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As the aeroplane rolled to a halt, a figure climbed down and hurried toward her, his gait distinct enough that she recognized him even in the growing gloom.

“Merrik!” She raced toward him, hopping pumpkins and trying not to trip over vines until she was jumping into his arms.

His embrace swept her off her feet briefly as a light laugh escaped him.

She pressed her face into his shoulder, breathing in the fresh, minty scent of his soap. He, at least, had had the chance to clean up after the battle that day. “You’re here.”

One of his hands pressed against her back while the other cradled her head. “I see you were missing me as much as I was missing you.”

“Of course I was.” She tightened her hug around him, relishing his solid steadiness as he held her. “How did you get here?”

“The scout aeroplane.” Merrik’s wry laugh brushed against her hair.

She huffed, pulled back slightly, and scowled at him. “Clearly. I meant, why are you here?”

He raised his eyebrows at her.

“Okay, bad question again.” She gave his shoulder a poke. “You know what I mean. Now you’re just messing with me.”

“Fieran offered.” Merrik shrugged, his gaze straying past her for a moment. “This is officially a scouting trip to take pictures of the new position of the front lines.”

She glanced over her shoulder toward where Fieran, who must have flown the two-seater aeroplane, had joined Dacha and Uncle Iyrinder, the three of them talking quietly.

While she hadn’t talked to her brother directly about the whole dating-his-best-friend thing, she could tell he’d been working through his thoughts and some jealousy that she was stealing his friend.

But his heart was in the right place if he’d go out of his way after a long day of flying to make sure she and Merrik had a moment to see each other.

“That was thoughtful of him.” Adry turned back to Merrik, taking in the weary lines etched into his face.

“Pip is good for him.” Merrik’s mouth tipped in that wry tilt.

“Yes. But enough talking about my brother.” She toyed with a few strands of Merrik’s hair. “I’m so glad you came.”

“I needed to see you.” Merrik’s hand cradled her face, his gaze seeming to drink her in. “And I was worried.”

“No need to worry about me.” She leaned into his hand. “I needed to see you too. That was pretty amazing, watching you fly into battle like that.”

Merrik’s ears pinked, barely visible in the growing darkness.

They didn’t have much more time. He’d have to return soon, and he and Fieran would be landing in the dark as it was.

But she wasn’t ready to let him go just yet. Who knew how long it would be until she could hold him close again?

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

His legs aching, Merrik walked through the mansion’s main floor, his footsteps drowned out by the constant pounding of the heavy rain on the roof.

In the parlor, several flyboys and elven pilots napped, sprawled on the couches or on the plush carpets on the floor. At a desk, Tiny wrote a letter to the girlfriend he’d left back in Defense City while in the corner, Lije, Stickyfingers, Aylia, and Rothilion played a game of cards, one Rothilion appeared to be winning despite learning the game that morning.

In the foyer, a bunch of the flyboys, flygirls, and elven pilots set up a racket as they attempted to play lawn games inside the mansion. Merrik dodged around the flying balls, bowling pins, and various other airborne projectiles as he strode past the grand staircase and down the hall.

At the far end, a set of double doors looked onto the brick patio surrounded by the gardens Merrik had strolled with Adry less than a week ago. Despite the chill rain, the double doors had been flung wide open, letting in a misty breeze.

Fieran lounged on a cushioned chair facing the open doors, his legs stretched before him, his head resting on the back of the chair. Merrik would have assumed he was napping or wished to be alone, except for the fact that he’d placed a second cushioned chair in the hallway next to him, as if he was expecting someone to join him. As everyone else was busy, including Pip and Mak as they tinkered on one of the aeroplanes in the barn that served as the mechanics’ shop, that left only Merrik.

He lowered himself into the chair, stretching his legs out and leaning his head on the back as Fieran was. The fall breeze stirred through the garden and wafted onto his face, cool and damp, smelling of petrichor and fallen leaves. Closing his eyes, he heaved a sigh at taking the weight off his aching legs.