Page 144 of To Fight and To Fold

"I will," Aaryn said. "I—we agreed. She'll be there," Aaryn settled on.

Her cheeks colored at just the suggestion.

Carissa's lips curled softly, and she patted Aaryn's head. "Good. Because I wanted Rolim there for me," she whispered. "The magic was so lovely, but it was so out of control. It burned me up from the inside out, Aaryn." She released a slow breath. "With the right person and the right timing, I think it could be just as magical as they say." A pause. "I'm rooting for you two, you know," Carissa added.

Aaryn tripped over her words, turned them over in her mind.

"Thea wants to save Rolim so badly.” Aaryn had laid awake listening to Thea tell her stories of him, of his teasing jokes at her expense and his delight when Thea turned them around on him. Times when they’d been sparring and Thea had gotten the best of him. Or moments when they’d been in danger and having him at her back had saved her life. “She needs to focus on that, then we'll worry about my magic," Aaryn told her. She couldn't distract Thea during such an important time. Not when Thea was so determined to save him.

Carissa hugged her, sudden and tight. Aaryn held her close. "Once you feel it, you'll hate that you waited. But I thank you for sacrificing even another few days for his sake." She pulled away and kept Aaryn at arm's length. "Rolim told me Thea is the best fighter. That she's cunning. That Vaelen trusts her like no one else. If anyone can save him, I believe he would want it to be Thea."

"Oh," Aaryn said intelligently, and at Carissa's words, a tenseness in her shoulders eased that she hadn't even realized she was carrying.

How did this turn into comforting Aaryn? Carissa was the one with a husband who was to be executed. She was the one who just had magic awakened within her so violently.

And yet here she was, next to Aaryn, shoulders bumping and dragons tousling.

"I think we're both going to be okay," Aaryn decided, and Carissa nodded.

"I think you're right," she said, and hugged her once again. That odd, heavy weight in her chest eased for just a moment.

30

GIRL’S NIGHT

Thea's stomach roiled with excited nerves as she made her way to the bonfire. Her head also slightly ached from the stress of Rolim's demise hanging over it.

Vaelen had mentioned it would not be smart to start a war over one person, when she'd been playing devil's advocate amongst discussions.

Aaryn had crossed her mind. Maybe they already had.

She winced, shaking her head and the mood off, scraping her fingers along her scalp and wiggling them to muss her hair up.

They could always start a war another day. Not tonight.

Tonight was for celebrating.

And Thea… had a date.

As she rounded the bend, Thea spied a flash of pink hair in the setting sun and—her heart tripped over its own beat.

Aaryn was in a long orange cotton dress with buttons down the front, a simple waist belt emphasizing her shape. The dragon pin was in place above her left breast, and it no longer glared at Thea.

Her rose-colored hair was free, long and flowing, and it was such a rare sight. She braided it out of her way most of the time when she was busy, only the stubborn tendrils escaping to brush against her face. And now Thea was struck with the desire to run her hands through it.

Carissa followed behind Aaryn, steps heavier than they ever should have been, though magic still clung to her. Thea hoped it was helping carry her during this difficult time.

Thea made her steps heard as she approached, and Aaryn was the first to see her. She was chuckling softly with Carissa when she paused, and Thea felt her attention from head to toe like a breeze against bare skin.

Their gazes were the last to meet, as she finally stopped before the pair. "Druid looks good on you," Thea said—bravely, in her opinion.

Aaryn flushed. "And it's more comfortable than anything I ever wore at Evergale." She bit her cheek. "Pretty."

Pretty. Had Thea ever been called pretty?

"Thank you," Thea said, managing not to stumble over the two simple words.

"Yeah, hi, I'm here too," Carissa bemoaned, and bumped into Aaryn as she passed.