Jade returned the embrace. “I survived.” She pulled back and hovered her hand over his side, shame flooding her. “Zak said you got hurt pretty bad because of me. I’m sorry.”

  Kerlee captured her hand and squeezed it. “For our mechanic princess, it was nothing.” He hitched a thumb over his shoulder at Briar. “But I agree with him, don’t do it again.”

  She rubbed her arm, knowing they couldn’t see the tattoo under her long sleeves. “I won’t.” She tilted her head at the tray of cookies. “May I?”

  Krista leaned against the counter and snagged a cookie for herself. She held it in her hand and visibly swallowed, her gaze bouncing between Jade and Zak. “Serena was the first one in, and she didn’t say much. I saw Zaborah. I saw your family. Where is Geist? Finn?”

  Jade’s happiness sputtered, dimmed. She braced her palms against the counter and willed herself to not let any tears shed this moment. She’d cried enough on the Phoenix, and she’d probably cry even more later. But for right now, she wanted to not have puffy eyes and a runny nose.

  “Finn made it,” Zak said softly. He touched his side, his voice deceptively light, as if the healing scar Jade knew was under his shirt wasn’t from her. “He joined us again afterwards, just long enough to help the healing process for some of our injuries.”

  Briar’s eyes narrowed at the way Zak spoke. “He didn’t stay?”

  Jade shook her head. “I think he wanted some time alone. He’d … just lost a lot.”

  “Raine.” Krista looped her finger around one of her braids. “She, Ben, the other Void Born … they aren’t coming back, are they?”

  Jade’s eyes watered, and she looked up at the smoke-stained ceiling, trying to keep the moisture off her cheeks. “Finn thinks they made it back. To their home.”

  “Oh.” Krista forced a smile. “That’s what Ben wanted, though. To make his way back. So that’s good.” She held her hand out toward Briar, and he took it, catching hers between both of his hands. Krista shook her head. “Poor Finn.”

  Jade nodded wordlessly, and picked up a cookie for herself, gently rotating it with her fingers, studying the lightly-browned edges. The heavenly scent of cinnamon wafted off of it. There was no easy way to say this next part. “We lost Geist.”

  Zak’s chest bumped into Jade’s back, and she surrendered to his wordless comfort, leaning into him. His arms wrapped around her, his chin brushing the top of her head as he spoke. “He died after defending Ben. Because of him, Ben could complete his part to break the bond.” Zak’s hug tightened. “A friend who will never be forgotten.”

  Jade shifted, trying to burrow deeper into Zak’s embrace. “That’s probably why Serena didn’t stick around. I think she and Geist were close. She’s been withdrawn ever since.”

  Kerlee set his cookie down, head bowed. “They were.”

  Krista brushed at the tears in her eyes. “Stupid war.”

  Briar walked away to a corner of the kitchen, reappearing a moment later with a jug of amber liquid and five small shot glasses. He uncorked the jug, and the tang of whiskey mixed with the scent of the spiced cookies. He poured a shot into each glass, then slid them each one. He lifted his own glass. “To Geist. May he find new adventures in Areilia.”

  Jade’s murmured reply mixed with the others as they toasted their friend.

  Briar refilled the glasses. “And to Ben and Raine, and all the other Void Born that we’ve met, whether we realized it or not. May we never forget the memories with them that we’ve had, and may we learn to love new friends like them in the future.”

  Now the tears did start in earnest. The whiskey burned a trail down her throat, cutting through the grief that tightened it.

  They chatted lightly after that, and Briar put the drink away, promising they’d have a proper reunion later.

  Three cookies later, Jade and Zak trailed through the palace. She wanted to find Brandon. Weston. Confirm for herself that Weston was as healthy and whole as Krista had said he was. See for herself what Krista and Briar were hedging around when she asked about Brandon.

  Krista said she had ideas for what they could do. But left it vague, and she made Jade promise to come back to talk it over later. Her purposeful ambiguousness vexed Jade.

  So after finding them, then she needed to find Francene. And … figure out what to do with herself. How could she help her people best now?

  Brandon, they discovered, was in a side room, talking to and tending to soldiers who had been injured. It warmed Jade’s heart to see him kneeling next to a man whose side was bandaged, Brandon’s gaze haunted, but determined. Those in the room focused on Brandon as he talked, sharing a story that she’d never heard.

  She and Zak waited in the doorway for him to finish, and only then did she step in slightly, catching his attention. He excused himself and bolted toward them, his arms wide––but only one arm ended in a hand. His left arm was bandaged over the elbow, the rest conspicuously missing.

  Krista’s words clicked. She had ideas for a prosthetic for Brandon. Because he’d need one.

  Jade let him hug her, and she even returned the gesture. He would never replace Slate as her father. But she’d let Brandon be her father in his own different way.

  He ran his hand over her hair, his sharp gaze taking in the way she held herself, and whatever he saw made his entire expression soften. “To have been bonded is a terrible burden to carry. When you don’t have the strength to face it, look to those around you to help ease the weight.”

  Jade opened and closed her mouth a few times. Those were not the first words she was expecting from him after everything. Not at all. And yet, somehow, they seemed to be the right thing for him to say. Even if his timing and delivery were … left wanting.

  She lifted her hand, hovering it over the stump of his arm, cautious to not touch it. “What happened?”

  Brandon knelt before her, his gaze focused on the worn knees of her pants. “I failed.”

  She blinked, shook her head slightly, and exchanged glances with Zak. Zak mirrored her confusion and shrugged.

  She touched Brandon’s shoulder and frowned at his small flinch. “How did you fail?”

  Brandon peered up at her, searching, as if disbelieving her question. Was it something obvious, that she should’ve known? The gears turned feverishly in her mind, but she couldn’t quite make sense of his words.

  Brandon settled his hand on his sword hilt and tapped the gem with his finger. He motioned with his stump. “The Coven leader of the army down here. I walked into her trap.” His voice grew quiet, and Jade leaned forward to hear him better. “She gave me two options: Kill our soldiers, or help bond them.” He looked up at her, his eyelashes damp with anguish. “You wanted me to lead. But I failed instead.”

  Oh. Jade rocked back on her heels, absorbing that. It didn’t really answer her question, but it gave her a lot to take in. What to say to that? She’d been given a choice as well, and had willingly walked into captivity, to the detriment of those around her. Was this a family curse, to be given horrid choices?

  She lightly brushed Brandon’s cheek, just above his beard. His face whipped up, and he stared at her, clearly startled by her touch.

  “This was a war for survival,” she reminded him. “We all made bad decisions. And we’ll all carry the burden of regret. But we did the best we could, given what we had.”

  “I had to be the one, Jade.” Her father’s voice broke. “I was the one to personally kill the soldiers who chose to not be turned.”

  A flash of anger burned hot and bright in Jade’s heart. Not at Brandon—but at the sheer cruelty of it all.

  “Then that was a mercy,” Zak replied, low and sincere. He squatted to be eye-level with Brandon. “She could’ve had them killed in any manner of way that’d be torture. You gave them a quick, clean death, didn’t you?”

  Brandon nodded, his gaze still on Jade. “Yes,” he whispered, hoarse. “None suffered.”

  “Then that was a mercy,” Zak repeated. He stood and shifted closer to Jade, his hand a gentle weight on her shoulder. “She already said it. We did the best we could, given our situations.”

  A struggle warred across Brandon’s face until he finally sighed and dipped his head in acceptance. He looked up, focused solely on Jade. “I still ask for your forgiveness. For everything.”

  Everything. This, she understood. For the years apart. For the injuries, physical and emotional. The distance and the awkward attempts at closeness. He needed forgiveness, just as she needed to forgive, to give them a new foundation from which to build, with all the rubble of hurts cleared away.

  “I forgive you.” She nudged him. “Now get up. It’s weird having you kneel.”

  Brandon didn’t move. The knuckles of his one hand grazed the marble floor before he pressed them flat as he pushed himself to stand. He wobbled, off-balance, and Jade leaned in, helping to stabilize his weight. He pulled her in for another quick, lopsided hug. “Thank you.”

  “Your arm.” Jade prompted. “When did that happen?”

  Brandon’s face fell. “I battled Andre. And––” He broke himself off, and started again. “The bond broke while we were fighting. He saved my life, with a small price to pay.”

  Jade’s stomach clenched. “Andre, is he alive?”

  Brandon’s malaise dissipated some. “He’s unhurt. I sent him away to go rest, because he’d been wearing himself ragged between helping me and Lord Weston.” He released her and clapped Zak on the shoulder. “And thank you for bringing her back.”

  Zak nodded solemnly. “I wasn’t going to return without her.”

  “How do you move on, know what to do with your life?” Jade blurted out. She winced and tried to amend her question. “That is, I-I don’t know what to do with myself.” She shook her head. “I still don’t want to be queen.” She lifted both hands to gesture to all the people in the hall. All the people, she noticed belatedly, that had likely heard her exchange with Brandon. Oh well. Too late now. “I want to help our people. But I want, I need, some sort of freedom too. Especially after …” she trailed off.

  “I need an ambassador.” Brandon scratched his jaw, his gaze focused somewhere over her shoulder. Then he gave her a small smile. “Someone who can take an airship and visit different capitals and cities for me. Someone who can travel with a guard in both the south and north, helping be my eyes and hands as we heal this land.”

  Jade blinked. Once. Twice.

  A broad grin split Zak’s face. “That sounds perfect.” He put his arm around Jade. “Maybe think about it for a few days?”

  She looked between the two of them, confirming that this was real. This wasn’t some figment of her imagination. Some weird side effect of the bond. Already much of the last few minutes, talking with Brandon so normally, seemed like such an oddity. A wonderful, good, thing, to be certain, but still strange. Like a new pair of boots that fit, yet weren’t worn in.

  And an ambassador? Someone who got to travel in the sky, watch the best sunrises and sunsets in the world? Someone who got to help the people and the crown? And yet she’d have her own freedom?

  She didn’t need to think about it.

  “Yes.” Jade lifted her chin, straightening. Feeling the missing piece of her life click into place. “I will be Doldra’s ambassador.”

  Humor lit Brandon’s eyes at her quick response. “Your Aunt Garnet should be back in town soon, and she can help you fill in your crew with good men and women. And we’ll figure the rest out later, Captain Ambassador.”

  Jade nodded, dazed. Her own crew? Just like that?

  Zak nudged her, his breath tickling her ear. “Congratulations, Captain.”

  Her breath stalled in her lungs for a moment while his words turned over in her head. Her squeal echoed in the halls.

  This would be the perfect path to a fresh, new start.

  Epilogue

  Raine

  Raine slowly crossed off another day on the calendar. Another day ending with no news, no sign, no anything from Ben.

  Sara said nothing, watching Raine putter about the kitchen, picking up a pot, putting it back. Rinsing an apple mechanically, then staring at it as if she had no idea what she was doing with it.

  “Maybe time moves differently when coming back?” Sara offered hesitantly, her words hopeful but her tone defeated.

  Raine shook her head, not looking at Ben’s sister. “Papa said nothing about it working like that.”

  Two weeks. Two weeks had passed.

  Raine twisted the ring on her finger, a nervous habit she’d acquired almost the same day she’d received it back from being resized.

  Sara had been kind enough to pay for that expense. And every expense since Raine had appeared at her doorstep, dressed in clothes that didn’t fit High Normandy. Sara had been about to shut the door when Raine showed her the ring. Only then had Sara ushered Raine inside.

  And two weeks didn’t seem like much, but as they passed by, the women bonded over love for and fear for Ben. Raine sharing all that she could think of from Terrene, filling in Sara with what Ben had done while in Terrene, and Sara teaching Raine all she could of Ben’s life on Earth.

  Sara sighed and stood, adjusting the blanket wrapped around her. “I may as well go to bed. You?”

  Raine shook her head and leaned her hip against the window sill, staring up at the night sky, the strange constellations. “Not yet.”

  “Right. Well, see you in the morning.” Sara padded out of the room on bare feet.

  The near-silent hum of a vibrating phone broke through Raine’s reverie. She glanced back and watched Sara’s screen glow as it shifted across the face of a book on the coffee table.

  “You forgot your phone!” Raine called. She crossed the small room to lift the device, furrowing her brow at the name on the screen. “Unknown number calling you.”

  Sara re-emerged from her room, already dressed in pajamas. “Who’s calling this late?” She took her phone and scowled at it before answering. “Hello?”

  Raine couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but she didn’t miss the way Sara’s eyes darted up to meet hers. The way tears welled in them, unspilling. The way Sara sagged into the wall.

  “He’s alive?” Sara whispered. She shut her eyes, the tears finally falling. “When? Where?”

  Tension coiled in Raine’s gut, snaking up through her chest, wrapping around her lungs, squeezing her throat. Ben. It had to be.

  Sara hunched over on herself, murmuring a few more quick words before tapping her finger on the screen to end the call. Her gaze looked glassy. “They found him.”

  The snake of tension shattered, piercing Raine with relief so sharp it hurt.

  “But.” Sara swallowed hard, her fingers tugging at her blonde curls in what Raine now recognized as a nervous habit. “He has PTSD. Specifically, memory issues.”

  Unbidden, both their gazes went to the ring on Raine’s finger. Her stomach churned.

  What if he’d forgotten who she was?

  “He’ll be at the airport tomorrow. We can meet him there.” Sara worked her jaw for a moment before speaking, hesitant. “I was interviewed a year ago, on the first anniversary of his disappearance. I’d told them what I knew: he didn’t have a significant other of any sort. So, tomorrow, it wouldn’t look right if you showed up as his fiancée.” Sara’s fingers twisted in her hair, bringing the ends toward her mouth, as if she were going to chew on them. “Definitely as a friend, of course. But we don’t want to bring any more attention to your … unusual circumstances.”

  Raine nodded woodenly, her thoughts spiraling.

  What would she do if he didn’t remember her?

  *.* * * *

  Raine clung to Sara’s hand, unashamed to admit how much her fear threatened to choke her.

  News stations from around the world waited just behind them. Sara had painstakingly reviewed everything she could think of to warn Raine in advance of the otherwise-foreign technology. Everyone wanted to hear about the soldier who’d disappeared at the same time as his unit and then reappeared years later, with no memory of where he’d been.

  Raine hated it all. She just wanted Ben home.

  A white plane with red markings on the wings rolled into view of the airport window. The turbines whirred slowly, and Sara emitted a small sound that reminded Raine of the sound Geist had made when the rat went by him in the dragon cages.

  Geist. Had he made it? Papa? Had they found Jade? Were they successful? Had the bond broken?

  The questions haunted her dreams.

  And they would never know.

  Sara clutched Raine’s hand with the same fervor as Raine held onto Sara. A seam opened in the plane and curved stairs bowed down. Two soldiers in desert camouflage got off.

  Raine’s heart soared up and lodged itself in her throat.

  Ben.

  He was alive.

  He was here.

  His hair looked longer and a bit sun bleached, his skin a bit tanner.

  But it was still him.

  He entered the airport and blinked a few times, surprise crossing his face at the sight of all the cameras flashing.

  Sara eep’d and tore away from Raine, running to Ben. His expression cleared at the sight of her, then he was beaming, grabbing her in a hug and twirling her around. He held her back at arm’s length, laughed aloud, then pulled her in again.

  Raine wrapped her arms around herself, trembling. He remembered his sister. Would he remember her?

  Sara tugged him toward Raine, chattering at him, not letting go of his hand. There wasn’t enough oxygen in the room for Raine to take in. Sara stopped just before Raine and smiled up at her brother. “Do you remember our family friend, Raine?”

  Ben smiled warmly. “I wouldn’t forget such a gorgeous lady.”

  A camera clicked nearby, and Raine was uncomfortably aware of the fact that this reunion, right here, right now, was probably being seen practically everywhere.

  Something flashed in his eyes, then shuttered.

  Did he remember her? Did he not? She couldn’t tell.

  Raine swallowed back her tears, resolving to not have his first memory of her be of her crying. She returned his smile and held out her hand. “Welcome home, Ben.”

 

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