A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(90)

He was here.

In Peridot.

Alive, and happy to see me. I felt my cheeks warm. “Very hello to you, too.” I pulled him through the doorway and into my room, lifting on my toes to press a single kiss against his cheek. He had shaved, and his smooth jaw was hot under my lips.

“When did you arrive?” I asked, not recognizing the rasp in my voice.

His hands grasped my hips firmly, but he held me at a distance. “Moments ago. I need to show you something.”

My face fell. “Right now?”

Kane looked like he could break solid rock with his teeth. “If you can believe it, yes.”

He grasped my hand and pulled me down the wooden stairs into the great hall. The room smelled of freshly grilled fish and citrus fruit. My stomach rumbled. We were surrounded by Peridot nobles and commanders, and I thought absently that I should probably let go of the King’s hand.

But then I saw them, and all other thoughts disappeared from my mind.





TWENTY-SIX


Only slightly worse for wear and in Garnet clothes I couldn’t have imagined any of them wearing, were my family. My mother, Leigh, and Ryder were seated at a wooden table with Griffin and Mari, laughing and eating. My face crumpled and I couldn’t control the tears that spilled down.

I ran to them, throwing myself at Leigh first.

“What the—” But when she realized it was me, she squealed. Her little arms wrapping around me only made me cry harder. Later, I would take the time to inspect every finger and every toe and prove to myself that she was really all right.

“I missed you so much. And I love you, but I can’t breathe!”

I released her, but only to get a good look at her face. She was thinner than when I last saw her, but she was beaming at me, and her expression lit up her sunken cheeks.

I looked to Ryder next, as he hustled over and scooped me into his arms.

When he let me go, he appraised my sheer outfit with a grimace. “You look deranged.”

I laughed through my blurry eyes and held him tighter. “Thank you.” I pulled back but kept my voice low. “You kept them safe.”

“Of course I did. What did you do?”

“It’s a very long story.”

Then I made my way over to my mother. She didn’t look quite as good as Leigh and Ryder. The months had aged her, and she seemed frail and tired. I crouched down and held her in my arms.

“I can’t believe it. I thought I might never see you again,” she breathed.

My heart rose in my chest like the sun after a storm. Bright and shining and clear. I held her even tighter. “I know.” I said. “I’m so sorry.”

We stayed like that for I don’t know how long. When my back began to ache, I let go and took a seat at the table.

I searched for Kane, only to find him stalking out of the hall with Amelia and Eryx. I ran after them, joy and disbelief making me bold.

“Hey! Wait!” I caught up to him and yanked on his shirt, wiping my eyes with my other hand. “Where are you going?”

Amelia gazed at me with cynical interest next to her father, but I couldn’t be bothered. Not tonight. Not when Kane was looking at me with such affection, my cheeks began to hurt from all the smiling.

“I thought you might want to be alone with them. I have some things to do here before I leave.”

“We do have a war to strategize on, Lady Arwen,” Amelia said, condescension dripping from her voice and even stony features.

“Oh, of course.” I turned back to Kane. “Thank you. I’ll never be able to say it enough—for reuniting us.”

“I told you I would,” he said, eyes shining.

“How did you get here so quickly? From Garnet?”

His head cocked to the side as if he was preparing to answer my question with another question.

“Dragon?” I asked, as if it was completely normal to me.

He smiled a bit. “Yes.” Then, leaning away from our hosts, “I’m not sure who was more thrilled, your mother or the little one.”

“And Ryder?”

“I think he vomited.”

I loosed a too-loud laugh and Kane’s eyes crinkled at my joy.

“When do you leave?” I asked.

He shifted his weight and back toward Eryx. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Right,” I said. “Well, even busy kings who are waging wars have to eat. Want to join us? Would probably be the shock of my mother’s life.” I grinned up at him.

His usual wolf-like charm was gone tonight, but he didn’t seem sad, either. Maybe resigned, which made sense. I understood the severity of the situation. But nothing could take the joy of seeing my family away from me right now.

He glanced at Amelia and Eryx, their faces twin masks of irritation. Then his eyes flit over to the candlelit table that held my family, Mari, his commander.

“Sure,” he said.

***

Dinner was fascinating.

I had given my mother the burrowroot concoction I brewed on our journey here, and while she wasn’t thrilled with the taste, her face had brightened just over the course of our dinner.

Despite my family’s initial unease at the dark king’s presence, Kane was on his best behavior, and they softened to him one by one. Leigh first, of course—the girl was gutsy. Then Mother, who had many questions for Kane. ‘What does it feel like to carry the burden of a kingdom on your lone shoulders?’ ‘Do the deaths you have caused weigh on you daily?’ Not quite leisurely dinnertime conversation. I tried to convey my displeasure through relentless eye contact.