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We stood there, awkwardly staring at one another until Jima sidled up next to me. “Hey, Lazarus. Nice to see you’re above ground again.” Jima’s words flowed easy enough. Why didn’t mine? “Keir’s been taking very good care of Vidia’s eggs. The pixie magic gave them their own fireplace and everything.”

At this rate, I’d knock myself out given how much mental smacking I was doing. “Goddess, I’m sorry. I should have taken you straight to the eggs.” I stepped aside and within a few long strides was in front of the smaller secondary fireplace. “Jima’s right. The additional hearth was here before I made it back from my discussions with Thalia.”

Lazarus followed, crouching low so he could stare into the burning coals. His hand lifted, his fingers raking through the embers before moving up to the eggs. His touch was gentle and loving—more of a caress than anything.

I watched Lazarus’s eyelids close while a look of utter contentment softened his otherwise firm features. “Safe,” Lazarus whispered.

I started to agree, but Jima beat me to it. “I don’t think there’s a safer spot on the whole planet.” There was a distinct level of pride in those few words. “Who knew Keir would be such an excellent nanny?” Jima teased before saying, “I’ll leave you two be. I’ve got a will-o’-the-wisp to grovel to.”

“I doubt it will go that far,” I said.

“Probably not, but I’m willing if that’s what Grayson needs. Bye, Keir. Thanks for listening.”

“Anytime,” I sincerely answered, earning me a bright grin.

Jima walked toward the door and shook his head when the magic anticipated his needs and the door opened on its own. I heard a quiet “freaky” before Jima exited and the door closed behind him.

I was still staring at the closed door when Lazarus asked, “Anything to be concerned about?” When I turned and allowed my confusion to show, Lazarus explained. “Jima said he needs to apologize or, more precisely, grovel to Grayson Delarue. Is there anything going on that I should be worried about?”

I waved off his concern. “Just growing pains. We’re all readjusting to the new normal.” I gave a watered down and poorly detailed version of my previous conversation with Jima.

“It was bound to happen,” Lazarus answered, his attention once more on Vidia’s eggs. “Honestly, I’m surprised there wasn’t more animosity prior to this.”

Lazarus was right. Although few, we had more members of the council who were currently out on missions or still maintaining distance from the chaos that had recently ensued. As those individuals returned, there would most likely be more hard feelings as Grayson uncovered their individual treasures. I’d considered asking Grayson to end his search, but I wasn’t convinced he’d uncovered all Tenzen Huxley’s hidden secrets.

“I believe I settled Jima down,” I answered.

“It appeared so. I would expect nothing less.” Did I imagine the softening in Lazarus’s eyes? Was I seeing things that weren’t there? Things I wanted to see?

My cheeks heated and I turned away, busying myself by heading to the kitchen and asking, “Would you like some tea?” I heard a deep rumble, closer than I would have expected and turned to find Lazarus had followed me. The sound assaulting my ears had come from his stomach.

Eyebrows arching toward the sky, I asked, “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” For that matter, I wasn’t certain when Lazarus had emerged from his underground healing retreat. “Did you just get topside?” I asked, blurting out my concerns without much thought. Lazarus’s nod had me gripping the countertop hard enough it might break. “And you didn’t eat anything before coming here?” My question carried more accusation than was necessary. Still, concern for Lazarus’s health fueled my ire.

“I wanted to see Vidia’s eggs. And I was concerned about you.”

Vidia’s eggs I could understand. Me, not so much. “Me?”

“Of course.” Lazarus took a step closer, backing me into my counter and spiking my heart rate. “Why is that so difficult to understand?” I’m not sure what Lazarus saw on my face—or maybe what he thought he saw—because suddenly his eyes dropped and he took two large steps away. “Forgive me. I should not have taken such liberties invading your personal space, especially when my current appearance isn’t as…appealing as it once was.”

Oh no, no, no. That wouldn’t do at all. Slamming my hand on my counter, I finally heard it crack. I couldn’t care less. “Lazarus Azure, you are just as physically appealing as you ever were. More so.”

Lazarus’s eyes snapped back to mine, that shimmering glow lighting them from within again. “There are scars. I have not looked in a mirror yet, but I can feel them and⁠—”

“And they are simply an extension of your beauty.” I doubt I would have been so forward with my compliments and true feelings if I hadn’t been trying to reassure the wyvern standing before me. “We all have scars. Some of us wear them on the inside, and some are forever etched into our bodies. A scarless body and soul only belong to an individual who hasn’t truly lived.”

Lazarus’s luminous eyes blinked before his sharp jawline relaxed. “You truly live up to the gryphon reputation. Wisdom seems to be a trait your species was gifted with.”

Despite my best efforts, my forced smile felt weak. If only Lazarus knew what I’d done, what I’d left behind and run from, he wouldn’t be so complimentary. “You need food.” Moving on to a safer topic, I checked the refrigerator and began pulling out what I needed, placing it on my counter, noting the surface was already mended. “I make a mean chicken parm. Protein and carbs are always good for healing.”

“Heavy on the protein,” Lazarus said, and I nodded my understanding.

“In the meantime, I baked a loaf of French bread yesterday. I have butter or olive oil, whichever you’d prefer.”

“And tea?”

My busy hands stilled as I turned and offered a truer smile. “There’s always tea.”

Lazarus’s answering grin warmed that empty spot in my chest, the one that had carved itself deep into my soul the day I left my flight and family behind.