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Lunara startled at Lyriat’s rumbling bass and spun to find the looming monarch right behind her. “You scared the starry shite out of me,” she snapped, too bleeding on edge to check her reaction.

“Apologies.” His half-smile was an agony all its own. “I thought we might commiserate.”

“Yes, of course we should. I didn’t mean…” Lunara sighed. “I don’t know why I keep lashing out at you when you’re the last bleeding one who deserves it.”

He chuckled low. “It’s amazing how our behavior changes towards others when we love and trust them, hmm? Family is a wonderfully ridiculous thing, Lunara. Besides, you aren’t half as much of an arsehole as Brand or the twins. Or Nyri, for that matter. Baldrir is sweeter than all of you, though.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “For everything.”

“No need for that,” he murmured, waving it away. “We’re all stretched too thin.”

Isn’t that the truth.

He reached into an inner pocket of his open-front tunic, producing a handkerchief. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too. You said some things last night, and I…I realized that I hadn’t considered your burden, or how the rest of us might be adding to it, however unintentionally. This really is a load of bloody dragonshite, isn’t it?”

“It really is,” she choked out, half laughing as she used the offered cloth to wipe her tears. “I fucking hate it.”

“You aren’t alone in that sentiment. In fact, you aren’t alone at all. You know that, right?”

Lunara nodded, but his penetrating stare saw too much. As usual.

“Where are the others?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.

The last thing she needed was Lyriat discovering, and subsequently stopping, her late night experiments. She was too close.

“Hedda and Faldir are already in the Main Square, ensuring its safety,” Lyriat answered, apparently satisfied. “Fern was on her way, but took a detour after Magnus for some reason, and Brand will be here any moment.”

Lunara ignored the anxious prickle over her skin. “And you?”

“Will be going down as well. I’ve cancelled this morning’s grievances. Those with a serious enough issue will find me no matter where I am, and I’d like as many of us as possible to be there with Brand.”

The reason why didn’t need to be said. His concerns likely mirrored her own.

As if their conversation summoned him, Brand swept through the double doors, clearly lost in thought. He jolted when he spotted them there, pulling up short.

“Good morning,” he said. “Again, I suppose.”

Sparkling sunshine poured over him, the rays nearly as in love with him as she was. His auburn hair was still wet from bathing, the damp ends curling ever so slightly around his ears and the base of his horns as they dried.

Lunara hadn’t lied before. After the initial shock of not recognizing him wore off, she didn’t care that he hacked his glorious mane away to nothing. She even felt a little thrill at seeing his clean face and being able to trace its square-cut lines. At knowing what he actually looked like. But there were times—like now—it sent a skitter down her spine, the reminder that he wasn’t truly himself sitting heavy in her gut. The fact that he’d opted for a set of his looser sparring linens was another strange choice that only added to the trepidation.

And yet, above it all, he was still the most striking, the most beautiful creature Lunara ever beheld.

Soon. You’ll have him back soon.

Weeping moons, she hoped so.

“Are you sure you wish to do this, my friend?” Lyriat asked.

Irritation painted itself across Brand’s features, and Lunara jumped in to defend him. “He wouldn’t have asked to do this if he wasn’t.”

“Precisely,” Brand said, only the slightest snip to his deep voice. He drew a toll from the pouch on his belt and sidled up to Lunara. “Shall we?”

Lunara swiped the back of a hand across her brow, breathing deep against the accumulating pain of healing.

Solyrian beat down upon the Square. Demons were hard at work around the healing station she arranged, their power thick on the air as they cleared rubble and rebuilt walls. At least, she thought that was what they were doing based on the sounds. It was hard to tell at the moment.

Brand emerged from the haze of red dust, yet another of the injured leaning heavily on his strong shoulder as he helped them through the mess to reach her.