I shove my hands into my pockets and study the tunnel wall like it’s extremely interesting.
They break apart after a moment.
Shanae steps back, giving him a once-over that’s half inspection, half approval. “You look like hell.”
“I am well.”
“You say that every time.”
“And I am usually correct.”
She snorts. “Not the first six months we were here.”
Something in Varek’s expression softens at that.
They arrived around the same time, years ago, when the rifts first started spitting species into this world without warning or mercy. They survived those early months together—two strangers from different worlds trying to figure out how not to die in a city that used newcomers as disposable labour.
It forged a kind of loyalty that doesn’t break easily.
Shanae glances at me. “You keeping him out of trouble?”
“Absolutely not,” I say. “Though he’s doing a pretty good job of that himself.”
Varek exhales quietly, though I swear I see the ghost of amusement in his eyes. Then his expression shifts again. “How is Dathanor?” His tone is all business.
Shanae’s grin widens. “Well.”
“Define well.”
“For starters,” she says, “Dawson’s finally awake.”
The words hit the air like a dropped stone.
Varek’s entire posture changes. “Awake?”
“Three days ago.”
His silver eyes zero in on her. “And his condition?”
“Improving every day,” she says. “Still weak, but stable. The healers say he’s gaining strength faster than expected.”
Varek nods slowly. Relief flickers across his features, quickly controlled but still visible. “And Aelith?”
Shanae laughs. “Oh, the prince has been insufferable.”
That gets my attention. “Insufferable how?”
“Hovering,” she says. “Doting. Acting like if Dawson so much as breathes wrong, the entire mountain will collapse.”
Varek’s expression grows thoughtful. “They are still unbonded?”
“Technically, yes,” Shanae says. “But if devotion alone counted, they’d have finished the bond weeks ago.”
I glance at Varek. “Didn’t peg the arrogant prince for the nurturing type.”
“Neither did anyone else,” Shanae replies. “Turns out nearly losing the person fate chose for you changes a few priorities.”
Varek absorbs that quietly while my gut twists. “And the prince supports the rebellion now?”
