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“Finally!” the redhead cried, stomping over to meet them. “What were you doing up there? Baking a cake?”

Kiva pressed her lips together, knowing now wasn’t the time to laugh.

Cresta, however, caught her mirth and frowned. “Did you miss the part where Navok and Serafine are on their way to Vallenia? What about that is funny to you?”

“Sera is with Navok?” Jaren asked.

“That’s what Issa’s messenger heard,” Ashlyn answered. “We can’t know for sure.”

“She’s with him.” Cresta’s voice was hard with certainty. “If anyone is a bastard enough to drag their defenseless sister into battle, it’s him.”

Before Kiva could question Cresta’s unexpected vehemence, Caldon appeared through the open palace doors, with Tipp, Naari, and Galdric close behind him. The latter three appeared relieved to see that Ashlyn had returned with Kiva and Jaren, but Caldon...

Kiva could only stare as he stormed down the palace steps toward them, his face a mask of fury. He came to a stop before where she stood with Jaren, his cobalt eyes spearing his cousin as he demanded, “Was it worth it?”

Baffled, Kiva looked to Jaren, who answered with two short, calm words: “It was.”

That was when Caldon’s gaze flicked down to where their hands were still linked, his anger bleeding away in an instant.

But still, he jabbed a finger at Jaren and said, “You could’ve just asked, asshole. You think Iwantedto climb the damned mountain?You didn’t need to knock me out, especially when you know how sick undiluted moradine makes me. I puked for half the morning.”

Despite his words, he yanked both Kiva and Jaren into a fierce three-way hug.

“You’re both idiots,” he grumbled into their ears. “I don’t know why I love you. Frankly, I deserve better.” He then released them to place loud, smacking kisses on first Kiva’s and then Jaren’s cheeks, before saying, “No more lovers’ spats. My poor little heart can’t take it.”

Kiva stood stunned for a moment before she turned to Jaren, a question — and an accusation — in her eyes.

Flushing slightly, he confessed, “I may have fibbed a little about Cal over-imbibing at the party.”

Caldon snorted and muttered, “Over-imbibing my ass.”

Kiva’s eyes remained on Jaren, watching him squirm. Even with the threat they had just learned about, he still had it in him to be worried about her reaction. Seeing that, knowing he’d been so desperate to get her alone that he’d drugged Caldon, Kiva couldn’t help but shift up onto her toes and press a light, tender kiss to his lips.

“Y-YES!”

Before either of them could react, Tipp tackled them, nearly sending them to the ground. His arms locked around them, and he began jumping up and down, beaming so wide Kiva was sure it must have hurt.

“Don’t rush,” Cresta said. “It’s not like we’re in a hurry or anything.”

Her words were sharp, but when Kiva looked over, she found happiness in Cresta’s hazel gaze. The redhead had seen Kiva at her absolute worst, had known how devastated she’d been from having lost Jaren — and therefore understood better than anyone just how much it meant to Kiva to have him back now.

But still... Cresta was right. Theydidneed to be on their way.

Together, Jaren and Kiva gently loosened Tipp’s grip until he was standing on his own, still with a blinding grin on his face. He seemed torealize, though, that it wasn’t the time to celebrate, and managed to rein in his delight as Galdric stepped forward.

“Did you get the ring?” the ex-rebel leader asked, his hair escaping its leather tie to fall in wisps around his fatigued face. Kiva wondered if he was strong enough to windfunnel them again so soon and prayed he could get them straight to Arden as planned.

“We did,” Jaren confirmed, just as Ashlyn, Eidran, and Torell joined their group, leading their horses and their spares.

“Time to go,” the princess said. She moved to her brother, pulling him into a quick, tight embrace, before doing the same to Jaren, rolling her eyes when they both made her promise to be careful. It was easy to forget she was the general of Evalon’s armies — right now, she was just a sister, cousin, and friend.

Kiva had seen Ashlyn fight; she knew the princess could handle herself. But as she watched her mount Spirit and prepare to depart, that didn’t make the fear Kiva felt for her any less. The fear she felt forallof them.

“See you in a few days,” Eidran said, his only goodbye to the group — though he did meet Kiva’s eyes, then slide his gaze to Jaren, before grinning at them both. It was the first time Kiva had ever seen him smile, the expression enough to dazzle her until Jaren gave a pointed cough. She blushed and turned to see the amusement in his gaze, which only prompted her blush to deepen.

“There’s a reason Eidran prefers his solitude,” Jaren said just to her, humor threading his tone. “When he’s not careful, he ends up swamped by admirers.”

Kiva could believe that, since she was still fighting the powerful effect from just one smile. But she gave herself a mental shake as her brother approached, and left Jaren’s side so they could have a moment of privacy.