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‘Hold on, Sanika,’ Cin tried to warn me, circling above the palace, but all I could see was the small crowd gathered on the landing field.

Reynard was pacing, his cloak billowing and snapping in the faces of those standing behind him. Lily, in a plain white dress, stood beside Irsha, who sheltered her from the gusts of wind with his body. Tova stood off to one side, close to Inga Tivala. His expression showed nothing beyond mild interest.

Seeing them all, I sagged, weak with relief. I ignored the ache in my heart and focused on Rey. His frown cut deep. My king stumbled as he rushed towards us the moment Cinared’s clawed foot touched the ground.

I slid from the dragon’s back straight into his arms. The fresh scent of lemongrass filled my lungs.

‘Hey, Kingling, did you miss me?’ I asked, clutching him close.

Reynard dropped to his knees, pressing his face into my midriff while his powerful frame shook with a heavy sob.

‘Rey, I’m here. Please stand up,’ I whispered, coaxing him to his feet as I stroked his dark, unruly hair.

He moved so fast I gasped as his arms wrapped around me again, locking me in his tight embrace. Rey’s head dipped to my shoulder, and he inhaled deeply.

‘You’re home. You’re fucking real. When I heard Cin’s voice, I thought I was going insane.’ The muscles in his jaw bunched. He rubbed my back as if reassuring himself I wasn’t a mirage. ‘A month of hell, Viper. I can’t do that again. I’m never letting you go.’

Cinared’s approving rumble made me roll my eyes, but I didn’t even try to hide my smile.

‘So, I have my answer. You missed me, then.’

Golden light blazed in Rey’s eye, and then he caught a handful of my hair and crashed his mouth on mine. ‘I’ll show you right here how much I missed you,’ he whispered against my lips when we stopped to breathe.

‘Please…’ I tried to pull away, acutely aware of our audience and of how I smelled. ‘It was a long flight, and I need a bath.’

‘For once, I don’t care what you need,’ he murmured into my hair. ‘I wouldn’t care if you’d returned covered in blood and gore. I care even less that you smell like a dragon and seaweed. All this time, I haven’t known where you were or if you were safe. Do you know how that feels?’

‘I promised to return,’ I said, stroking his cheek.

‘Oh, I trust your promises, Viper. I do not trust Tangra. I saw that look in Siras’ eyes, and I worried every day that someone or something might stop you from coming home,’ he whispered, cradling the back of my head before an insistent cough made me look behind him.

‘Do we get our chance, or do we stand around like spare pri… maypoles at a festival?’ Irsha moved closer with a wide grin. ‘Welcome home, Trouble. Can you forgive me?’

I tapped Rey’s shoulder, and he reluctantly released me. Irsha stepped close and pulled me to his chest.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said in a voice only I could hear. ‘I want you to know I wasn’t afraid of you back then. I was… overwhelmed and an idiot, but that passed. I don’t care how powerful you are. You’ll always be my friend. Tell me we’re good, please?’

‘We’re good, though you owe me a month’s worth of drinks for it!’ I punched his shoulder, sniffing. ‘Find me in a couple of days, Blade. Bring your coin purse and Boyan’s best moonshine, and we’ll swap stupid stories like we did in the good old days,’ I said, smiling, as Lily came closer.

‘There’s only one place to do that. The House of Lillies will celebrate your return. After a feast that’ll make your stomach burst, you’ll have to make the most important decision in your life,’ she said, and I raised my eyebrows.

‘And that is?’

‘Whether you’ll be a groomsmaid or bridesmaid at our wedding… and don’t forget who’s known you longer,’ Irsha announced with a shit-eating grin.

‘Irsha Wilk, not everything is about who’s known her longer,’ Lilliana scolded, but there was no anger in her voice. If anything, it sounded as if they were just happy.

‘If it speeds things up, I’ll do it,’ Rey said, slapping a heavy hand onto Irsha’s shoulder, and we burst into laughter.

Lily looked thinner but happier and, if possible, even more regal. The peck on my cheek landed softly, and she smiled. ‘Thank you for Niersen. It feels good to finally be free of him.’

‘He’s dead?’ I don’t know why, but I hadn’t believed Lily could finish him. Clearly, I was mistaken.

‘He’s guarding my dungeon, adding to the ambience,’ she chuckled, and somehow the proud Herald ending as decor felt so appropriate.

Lily reached out and smoothed a strand of my messy hair. ‘I’ll leave you to your king. Come to the House of Lillies the first chance you get, yes?’ she said, gesturing to Irsha. ‘Come, Grand Master. I don’t want the king increasing my taxes for keeping him from his queen.’

They left holding hands, and I turned to Tova, who stood apart from us with a polite but indifferent expression. Veles’s words returned to me, but knowing what to expect didn’t make the reality any better.