Nic cast a glance toward Uriah, who was already trailing after Gravis toward the shed.
“Nic, you coming?”
One more glance. Uriah didn’t look great. Tired wasn’t unusual these days, but his gait was sluggish. Nic gave a noncommittal grunt and followed Collin toward the changing stalls.
They trudged in silence, dragging invisible weights. Nic felt like someone had replaced his limbs with stone and filled his chest with damp sand. The thought of walking all the way home made his muscles pre-emptively ache.
Buckets of water were waiting in the stalls. Nic didn’t bother with ceremony—stripped down and scrubbed off the day in a series of sharp exhales. The water wasn’t warm, but it was cold enough to bring him partly back to life. He poured a stream over his head, wincing at the chill, then sighed as it ran down his neck and over his shoulders.
Collin stepped out from the neighboring stall, hair wet and looking about as coherent as a sleep-deprived ghost. “You going to wait for Uriah?”
“Yeah.” Nic towel-dried his face. “He’ll be quick. Unless he’s decided to abandon society and live under a rake.”
“Well, then,” Collin said with a tired grin. “Good night.”
“See you tomorrow. And next time, I expect you to put up a real fight.”
Once alone, Nic leaned back against the wall and promptly lost the battle with gravity. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep. But when he jerked awake, Aries and Gravis were stomping in, trailing dust and noisy conversation. Uriah followed close behind with Niall.
As Uriah washed, Nic watched him carefully. The flush in his cheeks wasn’t just from exertion, and his silence echoed louder than Gravis’ entire retelling of his duel. Even when they mentioned Uriah’s win over Sky, he didn’t engage. That wasn’t normal.
He probably needed a day off. A real one. But Sol didn’t believe in mercy, and Uriah didn’t believe in asking for it. He’d rather drag himself through a swamp than admit weakness. Especially to their parents. Especially to Nic.
Nic had tried not to hover so much—tried. But concern had a way of leaking out through the cracks, and Uri hated that. Still, the stubborn idiot looked like he was running on fumes.
A spark of amusement lit Uriah’s face when Niall started heckling Clive. Nic tucked that little flicker away with quiet relief.
He exchanged goodnights with Dragonfly as she headed off. Lucky her, staying nearby. Sky and Gravis too. Watching Uriah lace up his boots with slow, fumbling fingers, Nic wished they didn’t have to cross half the mountainside just to collapse.
“See you boys tomorrow,” Aries mumbled.
“Try not to die of enthusiasm,” Nic replied.
Once their friends were gone, Uriah spun on him, scowl ready. “You didn’t have to wait. You could’ve gone home.”
Nic blinked at him. “I could’ve. But then who would’ve limped dramatically into the sunset with you?”
Uriah narrowed his eyes. “You’re not funny.”
“I disagree.”
“Seriously, Nic—”
“I’m too tired for this fight right now,” Nic said, raising his hands. “Let’s argue later, when I have energy to make my points sting.”
Uriah huffed, stomped past him, but didn’t say another word. Nic didn’t press. Not tonight.
They made their way through the North Town circle, the streets humming with evening sounds. Taverns opened their doors, cooking smells wafting out into the cooling air. Meat, spices, maybe onions—that combination used to make his mouth water.
Tonight, he barely blinked at it.
And then—his heart’s lake gave a joyous lurch, like waves rushing to meet shore.
Thereshewas.
Helen, walking toward him down the moonlit-dappled lane, looking like the first good thing he’d seen in days. Weeks, maybe. Every bone in his body ached, but he barely noticed. He ran to meet her, scooped her off her feet without hesitation.
“Biscuit! What a treat!”
