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A choked sob exploded out of me, and I launched myself at him.
His dark brow creased as I jumped into his arms, burying my head in his chest. I’d thought I’d never get a chance to make things right.
“Hey now, darlin’. What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled against his shirt. “For the city gates.”
Strong hands clasped my shoulders, and Rythos gently nudged me back, frowning down at me. Distantly, I could feel more eyes on us, and I attempted to block them out.
“What are you talking about?” Rythos asked.
“I was…afraid of you.” I dropped my gaze to the ground, unable to even look at him. Rythos had always been my friend. He’d been gentle, slowly coaxing me into that friendship from the moment we’d met. And the moment I’d learned he was fae, I’d—
“Do you think I would hold that against you?” Rythos let out a booming laugh, and I raised my head as a group of hybrids stopped in their tracks, watching us closely.
I wanted to bare my teeth at them.
Instead, I turned my attention back to the man in front of me. “When I heard you were attacked, I thought I’d never get a chance to apologize…”
“Prisca.” Rythos’s voice was gentle. “No one could blame you for reacting in any kind of way that night. You’d just had your world turned upside down—just watched your brother almost die. And Lorian had made you agree to another one of his bargains.” He rolled his dark eyes. “No apology necessary.”
My chest lightened. “Do you want to come in?” I asked instead, gesturing at my tent.
Rythos slowly shook his head. “I don’t think I need to be explaining to Lorian why I was in your tent. He’s not exactly reasonable when it comes to you.”
I sneered, and he grinned at me again. “Cavis wants to introduce you to his daughter,” he said. “And I know Marth and Galon want to see you too. Lorian’s mood has been getting progressively darker since he arrived, so he probably needs to see you’re in one piece as well.”
Shaking my head, I slipped my arm through his. Margie’s words about the fae ran on a loop in my head.
Perhaps the hybrids’ natural fear of the fae was half the problem here. If they were going to be staring at me constantly, perhaps it was good for them to see me and the others interacting with the fae.
After all, if I managed to ally with the fae king, there was a good chance we would all be going to war together. The hybrids and fae would need to fight side by side.
So I strolled through the camp, smothering Margie’s warning and listening to Rythos regale me with stories of his travels—leaving out the attack. Curious eyes and whispers followed me everywhere, and by the time we were on the fae side of camp behind the arena, I was clasping his arm as if I were drowning.
“You sure about this?” he asked me, flicking a glance over his shoulder. I could feel hundreds of eyes burning into my back, but I nodded, raising my head.
Rythos led me to a tent so large, it would have encompassed ten of my own. Instead of a table, Lorian and the others were stretched out on comfortable-looking stuffed chairs close to the ground.
My gaze met Lorian’s, and he ran his eyes over me, as if checking I hadn’t been damaged in the few hours since we’d seen each other. I opened my mouth, but I was instantly wrapped in Marth’s arms.
It was like being smothered by an overly muscled giant. I pushed against his chest, and he released his hold slightly, grinning down at me. His blond hair was cut shorter than when I’d seen him last, hitting just below his shoulders now. The scruff along his jaw was longer in its place, reminding me of one of the pirates I’d glimpsed on Daharak’s ship.
“Let her breathe,” Galon growled, shoving Marth aside.
I swallowed, studying his face. Was he still disappointed in me? I didn’t know why I cared—only that I did.
Galon ran his gaze down my body. “You’ve lost muscle. Training tomorrow.”
My lips twitched. “I’ll be there.”
A wail sounded, and I jolted, peering past Galon. Cavis lounged at the back of the tent, soothing the bundle in his arms, a stunningly beautiful woman next to him. She smiled at me, flashing pearly white teeth that contrasted sharply against the dark skin of her face. She was also in her human form. Were they…worried about being in their natural form around me? After my reaction at the city gates, I couldn’t blame them. But I wanted them to feel comfortable…
“Prisca,” the woman said, getting to her feet. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
The fae were huggers. I’d learned that much already. She pulled me in for a quick embrace and then released me, gesturing at Cavis and the tiny bundle in his arms. “I’m Sybella, and this is Piperia.”
Cavis beamed up at me, and my heart suddenly felt too big for my chest. Leaning over, I used one finger to push the blanket aside. The baby was sleeping, long eyelashes brushing against her cheeks. Her tiny ears were pointed and currently far too big for her head. My lips twitched.
