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“Wow.”
I smile at Marley’s amazement with flying. His eyes are taking everything in and his smile is entirely contagious.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” I murmur as I gaze down, finding Brevik charging full-speed ahead, casting plumes of snow crystals in his wake.
* * *
Moro’s cottage is as wonderful as it was in the summer.
The ivy vines that cling to his exterior walls still have their greenery and there’s not a step of snow that hasn’t been trampled here. My heart warms at that, it means he hasn’t been alone and has been busy with new Hollows as Wren mentioned.
Rune and the Cypress scowl at one another once they jump off Brevik. I entertain the thought of how on earth those two could manage to argue since one of them can’t even speak. But if anyone could figure out how to start shit, it would be Wren.
Kastian lands next to me with grace. “You fly beautifully—even with the broken wing.” His eyes dance like he’s feeling as alive as I do. I smile with pride. Wren looks over his shoulder at me and there's so much relief in his eyes it nearly brings tears to mine.
Marley yawns and just walks straight into Moro’s cottage without knocking. I hear a cheerful greeting inside and a smile breaks over my lips at the sound of Moro’s voice. Wren slips past me while I wait for Rune. His crimson horns are covered in frost and his cheeks are rosy.
“Can’t you two just get along?” I walk over to him and grab his hand tightly. He instantly intertwines his fingers with mine and my heart leaps as he dips down and kisses me.
“That asshole talked shit the whole time… so I smacked him. He’s being a little bitch about it.”
I break the kiss and laugh until tears are brimming from my eyes. “Oh gods, you hit him?! How are you two not best friends by now?” His lips turn up and he brushes my hair from my face and lets his arm hang over my shoulder.
We walk in and Moro already has five cups of tea on his table. His smile is as warm and wide as it is in my memory. His dark skin is smooth and he’s wearing thick winter gear. Looks like he just finished tending to the Hollows. I run up and hug him tightly. “It’s so good to see you, Moro!”
He hugs me back. “Good to see you are well, Elodie, and I see we have a new friend?” I turn back toward Rune and motion for him to come closer.
The Dreadius looks away as if he’s shy to see Moro, and I look back at the wise, silver-eyed male. His eyes are filled with his usual all-knowing look.
“You two know each other?” I’m not surprised. Moro has been here for lifetimes and I wouldn’t be surprised if he literally knew every breathing creature in this realm.
Moro smiles and nods slowly. Rune finally meets his gaze and there’s a somber light that fills his crimson eyes.
The Hollow Keeper walks up to Rune and holds out a hand. “I didn’t know you survived that night… Gods, it was so long ago now, wasn’t it?”
Rune dips his head and takes Moro’s hand respectfully. I don’t think I’ve seen him show anyone this much respect except me.
“What night?” I ask breathlessly, even though I have a pretty good idea of what he’s talking about.That night—his scarred throat.Goosebumps ripple over my skin and I suppress the urge to reach out and comfort Rune.
Rune keeps his head dipped and I don’t miss the tear that hits the floor beneath him.
“I’m certain he’s already spoken to you, hasn’t he, Elodie?” Moro shifts his silver eyes to me and Wren tilts his head back to look at me from the dining table. Kastian eyes me. They’ve seen us converse… but how did Moro know?
I hesitate for a second, not really sure if it’s okay to share our not-so-secret connection, but I finally give in. “How did you know?” I hold my breath, trying to restrain myself from running to my broken Rune.
Moro pats my Dreadius on the shoulder and lets out a long breath, one filled with so much… memory.
“His scar is finally fading.”
I flinch.What? His scar… I haven’t looked at it in a while, but…Moro’s right.
“How?” I say on an exhale. His thick and gruesome scar is nearly gone now, a mere scratch compared to what it used to be.
Rune’s eyes widen as well and his hand lifts to his tattooed throat. Shock sinks into his features as he slumps to his knees.
“Dreadiuses hold onto their pain and it keeps their wounds fresh, unhealed and nearly raw, until they fix whatever trauma it is that they won’t let go of.” Moro’s smile tightens as he takes a seat at the dining table with Wren. Wow, fuck all the books we found, Moro knowseverything.
I kneel next to Rune. His gaze is distant, but once my hand touches his cheek he’s back and staring into my soul as I am his. His trauma makes me want to take his entire past away. I want to take away all his hurt and just see him happy.
