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“Do you mind?” His smile was lopsided while his hands pressed against her back.

“Not in the least.” She debated kissing him again, but she could sense the waves of discomfort coming from their audience. “But I probably should say hello to everyone else.”

“Probably.” Merrik’s grin remained as he stepped back, releasing her. He bent down to pick up her bag for her.

Giving him a smile of thanks, Adry faced the others. Her dacha’s ears were bright pink in embarrassment as he stared upward. Fieran’s ears, too, were red, though he was gazing down at a short woman with dark, curly hair, tan skin several shades darker than Fieran’s pale and freckled complexion, and dressed in green overalls.

“Dacha!” Adry dashed down the steps, drawing his attention the moment before she threw her arms around him in a hug.

Dacha hesitated only a heartbeat before he gave her a hug in return, a smile creasing his face as he spoke in a warm tone. “Sena. It is good to see you.”

“And you.” How she’d missed her dacha. A second ache in her chest vanished, even as a lump formed in her throat. When she stepped out of the hug, she forced a smile and a cheery voice. “Practice tomorrow morning?”

“Yes.” Dacha tipped his head to her before he retreated.

Uncle Iyrinder gave her a similar nod from where he’d been standing a few feet behind Dacha, a smile on his face and an extra warmth in his eyes. An acknowledgment of the fact that Adry was courting his son.

After returning his smile, Adry faced her brother and the girlfriend she’d heard so much about. Pip, the half-dwarf, half-elf mechanic wasn’t smiling, and her eyes were wide, as if she was terrified of meeting Adry.

All the more reason to ignore her brother for another moment.

Grinning, Adry strode to Pip and hugged her. “Pip! I’m so happy to finally meet you. Merrik, Mama, Louise, Ellie, and Tryndar told me all about you, and it really was unfair for Fieran to finally bring home a girlfriend when I was gone and couldn’t meet you.”

“It’s…nice to meet you too.” Pip made an attempt at a return hug, though it was stiff and only with one arm, since she didn’t let go of her tight grip on Fieran’s hand. Her wide-eyed, terrified expression didn’t vanish either.

“I see how it is. No hello for me?” Fieran’s attempt at a glare couldn’t hide the grin twinkling in his blue eyes.

“Yes, yes, hello.” Adry gave him a light punch on the arm, even though something in her relaxed at seeing Fieran so alive and well. Her brother was fine. Despite his crash and the recent battle, he was still whole and himself. That made her fall into her usual teasing tone. “Your new girlfriend is much more interesting.”

“You’ve already stolen my best friend. You can’t steal my girlfriend away for girl chats or whatever just yet.” Fieran frowned at her, his brows lowering, even if his eyes gleamed and his voice still held that teasing note.

“If I steal Pip for girl time, you can have Merrik back for guy time.” Adry gave a magnanimous wave toward Merrik, where he had halted at her shoulder.

“The two of you had better not fight over me like one of your childhood toys.” Merrik’s grumble held a note that was as much true worry as teasing. He glanced at Pip. “Fair warning. They fight like cats and dogs just as often as they get along.”

Adry opened her mouth before she closed it on a sigh. It really was inconvenient that Merrik knew her so well.

Fieran tugged Pip closer and gave a huff. “I’ve turned a new, more mature leaf. If I can get along with Rhohen, then surely I can avoid fighting with Adry.”

“You’re getting along with Rhohen? Really?” Adry threw an arm over his shoulder, as much of a hug as she’d give her brother, and held out her free hand toward Merrik. “I need to hear all about this.”

Merrik, of course, clasped her hand, his fingers warm and strong where they threaded between hers.

Fieran flung his free arm over Adry’s shoulders, his hand bumping into one of her swords’ hilts before settling on her shoulder, locking them together. “It’s going to be good having you here.”

“Of course it will.” Adry grinned as the four of them set off across the train station. That burning heat of her magic settled into a mere simmer inside her for the first time in a long, long time.

This was exactly where she belonged. Despite the horrors she knew she’d face. Despite the reek of smoke in the air and the pall of death around her. She needed to be here. She needed to be a Laesornysh in all the full meaning of that title.

“Now, I want to see everything.” Adry finally tugged her arm free from Fieran’s shoulder as they neared a bustling road between two of the large warehouses.

She and Merrik dropped back, letting Fieran and Pip take the lead. While Adry normally wouldn’t let her brother take charge, she was content at the moment to hold Merrik’s hand and match his pace.

Fieran started a monologue about the various buildings around them. As they passed between several large warehouse-looking buildings, he gestured to three of them on their left. “Two of those are still mess halls. The third building used to be the mess where we’d get our meals, but it was turned into a giant icehouse for cold food storage. We now have a brand-new mess by the hangar exclusively for aerodrome pilots and personnel.”

Merrik shook his head, his smile curving wryly. “They built the new mess and a barracks for the staff, but they have not gotten around to building a barracks for the Half-Breed Squadron.”

“We’re still sleeping in tents.” Fieran heaved an exaggerated sigh and shudder.