“I wouldn’t do this if I have been you.” A fourth determine emerged. A voice I acknowledged. Slowly, the group moved shut sufficient to see within the glow of our torch. “Mom all the time hated it once we fought.”

I might hardly breathe. “Cyrus.”

He smiled at me, and within the dim mild I might see tears glistening in his eyes. “It’s good to see you, Brother. I wasn’t positive if I’d ever see you once more.”

It felt like a dream. Or like waking up from one. I’d been in an alternate actuality for thus lengthy, the imaginative and prescient of him didn’t really feel actual. I needed to contact him. Needed to really feel with my very own arms that he wasn’t a figment of my creativeness.

My arms…I shortly dropped Emilie’s hand, and I heard her gasp behind me. I mourned the lack of her contact instantly, however Cyrus was staring, ready for me to say or do one thing.

I stepped ahead slowly, as if I’d chase him away by making a sudden transfer. Once I was shut sufficient to the touch him, I reached for his hand.

He seemed down at my hand, posed to shake, and scoffed. “Get in right here, Ladon.” He wrapped his arms round my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug. I flinched on the sudden feeling of arms on me however eased into it, clapping my arms on his again too.

“I’ve missed you, you idiot. Are you aware how lengthy we’ve been looking for you? How lengthy we’ve been combating with Reyna’s forces on the border? She’s amassed fairly the military, huh? When have been you going to inform me about that?”

He launched me and gave me a as soon as over. “Are you okay? Gods, you’ve been lacking for ages. I’m sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner. We higher get you cleaned up earlier than taking you house. Mom gained’t let me hear the top of it if I present up with you trying like that.”

I allowed a small grin to take type, nonetheless feeling as if this have been a dream. “I nonetheless look higher than you.”

His laughter was heat and comforting. I hadn’t realized how a lot I missed him. I’d tried to not suppose an excessive amount of about life exterior of the mountain, for worry that it will harm too badly. Now it felt as if my coronary heart have been being squeezed inside my chest.

He clapped me on the shoulders once more after which seemed behind me. “Emilie?”

Listening to her title on his lips? My coronary heart sank. I turned in time to see Emilie strolling ahead.

“Hi there, Cyrus,” she mentioned. There was a formality there that I didn’t acknowledge. It’d been simple to overlook that they hardly knew one another. They weren’t almost as acquainted as she and I have been…not by an extended shot.

And but, she was going to marry him. Until I might discover a method to cease it. My considerations solely grew when he wrapped her in a heat embrace, resting his cheek on high of her head.

One thing roiled in my chest, and I wished to pull him away from her. My lip curved in a snarl, and I caught Emilie’s gaze. She was observing me with a placating look. I might nearly hear her voice in my head, telling me that now wasn’t the time.

Cyrus pulled away, and I grumbled when he positioned a chaste kiss on her brow. It was a battle to maintain my anger at bay as my brother handled Emilie as if she was already his spouse.

The gods had a sick humorousness. Not way back, I’d been adamant about holding Emilie away from Cyrus. Now I wished to maintain Cyrus away from her.

She was mine.

“I’m glad to see you’re each alive and…nicely, I assume you’re not fairly wholesome, are you? Higher than I had anticipated, although. We will clear up these wounds and nurse you each again to good well being.”

He didn’t see the injuries beneath the flesh. The misery when Emilie was in a crowd. The dread when somebody apart from her touched me. Our scars have been plentiful, even when they weren’t all seen.

“Are you positive you’re each okay? We bought right here as quickly as we might. I do know that’ll by no means be sufficient however I swear we tried our hardest.” I might hear the ache in his voice and knew he was honest. My brother would do something for me, simply as I’d for him.

“And who is that this?” he requested.

I turned to see the harpy standing inflexible, trying utterly unnatural and completely misplaced. I couldn’t assist however roll my eyes.

Emilie jumped in. “That is our pal. She’s helped us quite a few instances, together with serving to us escape. We owe her our life.”

I couldn’t deny that was true, so I gave the harpy a small nod of gratitude. “She comes with us.”

He seemed her up and down, seeming to search out no purpose to disclaim us. “Understood.”

From a distance, I heard one other sound of explosives shaking the bottom, and a soldier within the again spoke up. “Sir, we have to transfer.”

Cyrus was nonetheless trying us over as if we’d crumble however he agreed. “Let’s get shifting. Until Ladon right here can use his magic to maintain the mountain from caving in.

I gave my brother a pained look. “That gained’t be taking place.”

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