The storm felt different on this side of the river. The rain still fell, but it carried a faint warmth, as though the sky itself breathed easier beyond the city’s reach.
Umbral rose ahead of us in obsidian towers and curved balconies, its surfaces gleaming black beneath the rainfall. Light glowed from within—not the sharp gold of Haelen, but a muted silver-blue.
Home.
Not the one I was born into, but the one I had claimed in front of a thousand witnesses.
Figures lined the entrance. Veythar guards in dark armor stood with hands resting on hilts, their posture alert. Behind them gathered others. Faces I recognized. Faces I did not. At the center stood Bater, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable until his eyes landed on us.
Talon did not stop until we were deep within the shadow of the gate. Only then did he let go of my waist, though it was only to dive his hands into my wet hair and frame my face. He searched my eyes with a desperation that bordered on pain, his thumbs tracing the line of my jaw as if to ensure I had not evaporated into the mist.
“Little flame,” he breathed.
“I am here,” I whispered, my voice wobbling.
Then he crushed his mouth to mine. It tasted of rain and salt and a hunger that had been starved for a thousand years. I clutched at his shirt, my fingers knotting in the fabric as I pulled him closer, needing the radiating heat of him to drown out the memory of today’s events.
He pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against mine, his chest heaving.
“If you had died,” he whispered, his voice cracking, “I would have torn the sun from the sky.”
“Is she well?” a familiar voice called out.
I lifted my gaze over Talon’s shoulder. Leona pushed through the gathered crowd, her silver-streaked hair damp, her hands grasping a stone basket. Her eyes shone when she saw me.
“You foolish girl,” Leona breathed, cupping my face before Talon could answer. “We thought the river would bring us your body.”
“I am harder to kill than that,” I said, though my voice wavered.
“You should not test that claim again.”
A ripple of subdued laughter passed through those gathered.
Bater cleared his throat, his expression softening. “As much as I enjoy the reunion, we have a city to secure. The High Court has bent, but they will look for any excuse to snap back. We need a game plan.”
Talon nodded curtly. He planted a final, lingering kiss on my forehead, his lips warm against my cold skin. “I am organizing an emergency meeting with the soldiers. Go with Leona—there is someone who would like to see you.”
I followed Leona deeper into the dark stone thoroughfares. The storm from the other side had followed us in the form of a light mist, and rainwater ran in thin, silver streams along the curves of the obsidian.
“Neya will be glad to see you,” Leona said, before adding, “if she is awake, that is.”
“She is alive?” I breathed.
Leona offered a small nod, her expression softening in the glow of the lanterns. “She is recovering well. It takes more than a piece of Haelen steel to quiet a soul like hers.”
She continued to stroll ahead, the obsidian basket swinging in her hand.
“Leona,” I called out. “Has anyone else crossed the border today?”
She paused and turned to face me with furrowed brows. “No. Were we expecting someone?”
I forced a shake of my head, though the movement tugged at the raw skin along my jaw. “No. It was only a thought.”
I had watched Meliory dart toward the bridge, but fear coiled in my gut. Had he made it? Or had his starved body surrendered to the elements?
The corridor narrowed as we passed beneath a curved archway, and the air shifted from rain and stone to warmth and sweetness.
We stepped into the infirmary, and the scent of crushed lavender and dried sage rose to meet us. The relief I expected was instantly replaced by a jolt of alarm.