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Her hair flicked around her shoulders, her magic slipping. I tightened my hold on her wrist and held my breath until the created breeze faded.

“If all you do is pour the drinks, you’re called a bar tender. If you also serve food to some of the tables, a waiter or waitress.”

She slowly finished the bar but made no move to dislodge my hold on her wrist.

“There’s only one moon,” she whispered. “And so many lights in the city it’s nearly impossible to see the stars.”

Surprise speared through me. “One moon?”

“Just one. I don’t know if other places had special names for it, but we only ever called it the moon.”

I eased back on one hand and looked up at the sky, finding both moons easily. I tried to imagine the same scene with only one and couldn’t. How empty her skies must have felt, especially if she could not see the stars while in her city.

“Is…” She breathed deeply. “What’s Starguard like? And the other city, the one Hugh and Elise plan to continue on to?”

She held herself like her entire body hurt, similar to those first few days on the mountains where her leg was still in the process of healing. I held the serum out to her again. This time she took it without comment, swallowing it in one heavy gulp. Then she twisted until her forehead pressed into her knees.

Softly, I explained the capital city of Embercrest. The way the roads wove through the different sections and the temples that were nestled as beating hearts within each one. How each had its own colors and textures, all of them unique and vital and beloved. I told her of the palace that sat atop the sheer cliffs that fell into the sea and the forest that grew right up to the armament walls that had become obsolete over the last three hundred years of peace. I tried to describe it all the way one would to a painter so that she might be able to envision it long after she was back home.

I only let my voice trail off when Vincent approached some time later, already dressed down for sleep, his hair hanging free of its braid and falling over one shoulder. His look took us both in, that same understanding sweeping over him as it had Shelby. His mouth tightened as his eyes flashed with a sadness I had not seen from him since his father joined those who had gone before to Arcadia.

“Dinner is ready,” he said. “I’ll have it brought to you.”

Amethyst didn’t even look up, her body still held rigid with pain.

“Thank you,” I offered.

Dawncross appeared in the distance like one might see a mirage in the Falkhour Desert. The group relaxed, excitement building until it felt like a living creation breathing amidst the horses and packs and armor. By this time tomorrow, we would be in Starguard. By this time tomorrow, Amethyst would be in the care of the Votarists and on her way back to her Arizona.

I ignored the ripping sensation deep in my gut at the thought.

“I cannot wait until we can sleep in a real bed again,” Hugh muttered, “and have running water.”

Joseph pulled his head from Hugh’s thigh and pressed his nose into Hugh’s palm. He’d taken to his fox shape the last several days while we navigated the ancient forest. After we’d stopped for lunch today shortly after leaving the forest, instead of keeping his form and riding his own horse into Dawncross, he’d once again become his fox and hopped into Hugh’s lap. Neither seemed overly concerned with what the rest of us thought of their growing, casual intimacy.

Jealousy pricked me, thin yet acute with its sting.

“Agreed,” Arden said from where he rode to my left.

He lightly clasped Monique’s wrist, and she offered him a shy, nearly-embarrassed smile.

Even Elise, the most reserved of the alphas that had participated in the Rite, was more casual with her touch and interactions with Tabitha. While my practically constant contact with Amethyst was borne of a need to keep her calm enough to control her magic, it was clear it had the unintended effect of relaxing all of us. For the sake of those that participated alongside me, I was grateful my actions held some benefit. Even as the thought occurred to me, I ran my thumb over Amethyst’s knuckles and then laced my fingers with hers, urging Torin a few inches closer so that she wouldn’t feel quite so imbalanced in her saddle. Her gaze flashed to me before focusing on the buildings growing larger by the minute.

Dawncross was a fraction of the size of Starguard, but it was sizable in comparison to Wolfrest, and the town’s silhouette reflected that. In the very center, the towers of the town’s collective temple sat higher than the rest of the buildings. Just like every time I’d been to Dawncross, it served as a beacon of warmth, a raised hand in welcome to all those traveling. Despite everything warring within me about the next day, my body relaxed at the sight. At the very least, I could ensure Amethyst’s final night with me was warm and comfortable.

The guard at the front of our convoy leaned toward Phillip, murmuring something too quiet for me to understand in the middle of the pack. Phillip nodded and motioned to the other guardsmen. Their formation adjusted soundlessly, accounting for the both of them riding forward, separating from the group.

“Can you tell what they see?” Arden asked.

I shook my head, but Reuben said, “Someone’s approaching.”

Phillip and Hayes stopped about a hundred feet in front of us, adjusting enough that I could see the person on horseback approaching us. My stomach twisted on itself hard and fast enough I lost my breath.

“It’s Phoebe,” I murmured. I dropped Amethyst’s hand in favor of taking better hold of my reins, urging Torin forward through the group. Elyssian followed before the lead rope grew taut.

Amethyst frowned but didn’t say anything, tucking her hand under her cloak. Shelby had done her hair more formal today, twisting the top of it away from her face and weaving more of the silver leaves into the twists than the last week. It left most of her hair to fall down her back, and over the course of the day, Amethyst had adjusted it until it flowed over her shoulders, hiding the translation tattoo as well as the rounded neckline of my sweater she continued to wear.

Phoebe said something to Phillip as I closed the distance. In response, Phillip and Hayes moved out of her way, turning back and returning to the larger group. I closed the last several feet of distance when Phoebe made no move to do so herself. While tired, she didn’t appear overly concerned, and some of the tension in my body released. Her gaze flicked to my bare forehead, but she didn’t say anything about my lack of formal dress as we approached the town.