Page 139 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“No. Now, I’m going, and you can follow me, or you can stay here, but I think he’ll be pretty disappointed if you don’t come and see him.”

The corner of Row’s mouth ticked up in a smile as she let those words sink in.

“What?”

Immediately, she jumped up and winced at the twinge in her side.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern furrowing his brow.

“I’m fine. Show me.”

Row held out an elbow, and Zarya looped her arm through his. Slowly, he directed her down the hall, matching her halting pace. Zarya heard a groan from a room a few doors down and then an indignant voice.

“Ow! That hurts!” it said.

She inhaled sharply. She knew that voice.

“Oh,” she whispered, pressing her fingers to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Row smiled down at her before Zarya took off running, all her aches and pains forgotten. She skidded into the room where Yasen lay in bed while a healer attempted to change the bandages on his arm.

“Yasen!” She ran across the room and leaped onto the bed, collapsing on top of him and squeezing him tight.

“Ahhhhh!” he cried. “Gentle! I almost died!”

“You’re alive,” she cried. “You’re alive.”

“Well, I won’t be much longer if this butcher has his way,” he said, and the healer rolled his eyes before he started to pack up his tools.

“He meant to say thank you. Right, Yasen?”

Yasen cocked a brow, offering the healer a grin.

“He knows I was kidding. Right?”

The healer bowed. “You’re welcome,” he said and then left.

Zarya threw her arms around Yasen’s neck, peppering his cheeks with sloppy kisses.

“Stop that,” he grumbled, pretending to wipe them away, but she saw the glimmer of fondness in his eyes. She knew him too well now.

“How are you alive? I saw those things lunge at you.”

“Because I have many, many talents,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes. “You were literally tied up.”

Yasen shrugged. “It was Rabin. He found me a few minutes after Dhawan left with you. He freed me, and then we killed those hideous things. I was in rough shape, but I made him leave and go after you.”

“That’s how he knew to find me in the swamp,” she said, and Yasen nodded.

“He went out of his mind when he heard Dhawan had taken you away,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry he isn’t who you thought he was.”

She waved a hand, pretending she wasn’t bothered. “It doesn’t matter. You’re alive, and that’s all I care about right now.”

Zarya hooked her arm into his, sliding down and placing her head on his shoulder.

“I heard Aarav took on a battalion of Kiraaye Ka, too,” Yasen said. She tensed for a moment and nodded.

“He went down fighting for me.”