Page 83 of The Curse of Gods (The Curse of Saints #3)

Josie’s first thought at seeing the Mala Mountains again was that though Viviane had been a talented artist, her paintings had not done them justice.

Her second was that it didn’t hurt, when the memory of Vi’s paintings floated across her mind. Finally.

Josie stood in a hallway of the palace—the new Quarter for the Dyminara, an attendant had explained—and gazed out the windows at the towering peaks that surrounded them.

She hadn’t gotten to admire them like this the last time she’d been in Dunmeaden, not with the chaos that had been unfolding when their ship arrived in the harbor.

Seeing the destruction that still sat in the port had hollowed out something inside of her. The aftermath of the battle was still an open wound on the city, and now…

Now it would not even have time to scar. Not when Kakos was due at their door any day.

Aidon took up a spot next to her, his arms twining behind his back as he stared out the window. “They say Hyacinth is in the dungeons,” he remarked. Josie cut a glance at her brother. His lips were pursed, his brows drawn together. “I suppose that means Aya was well received.”

“I imagine if she wasn’t, it would be us in the dungeons,” Josie said. She turned away from the windows, her gaze taking in the gray stone of the palace walls. It had its own sort of beauty, she supposed. But seven hells did it feel bland compared to her home in Trahir.

She stepped back into the main hall, where Aleissande was speaking with a Dyminara member. The warrior nodded before she pivoted on her heel and left the hall.

“She was discussing lodging,” Aleissande explained. “There won’t be room for everyone in the palace, but we can make camp on the grounds.”

Josie nodded. “We can—” She cut herself off with a sudden shriek as she caught sight of the woman walking through the palace doors. “Aya!”

Josie launched herself across the hall, her friend meeting her halfway as they collided in an embrace. They nearly fell, a tangle of limbs and laughter as they tried to steady themselves.

Josie squeezed Aya tight, her eyes filling with tears as she let out another relieved laugh. “Gods, it’s so good to see you,” she managed to choke out.

“And you.” Aya pulled away, her hands landing on Josie’s shoulders as she looked her over. “You’re here.”

“Of course I’m here. We couldn’t let you have all the fun now, could we?”

Aya grinned, but a muffled shout had her turning away from Josie, to where Aidon had Will in a firm embrace.

Will pulled back after a long moment, but he kept a hand on Aidon’s shoulder as he murmured something to him, his voice too low for them to make out.

Whatever he said made Aidon smile, his head dipping in what looked like gratitude.

“Wow,” Josie mused. “What a development.”

Aya laughed, her arm pressing against Josie’s as she leaned against her affectionately. “You have no idea.”

Aya looked to where Aleissande was standing. “Speaking of developments,” Aya murmured pointedly beneath her breath. “Last time I saw you, there was some… tension there.”

Josie elbowed her in the ribs. “Aya Veliri, I’ve never known you to be a gossip.”

“You’re right, that’s usually your role in our friendship,” Aya retorted, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

Josie lunged for her, but Aya stepped out of her grasp just as another voice rang out across the hall.

“Aidon?”

Josie turned to see a woman with long red hair walking beside a tall man with brown skin—a member of the Dyminara, Josie realized as she took in his fighting leathers.

She was beautiful, with tanned skin and green eyes and a mischievous smile that widened when her brother caught her gaze.

Aidon stepped away from Will, his own grin stretching across his face as the woman sprinted across the hall. He caught her in his arms, his laugh ringing out against the stone, light and free in a way Josie hadn’t heard in…gods, months? Maybe longer.

So this was her—the woman Aidon had mentioned only once but refused to elaborate on, even during their journey across the Anath.

“Dauphine Adair,” Aya told Josie, catching her curious look. “A Midlands mercenary.”

Josie raised a brow. A mercenary?

“Seven hells,” Josie sighed. “Always attracted to danger, isn’t he?”

“Aya represents that remark,” Will said lightly as he joined them. He tossed Aya a sharp grin as he tugged Josie into his arms, Aya’s retort getting lost beneath the content hum Josie made as she hugged him.

“I know she does,” Josie teased. She squeezed Will just a little bit tighter, her head resting against her shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, privately. “I know what you did for him. How you helped with his affinity.”

Will’s smile softened as he released her. “He kept me alive, too.”

“I’m glad you had each other.”

Something flickered across Will’s face as he cut a glance at Aidon, but it was gone so fast, Josie couldn’t put a name to it. Yet a solemnity lingered in his eyes when he looked at her, and it was reflected in the dip in his voice as he said, “I’m glad we did, too.”

Before she could question him, another voice rang out, a voice that had Josie’s heart leaping into her throat.

“Josie!”

She whirled to see Cole entering the hall, King Sarhash behind him. A bright laugh burst from her as she ran to her friend and flung herself into his arms. Cole let out an oof as she collided into him, but he held her steady, his grip tight as he rocked her from side to side.

“Thank the gods you’re okay,” Josie breathed.

“From what I hear, we maybe shouldn’t be thanking the Divine,” Sarhash corrected as he strolled up beside them. He gave Josie a nod. “Josephine. It’s been years since I last saw you. You look well.”

“And you, Your Majesty,” Josie replied with a quick bow.

“We should move into one of the meeting chambers,” Aya called to the group as they finished their hellos and introductions.

Josie glanced around the hall. She hadn’t even noticed the people milling about: Dyminara and the Royal Guard and even citizens, all tossing curious looks over their shoulders as they went about their tasks preparing for the battle ahead.

“The others will be here soon, and we have much to discuss.”

She and Will traded a long glance, a hundred unspoken words passing between them in the span of a breath.

It thrust Josie back in time, to a night in Rinnia in a guest bedroom of the palace.

She’d seen that exact look pass between them, just before Aya told them that she was the one the prophecy spoke of.

Seeing it again had dread settling heavily in Josie’s gut.

“I just need to see to our ships, first,” Aleissande said. “One of your warriors mentioned there might be space to set up camp?”

The Dyminara who’d entered with Dauphine—Liam, he’d introduced himself as—nodded. “I’ll show you.”

Aidon sighed, his hands sliding into the pockets of his emerald-green topcoat. “If we’re about to talk battle strategy, there’s someone else we’ll need to fetch.”

Aleissande’s brows rose. “I’m right here.”

Josie still had moments where she couldn’t tell if she was joking. But Aidon rolled his eyes, affection and amusement intertwining in his voice as he said, “Not you .”

“Oh?” Aya asked. “Who?”