Page 125 of To Fight and To Fold

"So it's definitely blood, right?" Thea asked.

Vaelen did not look thrilled at the prospect. "Possibly."

"The prince?" Who else would have Aaryn's blood? Who else would know the perfectly opportune time to scry on Aaryn than when the druids were in Skymore… taking the bait. Her stomach sank at the possibilities.

"That must be how he found her in Skymore, amongst all the wreckage. It's the only thing that makes sense," Thea muttered.

I found you! I came for you!

The prince's phantom cry echoed in the memories of flames and fear and twisted relief, and Thea stilled.

"I'm afraid so," Vaelen said, expression thoughtful, sad, and serious.

"That's why Evergale hasn't bothered returning to Skymore," Thea said, voice barely scraping her throat. "It was never about Skymore."

It was about Aaryn.

27

TINY, GLITTERY THING

The days after the attack turned into a routine. Aaryn was pulled where she was needed and Thea had her own duties to see to. It kept them distant from each other, and Aaryn was a little sore about it.

The nights were late when she met Thea at home—it was painfully obvious how intimate such a sentiment was, but Aaryn didn't know what else to call it—and were usually brief before they fell into bed, sleep taking them before they'd even spoken much.

As Aaryn was introduced to the fallout of Evergale's attack, reflected in the eyes of every patient she came across, the more thankful she became for the haven inside these meager walls.

But Aaryn also… missed Thea. Even though she was right beside her.

Which prompted the late-night mead that Aaryn offered her.

"There was a mother today," Aaryn said. "She made me think of my mom."

Thea hummed, sitting on the floor with her back to the bed. She swirled the drink around in her tin cup as she listened.

"How is your mom?"

Aaryn smiled a little bitterly at the whorl of wood in the table, tracing it with her finger. Alcohol made the world a little warm, made it easier to talk about these things.

"The last time I saw her was after you stole Starspark," Aaryn remarked, glancing over just in time to catch the purple flush to her cheeks. Thea feigned obliviousness and looked toward the wall, a smile snagging on her lips.

Aaryn felt quite snagged on her, actually.

"Anyway," she added for both their benefit. "She was disappointed that I let it happen, that our titles might be in jeopardy. She was urging me to seduce the prince," Aaryn drawled.

Thea's head snapped in her direction comically fast. "What?" she asked in disbelief.

Aaryn shook her head ruefully. "I wonder how she feels now that I'm gone. She'll probably notice when I don't send her the usual stipend." In her mind she saw the cute cottage, all the pretty flowers around it. She hoped her mother would be able to keep it.

“Maybe I should send her the Tethered’s jewels. She could sell them, I suppose.”

Thea tilted her head to the side. “You really don’t want them?”

“They don’t serve a purpose anymore, do they?” Aaryn shrugged. “They remind me of Starspark, I guess,” she conceded, torn.

“They’re pretty,” Thea offered.

Aaryn shook her head, sitting up straighter as she realized, "We're being sad drunks.”