Page 29 of On Burning Paths

But I don’t feel anything.

A minute later, there’s another sound in the trees, and Fenric pulls me behind him before we realize it’s Talon and Thorian returning.

“—well, I wouldn’t have hacked it if you didn’t pin him like that,” Talon says as they step back through the underbrush.

“And you’re sure he won’t turn?” Thorian asks, his gaze darting to me, then Fenric, then around the rest of our surroundings. He doesn’t seem to notice anything, which must mean none of the other Vultures are nearby.

“No,” Talon laughs, snorting and shaking his head. “We choose who to turn. That bite was just to scare the fucker. And, gods, if he didn’t taste like scum off the bath house pool.”

Thorian laughs. “Looks like it, too.”

“He won’t turn,” Talon elaborates, “but I bet he’ll use every ounce of magic he has in his body casting healing spells and anti-venom hexes. It should work to our advantage, the misinformation about vamps.”

Thorian chuckles again, shaking his head, and despite everything that just happened and the fact that my hands are still shaking, I raise my eyebrows at them.

“Well,” I say, hoping my voice sounds more steady than I feel, “I guess one good thing came out of this… The two of you are friends now?”

Thorian’s face shudders, and he says, “No,” at the same time Talon says, “Best friends, I’m afraid.”

“You’re okay?” Thorian asks, stepping in closer to me, and the other two men wait for my answer. Even though I already told Fenric nothing happened, I can feel his gaze on me. I can feel them waiting for the answer.

And, for some reason, I decide to offer them the truth. “I’m a bit...shaken. But he didn’t hurt me. Didn’t touch me. I was just frightened.”

“Bastard,” Talon says under his breath.

Thorian wraps his arms around me and holds on for a moment longer than strictly necessary, his hand warm at the back of my head. Fenric pulls me in next, pressing a brief kiss to my temple before stepping back.

Talon, standing a little apart from the rest of us, meets my eyes. "For the record," he says, "screaming was the right move. I’ve never seen a fucking warlock move that fast."

I realize that, although what happened was frightening, it’s not the same as what happened with Shaw. Because this time, the second I needed them, these men came to my rescue. They didn’t ask questions, just charged in and went after the thing hurting me.

And although I love Ivor to the bottom of my heart, he wasn't strong enough to keep me safe when those men came. I'd forgotten what it felt like to have someone capable at my back, someone standing beside me that I could lean on without hesitation.

It’s something I haven’t felt for a long time, not since my parents died. Even with Hilda and Ivor’s support, I was still caring for them, in a way. And it was the same for my sister. The death of my parents thrust me into a caretaking role that I never asked for, warping our sibling relationship until it barely resembled one at all.

“Thank you,” I whisper, looking up at each of them, including Talon. “For taking care of me. It feels good to be on a team with you all.”

Thorian stares at me, his jaw ticking, and although he doesn’t show it, I know what it means to him. I’ve gotten better at reading his expression. And the slight nod, the hand over his hair… It’s the same as Fenric’s smile.

"As heartwarming as this scene is," Talon says, swinging his sword around lazily and pacing up and down the beach, a sharp edge creeping into his tone, "we should probably get a move on."

“Something we agree on,” Thorian says, clearing his throat, clearly ready to move on from the talk of feelings. I smile to myself as they gather the rest of their things, dressing and returning to the path.

Maybe they're not ready to say it yet, but I can feel the bond between us growing into far more than a simple alliance.

The Obsidian Spire cuts against the horizon across the water, dark and distant, closer than it was yesterday. I fix my eyes on it for a moment, just breathing.

We're still alive. After everything—the swamp, the cemetery, the storm, Magnus—we're still here. Still standing.

And at the end of it, if we're lucky, if we're careful, if we can hold on just a little longer, there's Lyra.

I hold that thought close and don't let go.

10

Nyx

A little while after we stopped to bathe, we'd taken a brief break for lunch. Fenric managed to catch a couple of rabbits, and we ate around the fire while Talon slipped away. When he came back, there was a little more color in his cheeks than there had been before. I just looked away and pretended not to notice.