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Bear’s eyes were lined with tears but they didn’t fall. Instead, he pulled Alex into his arms and rasped out, “Thank you for telling me. That—That helps so much. Knowing that wherever he is, he’s okay.”

‘I’m free now, kitten. That means I’m better than okay.’

Though they were Niyx’s words, Alex knew they also applied to William, which is why she said, “He’s better than okay, Bear. I promise.”

Bear’s arms only tightened around her, but a knock at his door had them pulling apart, just as Jordan and D.C. entered the room. Like Bear, both were already dressed for the night in fresh versions of what they’d been wearing all week for the Gate tasks.

Their expressions froze as they saw Alex with Bear, and they looked as if they were about to retreat again, but Bear waved them in, telling them in a husky voice to join them.

“Is, uh, everything okay?” D.C. asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Jordan doing the same beside her.

Bear exchanged a tender, hopeful look with Alex and repeated her words, “Better than okay.”

Her throat closed, but she pushed through it and returned his look, as well as his soft smile.

“Did we interrupt?” Jordan asked. “We can come back if—”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Bear assured him. “We were just… having a moment of closure.” He kept his eyes on Jordan as he quietly promised, “I’ll tell you about it later, mate.”

And Alex knew he would. Because while Jordan was handling William’s death better than expected, he, too, would feel better knowing Bear’s dad was at peace.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Jordan said, clearly curious. “It’ll give me something to look forward to while I resist the urge to stab these immortal fools with my butter knife tonight.”

“Just your butter knife?” D.C. asked. “I was thinking of something with more of a sharper edge. Serrated, even.”

“I was hoping Alex might lose it and unleash A’enara on them all,” Bear cut in, to which Alex just grinned and shook her head, even though it wasn’t hard for her to imagine that happening. “Maybe even burn a few things with those magical flames, leave some lasting damage.”

Jordan snorted. “What we did in the city wasn’t enough for you?”

Alex’s humour fled as she turned sharp eyes on them both. “What did you do?”

Bear’s eyes were bright, the sight easing something deep inside her, as he said, “Let’s just say there’s some graffiti that they might have a little trouble removing.”

“Vardaesia won’t be forgetting us any time soon,” Jordan added smugly.

“Serves them all right,” D.C. said, crossing her arms. “For everything they’ve put us through this week. For wasting our time like they have.”

Turning serious, Alex said, “How do you guys really feel about going home tonight? Without the Tia Aurans, I mean?”

“It’s like Bear said earlier today—if they made us work so hard only to deny us their help in the end, then we’re better off without them,” Jordan answered. “And given everything, we’d never know if they were just going to up and leave us in the middle of a battle, anyway. If you can’t trust your allies, who can you trust?”

“It’s still a blow,” D.C. acknowledged. “But we’re resourceful. We’ll figure something else out.”

“Together,” Bear said. “Always together.”

Alex smiled at them all, feeling lighter than should have been possible considering everything they were soon to face. And when she left them to go and prepare for dinner, she did so knowing they were right—they would find another way. Together.

With that knowledge, as she walked towards her private suite, there was a soft smile on her face, one that slowly faded when she saw that the common room was no longer vacant.

Her footsteps were heavy as she approached Declan, who stood from the couch as she neared, his face guarded as if preparing for a blow.

But Alex didn’t hit him. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

He froze, but then slowly returned her embrace.

“You’re not expendable, Declan Stirling. Not now, not ever. You hear me?” she said into his ear.

When he nodded, she pulled back again.