Page 181 of Lana Pecherczyk

Cloud’s jaw worked. “Save your pity.”

“Not pity.” River leaned closer. “You needed me. Trustedme.” He pounded his fist against his chest. “The one who always ran his mouth about love being the only treasure worth a damn.” Vulnerability flashed across Cloud’s face, but River plowed on. “I convinced you—jump with no wings. The mess can’t touch you. Do what you fucking want. Join the Order. Triad tattoo will keep us safe.Never alone.” He shook his head, guilt a physical weight as he realized he had it all wrong. “I would have followed you anywhere,” he repeated, the words tasting like dirt. “But you were already following me.” Pain lanced through him. “And when you needed me most … needed someone to understand that love was worth the risk … I failed you.” He sagged. “I made it worse.”

Cloud snapped. He lunged, tackling River hard. His fists pounded down, clumsy and full of desperate, raw anguish. For a moment, River took it. He basked in the corporal punishment. It was what he deserved. Too little, too late, his realization had come.

But this wasn’t the way to fix a break. And he wanted it fixed. He wanted his triad whole again.

With a final surge of strength, he flipped their positions, pinning Cloud beneath him. Mana, unwanted but surging, flooded his veins, amplified by his mate’s latent power.

Wings exploded from his back, unfurled, stretched wide, tips scraping the caravan walls on either side of them.

“This,” he roared, “this is what happens when we don’t fucking trust each other! When we don’t communicate. This ismyfault! You might be too proud to acknowledge a debt, but I’m not. I pushed you into love, pushed you high, then watched you fall and blamed you for the landing.” He heaved in an agonizedbreath. “I’m sorry! Fuck, Cloud, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there! I’ll never fly again, but that’s okay. I forgive you for ruining my wings.”

Cloud’s gaze drifted over River’s shoulders. “Yeah. They look ruined, alright.”

Slowly, fearfully, he twisted to see.

Wings. His wings. Impossibly whole. Glossy, perfect feathers, blue-black catching the softer UV moonlight, stretching from shoulder to tip, vibrant, quivering, and alive. Not a single inch of bare, pebbled skin remained visible.

“Blake,” he muttered, gaze lifting to the stained glass window, to the eucalyptus plant squashed against the pane. She swore that the vase had cracked. Perhaps she was right after all. “She fixed me.”

They’re so beautiful,she’d said in the trove, idly running her fingers through the soft down.Not as bad as you think.

Her touch had felt so good, so right. Healing.

Beneath him, Cloud stilled. His gaze tracked the impossible span of River’s wings, expression utterly unreadable. “What do you mean shefixedyou?”

Joy, fierce and overwhelming, surged. River shouldn’t feel it, not now, not here. Shouldn’t rub Cloud’s face in this miracle. But fuck it. He looked down at his oldest friend, brother, and tormentor, and had to share the joy. “This must be her gift.”

“Healing?”

“Restoring! She made something from nothing. The Donna said something about her bringing back what was lost.” River grinned so hard it hurt. “Her gift manifested after all. And it’s … it’s going to be life changing.”

He had to tell her. Had to—River froze, realizing what this meant.

“I can fly,” he breathed, dazed. “Holy fucking Well, I can do something I never thought I’d be able to do.” He babbled. “Nevereven wanted to do it before. But now … I really wanna do that thing.”

He pinned Cloud’s jaw between his hands and smacked a kiss square on his lips. Hard. Fast. Loud.

Cloud’s eyes widened with comical shock.

“What the fuck?” He shoved River back. “That’swhy you were jealous?”

Laughter, raw and real and deep, banished five years of shadows from River’s heart.

“Not that, fuck face.” The words tumbled out, shaky but true. “I love you, bro. Hope you can use the apology. Said it too fucking late.”

“You’re the insane one,” Cloud grumbled, dusting his shoulders.

River flashed him a grin. “You love it.”

“Fuck off.”

“Exactly.” River waggled his brows and only stopped when Cloud turned to hide his smirk. That old glimpse of brotherhood was enough. A small truce. A minor repair.

River stepped back, testing his wings, stretching them gloriously and wide behind him. He pointed at Cloud’s still stunned face. “I know I said I’d never leave you alone, but I gotta go. When I get back, you’re talking.”

“Maybe.”