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Then we were at the classroom door, and through it—I burst inside like a child about to receive a present—only to slide to a halt on the floorboards as the silent room went still and every eye snapped up to me, then Voski, and then Gil when his steps appeared in the doorway behind me.

Four rows of high tables and stools, each with one of my brothers staring in shock, and Ronen at the front, brows high because we’d surprised him too.

No one spoke, and for a moment, my heart chittered in fear.

Maybe they didn’t want me back?

Maybe they weren’t pleased to—

“Grace!” Bren shrieked, throwing herself out of her seat with such force, her stool fell over. And as if her cry was a starting gun for the rest, our brothers erupted.

Grace!

Voski!

You made it!

You’re back!

Ronen, who leaned back on the desk at the front of the room, smiled and ducked his chin, then followed the others forward who hadn’t seen us yet.

First I hugged Bren, and we swayed back and forth, laughing and excited together. Then, everyone was on their feet, and bellowing greetings, and shaking hands and… and… and…

I was passed from one brother to the next. Hugged, squeezed, and welcomed, all with happy smiles and teasing words—mostly for Voski. Who, though he felt somewhat uneasy in the bond, smiled and took every little blow with a wink, or a grin.

“Right, right, give our poor Flameborne room to breathe,” Ronen chuckled. “I’m sure if she’s here she’s back for good… correct, Grace?”

The room went quiet and every eye turned to me, waiting.

I beamed and clapped. “Yes! I can start training again!”

The roar that accompanied that—along with being lifted on my brothers’ shoulders and carried out of the room—was so touching, I blinked back happy tears. But I was also suddenly gripped in a mild panic.

As they carried me down the hall, chanting my name, and calling to the other Furyknights that I was back, and applause and cheers rose, I twisted in their grips, looking behind me, toward that classroom door—where was Voski?

‘Grace? Do you want to get down?’ His voice was gentle, but mildly alarmed.

‘Where are you?’

‘Look to your right.’

I sucked in a breath and turned. I hadn’t realized he and Gil had followed the others, positioning themselves on the outside of the gang, just outside of arm’s reach.

‘Oh… good. I was worried when I couldn’t see you,’ I admitted.

While my brothers started down the stairs, teasing me about how they would need to fatten me up if I was to survive training, Voski remained just to my right, eyes locked on me.

‘Are you sure you’re ready for this, Grace?’ he asked, though he gave no signal of the somber tone to his brothers. ‘If you need more time—’

‘No. I’m sure. I’m certain. I just… I don’t want to do it without you close. That’s all.’

‘You won’t.’

It was a conversation we’d already had, and he’d assured me we wouldn’t be given conflicting orders. That we wouldn’t be parted for more than the length of a patrol flight.

And yet… he still hadn’t returned to roster. He continued to meet with Donavyn and Ronen. He disappeared for meetings with others, occasionally. But never for more than an hour or two.

‘Aren’t you sick of being grounded with me? I can’t wait to fly. You must be itching to get back into work, surely?’ I voiced the niggling worry, though he’d shown no sign of being boxed up by these weeks at my side. If anything, I’d had to encourage him to leave the room where I’d been stuck. ‘I can’t wait to get back to training!’