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Spread out across the small, shiny clearing, the six of them had naturally paired off, with Jordan and D.C. quietly whispering to each other, and Declan watching Bear closely as he paced restlessly on the other side of the open space.

“I seriously,seriouslyhate riddles,” Alex groaned to Kaiden.

He was seated with his back leaning against the solid trunk of a glassy tree, while she was stretched out and lying with her head resting on his much more comfortable thigh. His hand was playing with her hair as she watched the daytime stars streaking overhead through the diamond-like leaves, the repeated motion of his fingers soothing, but not quite eliminating her frustration.

Part of her marvelled at how natural it felt to be this close to him, to not feel even a hint of shyness at his touch. But that was Kaiden—he’d always made her feel comfortable, even during the times when it should have been impossible. After all that had happened last night, everything just feltrightas Alex lay there with him.

Everything, of course, but the unsolvable riddle.

“We’ll get it eventually,” he said, full of quiet confidence. “We just need to look at it from every angle first.”

Alex didn’t want to look at it from every angle. She wanted to look at it from the right angle and be done with it. And she knew she wasn’t the only one. All her friends were tense from their lack of progress, but perhaps none more so than Bear. Whether it was because of the ever-darkening shadows beneath his eyes, or simply because he was as impatient as she when it came to riddles, Alex wasn’t sure. But as she turned and watched his pacing grow even more agitated, she couldn’t help frowning.

“What’s this for?” Kaiden asked, one of his fingers smoothing out her forehead.

Looking back up at him, she made sure to keep her voice quiet as she said, “I’m worried about Bear.” Kaiden’s face softened with understanding, especially when she continued, “I’m worried it’s damaging him to put aside his grief for his dad.”

“Pot, kettle,” Kaiden said gently, to which Alex admitted he had a point. But it was different for her. Because in her own way, shewasdealing. She was moving on, even if it was hard a lot of the time. And she also had the benefit of receiving a sense of closure from Niyx himself, thanks to his letter.

“I just…” She bit her lip. “He’s been acting so normal, you know? Even laughing and messing around, if slightly less than before. And that worries me, because it’s got to be eating him up on the inside. And I don’t know what to do about it. I don’t know if there’s anything Icando about it.”Other than hurry up and get rid of Aven so we can all have some time to grieve in peace, she finished mentally.

“He’s your friend, so it’s natural you’re concerned,” Kaiden said. “But just so you know, while he might not be sleeping well—which we can all see—despite what you think, heisworking through it. Just not publicly.”

Peering up at him, Alex asked, “How do you know?”

“Declan’s been keeping a close eye on him, quietly helping him through it. And regardless of how it may seem, Bear’s been responding well to his support.” His lips twitched with meaning as he added, “Really well.”

Alex glanced across the clearing again, noting once more the careful way Declan was following Bear’s movements. She also recalled her conversation with D.C. just yesterday, the princess having made a similar observation. Alex still wasn’t entirely sure why Declan was there with them, but whatever the reason, if he was helping Bear through this time, then she was glad for his presence.

Regardless, she was still curious enough to ask, “Why do you think that is? Bear finding comfort in Declan, I mean, rather than with the rest of us?”

Kaiden considered for a moment before he answered, “You know how my parents died when I was really young?”

Alex nodded, hating that he’d lost them so early in life, but grateful that his aunt had taken him and Jeera in and raised them in such a loving, supportive home.

He curled a strand of her hair around his finger, watching it contemplatively as he said, “Well, Declan has a similar story, only he lost both his parents just before starting at the academy. His dad died in an accident, and his mum wasn’t able to deal in the aftermath and took off, never to return.”

Alex looked over at the strong young man, having had no idea about his past.

“Dec was only thirteen, old enough to understand what had happened and what it meant for him,” Kaiden continued. “And then he was sent to live with Jaxon, who you know isn’t the most caring of guardians.”

Alex thought that was a generous description for the cantankerous royal advisor. Jaxon was awful, plain and simple. Even Declan had said as much after he learned Alex had met his grandfather at the palace in Tryllin.

“I hate that he had to go through that,” she said quietly. “That you both suffered so deeply at such young ages. That you had to endure so much pain.”

“There are different kinds of suffering,” Kaiden said just as quietly. “The heartache of losing a loved one, the silence of unfulfilled dreams, the hopelessness of unending despair— who’s to say what the worst pain truly is?” He shook his head again. “What matters most is how we cope in the face of our suffering; that we get up and keep trying, remembering thateach new day is an opportunity for something to change; for something better to happen.”

He looked at her meaningfully, and she smiled softly back up at him.

Stroking her fingers along the muscles of his forearm, she asked, “So that’s what you do? Keep trying? Keep hoping?”

“Every day.” He leaned down to press a swift kiss to her forehead. “It’s what Dec does, too. And he’s doing everything he can to help Bear do the same.”

“Because he remembers what it’s like,” Alex guessed. “How it feels.”

“That’s not something he’ll ever forget,” Kaiden confirmed. “And he can relate to Bear’s loss better than I can, given how old he was when his own dad died.”

With Kaiden and Declan having lost both their parents, Bear losing his dad, even Jordan losing his brother, Alex realised that they’d all been through so much in their short lives. And yet, they were all so strong. Despite what had happened to those they loved, they had never given up. She just had to believe that whatever pain Bear was dealing with right now, he’d get through it and, like Kaiden, Declan and Jordan, become even stronger from it.