully for the first time.
She didn’t have to finish her sentence for us all to know what she meant.
He was much better than howhe’darrived, but he was still far too thin. He looked frail, and his skinappeared sunken inafter losing all itscolor.
He looked sick—and in a way, I supposed he was.
Though, not physically.
“I’ll get better,” Ezra reassured her. “But you know, all that mattersis that inhere?I’mstill me.”I watched as he pointed to his chest, right over his heart, as he spoke.
“You’re still you,” Margo sighed, her relief palpable.
“That’s right. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he joked, gently nudging her.
At that, Margo smiled slightly, then jumped into Ezra’s arms again in a tight hug.
Finally, I tore my eyes from the duo and looked towards Byn.
He quickly used the back of his free hand to wipe a stray tear before looking my way.
His gaze met mine, and he looked as though he wanted to explain, yet no words passed his lips.
Fortunately for him, he didn’t need to.
I felt it all.
Chapter Twenty-Six
