“I’m very much alive,” he said and coughed. “And need my lungs to keep doing that.”
“Sorry, dear. Indulge an old woman who fretted over your fate.” Mrs. Thornbrew loosened her grip, but didn’t let go for another long minute.
Released, he turned to me, but Nadya coughed. Arms crossed, she half-looked at him, not moving.
Ryker stepped beyond the doors hesitantly. But the second he stopped next to her, she finally raised her head.
“I’m glad you’re back,” she mumbled, though her eyes were still steel. “Sorry about what I said before.”
“We all miss him,” Ryker said.
Nadya simply nodded, the corners of her mouth pulling into a grimace. Ryker half-raised his arms for an embrace, but she stepped out of the way quickly. His hands fell to the sides. Disappointment beat through him, but he didn’t show it.
Only I was witness to his emotions.
Which is how I knew he was growing frustrated with everyone filtering in between us to welcome him back, and then feeling guilty about it.
I understood. The same instinct drummed in my chest, wanting to be closer to him, but stopping myself and letting everyone get their fill. From the corner of my eye, I saw Krynn hugging his daughter and picking her up with his arm. The girl giggled and marveled at his longer beard, as her father blinked the sudden shine in his gaze.
Perhaps there was a chance Solkar’s Reach could heal.
Ryker and Vylkor shook hands, patting each other on the back forcefully.
“It’s good to have you back, Commander,” Vylkor said, a rare ghost of a smile pulling at his lips.
“Not as good as it feels to be back.” Ryker gave his shoulder another hard pat. “The patrols?”
“Doubled since the attack,” Vylkor said, the smile dropping for that classic sternness of his.
“Keep it that way.”
Because he might have won a war, but the Northern Clans were still a danger we couldn’t ignore.
“The Huntress decided on it,” Vylkor said, surprising me. “She took good care of this land in your absence. Her cousin, too.”
I stared at him, lips parted. The compliment hadn’t felt begrudging, either.
A hint of shame tugged at me for suspecting Vylkor–not enough to fully trust him. Not yet.
We still hadn’t found the traitor, after all.
“Vylkor.” Dax gasped, clutching his chest. “I didn’t know you cared.”
“It’s just the truth,” Vylkor grumbled, but it lacked his usual bite. These two had reached an unusual, but entertaining truce.
Finally, nothing and nobody stood between Ryker and me–and neither moved.
Behind me, I could feel Dax sigh, annoyed.
“Can we talk?” Ryker said at last.
All I could do was nod. I didn’t trust the words that would come out of my mouth right now. But none of them waslater.
Before anyone else could steal him away, we both rushed inside the fortress, steps thundering up the stairs.
I already knew where we were heading.
Not his room or mine.
