The walk back felt longer than usual to Daimon. He lingered behind Evelina as they walked through the forest, her arm looped through Lyria’s. She was quiet and lost within her mind, while Lyria’s dainty laugh drifted back to him every few moments.
“Did I miss it already?” a deep, unfamiliar voice asked as they neared the palace.
“Senna knew and not me?” Lyria turned to Evelina, slamming to a halt.
Evelina grimaced apologetically and waved to the Woodland as he jogged up to her. His hair was a dusty brown, tied into a low knot. He was long-limbed, slender but lean. He wore the leathers that most of the soldiers wore, but there was gold thread sewn into the cuffs of his sleeves. A commander, then.
His smile was relaxed, somehow looking fully at ease. He slung an arm around Evelina’s shoulders, the familiarity in his touch making Daimon’s stomach twist.
Evelina recounted the ceremony for him, his gaze intensely set on her.
“Senna can walk them back,” Keir said with a yawn. He looked up. The sky was beginning to light with the soft glow of the sun rising. “We’ll be lucky to get an hour of rest before it’s time to pack up.”
Senna turned toward them as if noticing their presence for the first time.
“Keir,” he said with a grin. He walked over to him, shaking his hand. “You’re headed back to the border from what I hear.”
It wasn’t a shock Keir would know this soldier; he was the war commander, after all. But something prickled in Daimon’s chest regardless.
“We’ll need your unit to be fully prepared along the Andronicus,” Keir responded. “Think you can handle that?”
Senna nodded, his shoulders set and eyes confident. He turned to Daimon next, sticking his hand out. Daimon hesitated, but clasped his hand. “I’m Senna, commander of the western naval fleets.” His eyes dropped to Daimon’s uniform. “Rider, I take it?”
“Commander of the Alpha Fleet.”
Senna’s eyes widened and briefly flicked over his shoulder to where Evelina stood. He nodded and spun back to Lyria and Evelina. “I can meet youlater?—”
“Thanks for walking us back to the palace, Senna,” Evelina said quickly.
Keir released an appreciative sigh, yawning again. “We’ll see you at first light, Princess Evelina.”
Senna paused, his eyes lingering on Daimon. But Evelina and Lyria were already walking back toward the palace, and he spun around to catch up with them.
Daimon’s chest tightened as he watched the three of them walk away.
Fourteen
Evelina
Warfront healer.It wasn’t a title that Evelina ever thought she’d be given, and now it filled her mind with every breath.
Her entire life was about to change. She was going to be on the border, thrust into the war front alongside Gloriana. Nerves swirled in her stomach, but her hands were steady. Confident.
“Each of you will ride with us on the flight back,” Brielle said. Evelina vaguely remembered the Aegis, introduced by Keir during a council meeting a few months back. “The rest of the crew is still at the camp, but Keir, Daimon, and I should be able to make it a quick ride. Whoever doesn’t have one of you with them will carry your supplies.”
Evelina wasn’t ready to be alone with Daimon inanycapacity, let alone riding atop a wyvern all the way to the border.
“I’ll ride with you,” she rushed to say to Brielle.
Gloriana hummed to herself and said, “I’ll ride with Keir.”
Brielle nodded. “As you like.”
“You know the food isn’t like it is in the palace,” a warm, deep voice called out through the trees.
“Neither are the beds,” muttered another male voice.
Evelina rolled her eyes, a smile spreadingacross her face.
