Chapter Thirteen
With each step we took that brought us closer to Cairnyl over the next four days, I could feel more and more of Byn’s emotions returning to my chest.
It was a relief—a comfort—to feel that again.
Ezra and I talked quietly about it at least once a day when we stopped to rest or eat.
He could feel Quinn the same way I could feel Byn, and he’d had questions about it.
Somehow, despite his time away, he hadn’t lost the spark inside that made him… himself.
By the second day, I couldn’t hold on to my shadow form anymore. Matea picked up my slack, shifting us both into shadows as we traveled, while Rayven did the same for Ezra. Not only did this help us stay hidden and unseen during our journey, but it dulled the pain both Ezra and I felt.
We didn’t stop in Genisyn this time. Rayven decided to put his survival skills to the test by hunting or fishing instead, depending on what was available.
He had felt bad asking me to cook whatever he caught with my fire zirilium, but lighting a normal bonfire could have drawn too much attention to us, and I understood that.
We stopped and ate twice a day, but with each stop, the length of time we remained in one spot grew longer. All four of us were exhausted beyond belief. Even with recharging our sun stones—and my moon stones—we hadn’t had the time to recharge ourselves.
On the rare occasion when we traveled by foot, Rayven, Matea or I lent a shoulder to Ezra for him to lean on.
He was weak, nearly skin and bones from his time in the dungeons, and had the least amount of energy out of the four of us.
I’d given him what was left of my cloak that first day, since he hadn’t had a shirt, and I used my wings as coverage over my bare arms and to help keep me warm—despite the pain it took to move the injured one.
Though, I didn’t mind it much, as I was the most accustomed to the colder weather.
Fortunately, by day three, we’d snuck back over the border into Southern territory—which now had even more patrols than before—and were in the home stretch.
Now, on the morning of our fourth day, we were nearly home.
We’d all decided to set out early that morning, our relief about being so close to home palpable. But as we soon learned, Rayven and Matea were nearly drained by that point in our journey, too. We had no choice but to set out on foot.
As we made our slow trek through the last stretch of Wittuck Woods, I couldn’t help but be grateful that Matea—who had a big hand in the route we’d taken to and from Hollis—helped us avoid anywhere near the place where the Battle of Shadows had taken place.
I wasn’t sure I could have stomached it, being back there.
I knew she’d picked this route on purpose, and I appreciated her even more-so because of it.
“Are you ready to see her again, brother?” Rayven asked Ezra, drawing me from my thoughts.
Ezra, who was currently being held up by Rayven and Matea while taking slow, steady steps together, sighed lightly at just the mention of his wife.
“It’ll all have been worth it once I see her again,” he said, his voice full of unyielding love.
My heart ached for Ezra and all he’d been through.
We’d patched him up the best we could, but we had no more bandages or medicines left from the trokav kit.
He’d likely scar in some places because of it, but at least he had made it.
On the other hand, my wing pained me each time I moved it, so I’d been avoiding doing so.
“She speaks highly of you, you know,” Matea says, breaking the silence we’d fallen back into.
Before Ezra could muster the strength to respond, his head snapped sideways to look at me, his eyes frantic with… excitement?
“Do you feel it?” he asked.
“Feel wh—” I stopped when I finally understood his reaction.
Byn.
He was close. I could feel him—sense him, even.
Which had to mean that Quinn was close, too.
Faster than I could process, Ezra shrugged off the two shadow wielders, attempting to run ahead out of the edges of the forest on his own.
He didn’t make it more than three steps before he stumbled, but Rayven and Matea were instantly there to catch him before he could fall.
Together, the three of them broke out into a run—slow enough so Ezra could keep up—bursting out of the edges of Wittuck Woods after having spent what felt like weeks inside of it.
Before I could process what I was doing, I was tumbling forward, my feet moving faster than my thoughts as I, too, came bursting out of Wittuck Woods to stand outside of Cairnyl.
I nearly ran right into my companions as I crossed over into the harsh sunlight, now unobstructed by the lack of trees overhead. Coming to stand next to them, I paused.
Ezra and I were simply feeling.
Sensing.
The bonds we shared with our spouses went deeper than the ink in our flesh.
They were soul bonds.
One that proved not to fail us then as suddenly, from one of the dirt roads leading out of Cairnyl, came two figures.
Two fae who were running like their very lives depended on it.
As the first came into view, I knew I’d recognize her bright ginger locks anywhere.
Quinn, who despite being substantially shorter than the second figure, was multiple yards ahead of them, her legs carrying her faster than a thrown dagger.
Ezra stumbled forward at the sight of his wife, out of the reach of the two shadow wielders, doing his best to meet Quinn halfway.
I wanted to watch the reunion, to help Ezra reach her, but my eyes caught sight of something I wanted more than anything else in this realm.
The second figure.
Robyn Thorntier.
My husband.
My love.
My very heart which beat outside of my chest.
And when I saw him, I couldn’t help it.
I ran.
It didn’t matter that it had been less than two weeks—I ran.
I cursed the Stars for the pain in my wing stopping me from flying to him, but running would have to do.
Before I realized what I was doing, an air current was there, pushing me forward, faster and faster until Byn’s features became clear—exactly as I had memorized them to be.
It all came bubbling up swiftly—everything I’d been trying to push down. The physical pain, the emotional wreckage, the mental fractures of what I thought I knew to be true. It wasn’t until then that I realized in doing that, I’d been blocking Byn out to a degree, too.
And now he was back, full force.
His anxiety, love, concern, hope, and relief all flooded into me in a wave of forest green as he grew nearer.
And then, like an eclipse of the sun and moon, we collided.
His arms were around me, and mine around him, and he was close, but never close enough. I’d leaped, my legs locking around his waist as he held me so tight it felt like he was trying to merge our very beings into one.
I would have let him.
I didn’t realize I was crying until the sound of Byn saying one word over and over grounded me back into my body.
“Avi, Avi, Avi…” he murmured repeatedly, stroking my hair and being my source of comfort, even when he didn’t know exactly why I’d needed it. Even his familiar scent—sweet magnolia blossoms and fresh rain—was a comfort I hadn’t realized I’d missed.
If I hadn’t been absolutely exhausted, I was confident my zirilium would have acted up somehow.
“I’ve missed you,” I said, my cries turning to sniffles.
“I know, my love. I’ve missed you, too.” He sighed.
“Saying I simply missed you doesn’t do the feelings I experienced justice.
I yearned for you, ached for you, every moment you were gone.
When I could hardly feel you anymore, Teagan practically had to drag me back to The Haven by my ear,” he said, causing me to let out a surprised chuckle.
“You know, for somebody that hasn’t slept in a real bed in nearly two weeks, you still manage to take my breath away,” Byn said after pulling back to look at me, that handsome smirk of his quirking up his mouth on one side.
I rolled my eyes, then teased, “Shut up and kiss me, Thorntier.”
And that was all the encouragement he had needed, his lips crashing into mine a split second later.
It was a hungry, devouring kiss full of claim and need and desire.
I finally understood him when he said he burned for me—I felt so many things at once for him, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I broke out into flames just outside of town.
Just outside of town.
I gasped, pulling back and locking eyes with my husband, my cheeks flushing pink.
“I was just getting started,” he complained, but I could hear the playfulness in his voice and feel his delight in my chest.
“Another time, love,” I said, untangling myself from him and standing on my own two feet again.
“So…” Byn said, looking over my head. “You three were at least somewhat successful.”
I turned, following his gaze until my eyes landed on Quinn and Ezra.
They were kneeling before each other, Quinn holding her husband’s face as they simply marveled at each other. They were so close, I knew they’d already been wrapped up in each other, and I was just catching the tail end of the interaction.
Byn slipped his hand into mine and began the walk over. But once we got near, my heart cracked at what I heard.
“I didn’t break, Gem. I thought of you, and I knew deep down that I’d see you again. I knew I couldn’t live with myself if I broke, so I thought of what you would do, and it worked. I didn’t break. I didn’t break. I didn’t break.”
Soon, fresh tears were rolling down Ezra’s face, and Quinn pulled him close, as though if she held on tight enough, she could undo all the hurt that had befallen him.
“I wouldn’t have cared if you had, Ezra. I just wanted you home safely.” She pulled back and cupped his face again, her own eyes welling anew. “And you did that. You made it. You survived, Ezra.”
Ezra laughed then, as though he could barely believe it himself.
He caught sight of Byn then, his focus shifting for just a moment as he said, “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“Never, my brother,” Robyn said, his voice cracking slightly as he leaned over to place a hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly. I could feel the joy radiating from Byn so strongly, and it reminded me of the fire he wielded.
I knew Byn wanted to speak to Ezra more, to hug him and make sure he was alright, but he was also aware that Quinn had him now. And that was reassurance enough.
I watched as Byn turned to Rayven and Matea.
On making eye contact, Rayven placed his fist over his heart and bowed his head.
Byn smiled, mimicking his friend’s hand movements.
The look of respect and appreciation that passed between them was something I was grateful Byn had.
It seemed like a whole conversation had passed between them, without a word needing to be said.
Facing Matea, Byn dipped his head to her and said, his voice full of appreciation, “Thank you. Whatever you need or want, it’s yours. Just let me know.”
It wasn’t just the appreciation in his voice that I noticed, though. I could feel the mixed emotions he’d harbored before unraveling as he softened toward my half-sister. Now all he seemed to be feeling towards her was gratitude.
Matea, whose eyes were full of pride for her accomplishments, waved a hand dismissively and responded, “It was nothing.”
Her utter nonchalance caused Byn to laugh. I smiled, his laugh like flawless music to my ears.
Oh, how I’ve longed for him, I thought.
He headed back over to my side after making sure Matea truly knew he was there if she needed anything, then slipped his hand back into mine. It was as though he couldn’t stand not to touch me in some way.
“Let’s go get you into some fresh clothes, wife,” he said, then added, “And checked out by Chess. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
He looked pointedly at my left wing then, letting me know he, indeed, somehow was aware.
“Who snitched?” I asked as Ezra and Quinn slowly got to their feet, too, with Ezra leaning into Quinn’s side.
“Rayven,” Byn said easily.
We all laughed—mostly from the hysterics—as we made our way back to The Haven.
And with my hand in Byn’s, finally, I was home.