“Fiora!” Corson exclaimed.
He moved away from the table and hurried toward us to hug Bale’s sister. He lifted her off the ground as they embraced in the middle of the room. Fiora briefly dropped her head into the hollow of his shoulder before he set her down and she stepped away.
“Corson,” she greeted as she beamed at him.
Corson grinned at her. “This is… amazing. It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s so good to see you too.”
They hugged again before Corson turned to his Chosen and held his hand out to her. “Fiora, this is my Chosen, Wren. Wren, this is my good friend, Fiora. We believed she was dead.”
“In many ways, I was,” Fiora said as she stared at Wren’s outstretched hand.
“Humans often shake hands when they meet,” Bale informed her.
“Oh.” Fiora grasped Wren’s outstretched hand. I stifled a laugh when she gave it an enthusiastic shake.
“It’s more like this,” Wren said and slowed Fiora’s shake to something more human in nature.
“Oh, sorry,” Fiora muttered.
“Don’t apologize,” Bale said. “We’re all still learning how to deal with each other. You’ll get there; we all will.”
“Yes, you will,” Corson said.
When he turned to Bale, I saw the hesitation on his face before his gaze swung to me. His orange eyes hardened. I gave the adhene demon a look that dared him to attack me.
Then his attention shifted back to Bale, and the smile he gave her was so full of love it set my teeth on edge. There was nothing between these two, but was there once? We all had our numerous casual encounters, but I would kill any of Bale’s if I came across them.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Corson said.
“I’m glad you’re okay too.”
Though Corson embraced Fiora, he didn’t hug Bale. However, I sensed he wanted to. I doubted his hesitance had anything to do with me; I’d bet she usually wasn’t the hugging type.
And then she stepped forward and embraced him. Corson stood awkwardly for a second before he smiled broadly and hugged her back. Despite his Chosen’s marks on his neck, I barely resisted tearing him away from her. The earring swaying in his ear was almost impossible to resist, and I pictured tearing it from him before punching him in the face.
“Are you okay?” Corson asked Bale as they separated.
“It’s been an adventure.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it.”
Shax and Magnus embraced Fiora while Hawk and the other women came forward to introduce themselves.
“Lix,” Bale greeted when the skellein stepped in front of her.
“I was worried we wouldn’t see you again,” Lix said as he tipped a large hat toward her. Then he grasped her arms with his bony hands and drew her close to hug her. He didn’t acknowledge me before turning and walking away.
Bale hugged Shax, but she stood across from Magnus as they surveyed each other. And then she extended her hand toward the demon of illusions. Magnus grasped her hand and pulled her forward to embrace her.
“Friends hug, Bale,” he said as he patted her back. “Friends hug.”
Bale remained stiff in his arms for long enough that I was about to step forward and pull him away. Then she rested her hands against his back and hugged him in return.
“I suppose we are friends now,” she said.
“That must have killed you to admit,” he quipped.
