“No.” Abby shook her head. She reached out and wiped the tears off Kinna’s cheeks. “Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know.” She sniffed and laughed. “Do you know?”
“I have no idea.”
Kinna leaned in, and Abby didn’t pull away. Their lips met in a soft, hesitant kiss.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Beth dozed on and off. Sonya left at some point, leaving her alone in the dark room. She dreamed of her life before the horde, before the institute for orc tributes, and before her sister’s illness. It was summer, and they’d gone to the mall with their friends. When they returned home, they heard their aunt and uncle in the kitchen, talking to someone. They walked in and saw their parents at the kitchen table, laughing. Abby cried out in delight and ran to throw herself in their father’s arms. Beth was confused. “When did you get back?” she asked. “You weren’t supposed to get back...”
She woke up with a star. Her heart beat fast, and she could feel it not only in her chest, but also in her throat and temples. What a strange dream.“You weren’t supposed to get back...”
She got out of the bed. The cold floor under her bare feet brought her back to her senses. It had been just a dream. Abby was going to come back. She wasn’t going to lose her like they’d lost their parents.
She heard Sonya talk to Gorya in the living room, and she padded there, not wanting to be alone for a minute longer. What time was it? It was dark outside. Too dark.
“How are you feeling?” Sonya asked. She had dark circles around her eyes.
“I’m okay. Did you manage to sleep?”
Sonya shook her head. “Don’t worry about me. You’re the one who needs rest.”
Beth couldn’t contradict her on that. She was exhausted, and just as she was thinking she might lie on the couch and try to catch another ten minutes of sleep, the baby kicked. She smiled. No matter how tired and stressed she was, she was always going to smile when the little one made his presence known.
“Tea?”
“Yes, thank you.”
They waited in silence. There was nothing to be said. Sonya fumbled with some prayer beads, and Beth thought she would’ve never guessed she was religious. Gorya sat with her back straight and her hand on the hilt of the dagger attached to her belt.
Another hour passed, and Beth could barely keep her eyes open.
Noise came from outside, and Gorya shot up to her feet. Sonya clutched her prayer beads harder. Beth felt wide awake.
The front door opened, and in walked Uthar, followed by Kinna and Abby. The two women held hands. Uthar had a gash on his forehead, and dried blood all over his face and chest.
Beth ran to him, throwing herself in his arms. He held her gently, but she didn’t care that he was dirty and smelled of death. She nestled against his chest and placed a kiss on his collarbone.
“You’re back.”
“I promised you.”
After giving him another tight hug, she stepped back and looked at him.
“You’re hurt.”
“I am fine.”
Beth tried to touch the wound on his forehead, but Uthar took hold of her hand and pressed it to his lips instead. Beth smiled, and finally looked behind him, at the mage and her sister.
They seemed to be unharmed. Abby let go of Kinna’s hand and hugged Beth. They stayed like that for a long minute, as if they needed time to absorb the fact that they were okay, they were both alive and together again.
“How are you? Did that bastard do anything...”
“No. I’m fine. He locked me in the pantry, and then the horde showed up, and... I didn’t see a thing. I waited until Kinna came and set me free.”
“It’s better that you didn’t see anything.” Kinna stepped next to Abby. She placed a hand on her shoulder.