Page 99 of The Crowned Queen

“I’m sure you can.” Loren was already undoing the straps, ignoring her attempts to swat his hands away. “But you don’t have anything to prove.” He shifted his own pack, slinging hers over his other shoulder. “All your plans won’t mean anything if you’re too exhausted to fight by the time we reach Tirnavel.”

She couldn’t argue with that. Araya chewed her lip, staring at the marker she’d been trying to make sense of. “Can you tell how much further we have to go?”

Loren leaned past her, his cold stone and rain scent enveloping her as he studied the marker. “Not far. We’ll have to stop for lunch, but we should be there before dark.”

Another stop. Araya glanced back the way they had come, the forest swallowing the road behind them in a wall of green. Jaxon was back there, somewhere. Maybe he had already realized his scouting party hadn’t fallen victim to the forest and picked up their trail, blazing down the road behind them. The Arcanum would have horses, they’d make better time than a group of fae on foot.

“Can’t we eat as we walk?” she asked.

“The others need to rest,” Loren said gently. “And so do you.”

The others had already disappeared around a bend in the road, but it only took another ten minutes of brisk walking before the road curved back toward the river. Naeva spotted them first, her low whistle pulling their eyes up into the tree where she’d perched. A few steps farther on, they found the others clustered in the ruins of a small watch post, its stone walls crumbled and its thatched roof long since rotted away.

“Finally,” Serafina said, hurrying across the clearing to them. “I was about to have Finn send someone back to look for you.” Her gaze raked over them, taking in the extra pack slung over Loren’s shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

Araya cleared her throat. “My back is sore. But I can still keep up.”

Serafina’s mouth tightened. “Show me,” she ordered.

With a sigh, Araya followed her friend into the shelter of one of the walls that still stood. She tugged the too-large men’s shirt free of her belt, bracing herself for Serafina’s disapproving hiss as she lifted the fabric.

“No more weight,” she said, her quick fingers dancing across the scars that marked Araya’s back. “Or you’ll tear them open again.”

“You can carry a pack,” Araya muttered.

“The Arcanum broke my hip. They didn’t flay my back open.” Serafina helped Araya straighten her shirt. “Finn said we should get there tonight.” She glanced across the clearing toward where Finn and Loren were deep in conversation. “I think it’s hard on them—being back here. Finn won’t talk about it. He changes the topic every time I try. I imagine it’s even worse for Loren to see it like this.”

Araya followed Serafina’s gaze, her chest tightening at the thought. “Probably,” she agreed softly.

Serafina tugged her into a half-hug, squeezing her shoulder. “Make sure both of you eat something and drink some water,” she said. “I have to check on the others before we get back on the road.”

Araya chewed on her lip, refastening her belt as Serafina walked away. Then, her mind made up, she squared her shoulders and strode across the clearing.

Finn looked up as she approached, his eyes widening slightly. Loren followed his gaze and straightened, wariness flickering across his face.

“Ael’sura,” he started, taking a step toward her. “What⁠—”

Araya threw her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

For a moment, Loren just stood there, frozen. Then his arms came up around her, holding her close.

“I’ll let you handle this one,” Finn said to Loren, clearly trying not to laugh. “We’re back on the road in ten minutes.”

Araya pressed her face harder into Loren’s shoulder, listening as Finn’s footsteps faded away.

“I thought you were coming over to fight about carrying your pack,” Loren said after a moment, whispering the words into her hair.

Araya laughed wetly into his shoulder. “No. You were right.” She pulled back, wiping at her eyes. How much time had they spent fighting the ghosts of their own past when they could have been together, finding whatever happiness they could? “I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I didn’t think about what this must be like for you.”

Loren’s brow furrowed. “Would that have changed your mind?”

No. They had to go to Tirnavel. Araya became more certain with every step she took. Running wouldn’t save them. If there was a chance to defeat Jaxon Shaw—they needed to take it.

No matter what the cost.

“I still should have thought about it,” Araya said quietly.

Loren cupped her face, brushing an errant tear from her cheek with his thumb before leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips. “You’re forgiven.”