Page 117 of Esperance

Zacharias threw up his hands. “Of course I pray for them. But they’ve been missing all day, and we know the dangers out there. I’m merely being realistic.”

“Are you sure that’s all you are?”

The bald man drew back. “What isthatsupposed to imply?”

“Carver,” Argent bit out warningly.

He ignored his friend, his gaze pinning the high cleric where he stood. “This excursion was your idea. Who’s to say you didn’t plan the attack as well?”

Zacharias spluttered, his face going from white to red. “How dare you accuse me of this? I’m the high cleric!”

“No,” Carver snapped. “You’re a pain in my—”

Jayveh pushed into the tent, ignorant of the tension as she hefted two packs. “One for each of you,” she said, handing one to Carver and the other to Argent. “There are bandages, fresh clothes, food, and water—anything she or Ivan might need.”

“Thank you, love.” Argent pressed a kiss to her forehead, then shrugged on the pack. “How is Marriset?”

“In shock, I think. But her wound has been treated, and Sadia and Tam are both with her.”

“In the morning, you’re all going to head back to Esperance,” he told her.

“Only so I can bring reinforcements back to help you,” she countered.

Argent huffed. “We’ll try to hurry so you don’t have to.”

She hugged him briefly. “Thank you for not telling me I have to stay back there.”

“You wouldn’t have listened.”

“True.” She turned to face Carver. “She’s going to be all right.”

She couldn’t know that, but she spoke with such resolve, Carver found himself nodding. Then he turned to Argent. “If you’re coming, we’ve got to start moving.”

They’d wasted enough time. Amryn was out there, and—

The tent flap pushed open and Amryn and Ivan limped inside.

They were drenched. Amryn’s arm was around Ivan’s back and her whole body was tucked under his shoulder, as if she were steadying him. It didn’t look like the huge Sibeten was actually allowing her to take much of his weight, though. Both of them were covered in mud. Ivan had no shirt, and he had his arm around Amryn—which were ridiculous things to fixate on whenshe was alive and standing right in front of him.

Argent darted forward and took the burden of steadying Ivan. Bandages were wrapped around various parts of his body, but Amryn looked unscathed. Exhaustion cut lines in her mud-streaked face, and her braid was a tangled mess of soaking red curls. Her clothes were dirty, torn, and wet, and her sea-green eyes were weary.

But she washere.

That fact thawed Carver’s frozen body.

He strode forward, not caring that they had an audience. He registered the surprise that flickered across Amryn’s face, but then she was locked in his embrace. His lungs felt too tight as her smaller body pressed perfectly against his. Her wet clothes instantly dampened his, but he didn’t care. She was alive, and she was in his arms. Relief nearly took him out at the knees. All he could do was bury his face in the curve of her neck and breathe in her citrus and mint scent.

Amryn didn’t move. She was rigid. Saints, he’d overstepped. She was still rightfully angry about Marriset. She didn’t want him—

Her arms wrapped around his middle, and her cheek settled against his chest.Shewas holdinghim.

No one else in the tent existed.

His heart swelled and he held her tighter.

Then he realized she might be hurt, even if she didn’t have bandages, and he instantly pulled back.

She swayed at the sudden loss of him, and he grasped her shoulders to steady her.

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