Page 123 of Lore of the Tides

When the many locks were unlatched, and the door finally wrenched open, Lore was greeted with the smiling faces of her loved ones.

“I told you, Salim, I told you she was all right! I couldfeelit!” Aunty Eshe screamed. She was a blur of beautiful dark skin, layered fabric bursting with colors and patterns, and a swish of long, silvered braids as she pulled Lore over the threshold and into a fierce embrace. Lore had a single moment to breathe in the lovely, familiar scent of Eshe before she heaved a sob of relief into her aunty’s ample chest. Aunty Eshe was crying with her, rocking her back and forth in that way only those who loved their children could do; without a thought; it was natural.

Salim, taller and broader than Aunty Eshe and Lore, enfolded them both into his chest, and the three of them cried together. But they didn’t have long before the children were vying for Lore’s attention. Their little hands were running over her arms, pulling at her dress, as if making sure that she was real. That she was here.

Even Milo, who normally avoided any commotion, had shoved his way through the throng of children to cling to Lore’s leg through her skirts.

Lore picked him up, saving him from the sharp elbows of the bigger kids and the sticky hands of the toddlers, and pressed his sweet face to her shoulder. He was here, alive and well. Milo didn’t have to speak to show how much he loved her. He already had his fingers threaded through her hair, his face pressed to her neck, breathing her in as his little hand patted her tearstained cheek.

Through the shouting, the questions, the laughter, and the tears, Lore heard a voice cut through the rest.

“About damn time, Lore.”

“Grey!” Lore exclaimed, laughing through her tears.

She couldn’t bear to put Milo down just yet, and she didn’t think that, even if she had wanted to, he would have let her, as his small hands were tightly wound in her hair, so when Grey pulled her into a hug, Milo was squeezed between them. Lore expected Milo to give a squeak of protest, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Lore broke from the hug and asked, “What are you doing here? I thought I was going to have to find you at your house.”

“We moved in here. Our house didn’t survive the shake, and Eshe and Salim needed help with the kiddos, anyway.”

“Plus, there aren’t enough houses left standing for anyone to live on their own. Everyone still with a house has at least a few neighbors living with them,” Violette, Grey’s mom, said, before tugging Lore (and little Milo) into a quick hug. Grey’s little sister was next. Something loosened in her chest when she saw that his family was well, that they were here. And then Katu, who she thought should have grown a foot in her absence. He had been growing like a weed before all this started—but she could see the effects of undernourishment on him and all the children. They hadn’t enough to thrive; they were skin and bones.

Finndryl was not one to hug, and Grey, despite being the definition of a hugger, knew this, so he clasped Finn on the shoulder in greeting. Finndryl, however, surprised Lore by pulling Grey into a hug. “I’m glad to see you here, brother,” Grey said, through a surprised laugh.

Finndryl sobered as they separated. “As am I. We were both worried. The last we saw you, we were making plans to invade the castle.”

“Last we saw the two ofyou, you were supposed to meet us at the rendezvous to help guide the women and children back home. Instead, Asher led them to us alone. He told us that plans had changed, to go on ahead, that you three would be following shortly. And then you never came.”

“We have a lot to catch you up on...” Lore said.

“Isla talked to a friend—a stable hand at Wyndlin. He told us enough to know that you hadn’t been murdered and buried somewhere on the castle grounds, but we would all like to know what happened.” Grey looked around. “WhereisAsher?”

“We can explain later. Where is Isla? Is she still in Duskmere?” Finndryl’s jaw was tight. He was worried about his sister, as was Lore.

“Isla will be back tomorrow or the next day. She’s been in and out of Duskmere; if she’s not hunting for us, she’s on her way to Cher, a few days’ walk from here, to gather supplies. She has a friend there who’s been collecting medicine and the like for Isla to smuggle back to us.” Grey’s smile faltered. “We never had much outside trade to begin with, but the king made it illegal for anyone to trade with us or provide aid.”

Of course he did. Starving everyone in Duskmere would be hard if the neighboring towns could still come here and trade. Lore imagined he wanted as few people as possible to witness his plans.

Though she doubted many would care; they’d never tried to help before, despite things always being bad here.

Salim stepped up to Finndryl, his eyes shrewd, studying him and his proximity to Lore. “I gather you are Finndryl, Isla’s brother. Without your sister’s unwavering courage and selfless actions, Lore would have returned to a lot less of us,” Salim said with a somber nod. “I’m Salim, Lore’s uncle. This is Eshe, her aunt.”

Eshe was distracted, trying to stop the toddlers from pulling on Ember’s ears and tail as she scampered and yipped excitedly at the children, but Finndryl had Salim’s full attention. They clasped hands in greeting.

Lore’s stomach did a little flip.

To see two of the most important males in her life meeting... she felt like she was in a waking dream. Any other time, she would have stressed for days knowing that Salim would be meeting and placing judgment on Finndryl, but the thought had completelyslipped her mind during their journey here. And yet, here Uncle Salim was, sizing Finndryl up and appearing to approve. Salim gave Lore a soft smile, his eyes glittering, when Finndryl turned to introduce them to Hazen, who had been diverted and cloistered into a corner by Grey’s aunt Avarie, who was currently marveling at the ornate tattoos on his face with a little too much giggling.

Hazen was attractive, but still, Lore didn’t expect even Avarie to have been reduced to fits of giggles. She was just glad that Finndryl exudeddon’t touch me, or talk to me, or even look at meenergy, because Avarie’s daughters, Grey’s cousins, were indeed eyeing the two males from afar, whispering behind their hands.

Lore bit back a laugh. She wondered if they knew that Finndryl and Hazen had ludicrously impeccable hearing and would definitely be able to hear what they were whispering. She knew those admirers, whatever they were saying, would no doubt make Finndryl, who worked in a tavern and had seen some shit, blush. If he had been listening to them, and not giving Salim his full attention.

Or at least, Lore thought he hadn’t been listening, but Finndryl met her eyes over the children’s heads—and gave a quick glance at Grey’s cousins before smirking at Lore.

She grinned. Oh, she would have to beg him to tell her everything they were saying later. She bet it wasscandalous.

Aunty Eshe broke the amused gaze that Finndryl was giving her from across the room by extracting a protesting Milo from Lore’s arms and handing him to Levia with instructions to corral the kiddos into their dorm while the grown-ups talked. Levia was twelve, half a year younger than Katu. Too young to be out here for the critical conversations they would have to have soon, but old enough to help with the kids. With a smile, Lore pressed a bag full of sugared sweets she’d picked up in Ma Serach into Levia’s hands. “This should help to quiet the little ones’ protests, at least for a short while.”

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