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Uncle Dinhal was the first one to her, wrapping her in his arms and squeezing tight.

“Your friends told us what the gods sent you to do,” he breathed. “Limhiz’s staff disappeared and we thought the worst…”

“We did it,” she laughed. “It’s over. The gods’ war is over and the dakii are gone!”

“I wish she could have been here to see this,” Dinhal whispered, still holding her tight.

“Me too.” Grief rose, but she didn’t crumble this time. She wasn’t alone.

Iryana hugged her clan one at a time as they swarmed her. She kissed baby Anara and squeezed her cousins close, surprised by how long Kladara held on. Again and again she told them what had happened, word spreading through the crowds and the caves.

“First, what do we do now?” her uncle asked once they had all finished welcoming her back.

For the first time, Iryana wasn’t afraid of that question. “We go home.”

Chapter Fifty-One

It took a while to make it back down the mountain. They were all weak and hungry, and had to camp through both the night and some of the day to rest, forage, hunt, and set traps. But without the threat of dakii attacks and ground tremors, they managed it without any further losses.

They’d passed the cirque they’d first fallen back to, only to find it buried in snow and the temple barely visible. The lingering threat of what could have been was still heavy in the air. The farther down they climbed, the warmer it grew. The snow was slowly melting, the rivers unfreezing. It still flurried a few times, but the weather trended toward a gentle spring.

Iryana walked next to her sisters, holding their hands as they walked deeper down the Yuresh Valley. They were so close to home it hurt.

“I wonder if we have sugar left,” Misha said. “I want a cake.”

Iryana laughed while Hadima tried to be serious. “We’re probably going to have some repairs to do before we can worry about cakes.”

“Uncle!” Misha called back to where Uncle Dinhal supported Levek, who still wasn’t fully healed. “Cake is a bigger priority than repairs, right?”

He just shook his head fondly.

“I want to sleep in a bed.” Iryana had been thinking affectionately of her mattress. She hoped it was salvageable.

Her cousins had a similar conversation about what they’d do once they got home.

“I can’t wait to find the vodka,” Edvar admitted. “I’m having a drink first thing.”

“Or maybe you don’t,” Kladara said softly at his side.

Edvar was quiet for a moment. “Maybe I don’t.”

“I want a bath!” Teshya cried out with excitement.

“Because you stink!” Tonhald teased her. “Almost as much as I do!”

“I just hope Emadya brings the kids back quickly,” Darsha said with a bit of worry.

“I think we’ll need a proper celebration!” Vaneshta cheered. “Music, dancing, games… beating Vabihn at arm wrestling.”

“You won’t win,” Vabihn scoffed, his wife chuckling at his side.

Iryana just laughed. It felt so good to laugh.

The light was fading as they rounded the ridge and the post came into view. Iryana couldn’t process what she saw.

The village was gone. Mere lumps of rubble in the snow. The ground was shaped a bit strangely, like something large had deformed it.

“It’s gone,” Hadima whispered.