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“I shall be so proud to dance with my Grace.” Nephalea stood and ran a hand over Alkaios’s lock of hair. “This is very dashing, you know. You may start a fashion.”
“Will you be staying after you recover?” Cassia asked. “Or will you be rejoining Nike in the field?”
“Iskhyra has done so much for us,” Nephalea answered, “and we have learned her lessons well. We think she is ready to follow the next stretch of her path on her own, and that we are ready to do the same.”
“Orthros is fairer than we ever imagined,” Alkaios said. “We’ve decided it’s time we get to know our homeland, and there seems to be a need here.”
Nephalea nodded. “Hippolyta needs more Stewards. The changing political situation is running the Stand ragged. We’ve talked with her about serving, and she’s offered to put us on patrol with full rank, since we’ve already had years of training with a Master Steward.”
“That’s wonderful news,” Cassia said. “I know Nike would appreciate that.”
“Cassia’s awake!” Zoe squealed from the corridor. The goats bleated.
“Alkaios and Nephalea are here, too?” Bosko had never sounded so excited.
The sucklings dashed through the door curtain. Cassia swallowed a laugh. Bosko had used his speires to separate and tie a section of his hair to match all that remained on Alkaios’s head. Alkaios looked rather startled, but Nephalea made over the suckling’s new hairstyle.
Zoe and the goats climbed in bed with Cassia and Lio. Zoe’s only admission of distress was how close she cuddled to Cassia. Cassia wasn’t sure how much Lio had told his sister about what had happened, but she held Zoe tight, while Lio held her.
Moonbeam tasted Cassia’s bedclothes. Aurora looked interested in the flowers on the nightstand, before Zoe hauled the kid onto her lap. Cassia’s throat tightened, and she tried to fight off tears long enough to ask the question.
“Lio…where is Knight?”
Lio pointed at the door. Bosko’s parents followed the sucklings inside. Knight walked in at Kadi’s side, heeling perfectly.
Kadi grinned at Cassia. “The animal healers were terrified to try bringing him to you. He seemed glad to see me, though.”
Cassia held out her arms, leaden though they were. Knight bounded onto the bed, shaking the frame, scattering goats and rousing a peal of laughter from everyone. He fit himself onto the bunk by sprawling all over Lio and Cassia’s legs.
Cassia yawned, rubbing Knight’s ears. “How long was I asleep? It feels like I’ve been in bed for a month.”
Lio scratched Knight’s chin. “Annassa Soteira put a slow healing on you and said you needed absolute rest. It’s only been three nights, though.”
“Three nights?” Cassia shot him a frantic glance when Zoe wasn’t looking.
He angled his head toward his parents, who were walking through the door. “I’m fine.”
Zoe giggled. “Lio’s a suckling again.”
Lio reached over and ruffled her hair.
Bosko didn’t seem to realize his attempts at conversation with Alkaios and Nephalea were keeping his heroes from their rest, until Apollon and Komnena gently mentioned Queen Soteira’s instructions. When Alkaios and Nephalea invited Bosko to visit them in their room later and offered to answer all his questions about his Aunt Nike, he let them leave at last.
“Bring Cassia’s get-well present over here, Bosko,” Zoe urged.
Bosko approached Cassia. He held out a handful of rimelace. “We picked these wildflowers for you. I’m glad you’re all right.”
Cassia took the profusion of tiny, white flowers from him and held them to her nose. They smelled like spring and freshly fallen snow all at once. Like home. Like Orthros, where medicine that saved children’s lives grew as wildflowers.
She gestured around her at the room full of gifts. “Don’t tell anyone who gave me all these lovely things, but your flowers are my favorite.”
Bosko gave Cassia a real smile.
“You like ours even better than that huge one?” Zoe asked.
Cassia eyed the gaudy statement of grandeur in the far corner of the room. The vase was too tall for a table, and the spiky, vibrant flowers were bigger than Knight’s paws. “Well, it’s not roses, so it can’t be from Konstantina. Let me guess. Hypatia?”
“Of course,” Lio answered.
