THIRTEEN

Firewhirl

This was the prettiest forest Sagan had ever Seamswalked into. Silver trees all aglow, with their twinkling leaves high above, formed a labyrinth among their bases on the forest floor. She’d admired it several times during the six hours she and Korac spent so far wandering through it, lost, seeking that which didn’t want to be found.

No. That’s not right.

Rayne wanted them to find her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t leave all those hints and messages for Korac to find. It was hard, though, thinking about Rayne being alive for over six months and not telling her loved ones. Not telling Sagan, the girl who loved Rayne more than anything in the world. More than even—

“You’ve gone quiet again, amos.”

If Sagan didn’t know for a fact Korac was a soldier, she’d think he’d never been camping with the way he was dressed for this hike. A white satin tunic over black pants—damned near tights—tucked into thigh-high boots polished to a soft shine. Even after all this time in the woods, by the magic of Aegis hotness, the shirt was untouched, and the boots were still gleaming. Korac had asked Sagan to do his hair. She’d preened the entire time she wove a checker-patterned braid across his scalp and tied it all into a high ponytail. As always, he looked edible.

Sagan expected the snow storm on Thailea to pervade, so she wore combat leggings and a cropped hoodie. Double braids, practical and cute, finished the look. As it turned out, Thailea was the perfect temperature for frolicking through the woods.

Each of them carried a duffel of extra clothes and supplies in case they needed to camp. As the glow around the forest waned into some semblance of night, it looked likely.

It did nothing for Sagan’s mood. Why did she keep on this spiral? Rayne loved Sagan—There was no questioning it. But her first lover would need to explain this whole hiding out situation—

Korac’s arm slipped around Sagan’s shoulders and pulled her in for a squeeze. Just like that, she felt better. Looking up into his white eyes, she said, “You know, they should really bottle this magic of yours.”

The Icarean General’s crooked smirk aided the mystical remedy as he said, “I’m here if you want to talk.” With a kiss on her forehead, he left her to investigate a tree base.

Sagan dropped her duffel and sat on a root, thinking. After another moment, she asked, “Are you sure it’s here?”

Focused on the base, sniffing and searching, Korac said, “This is definitely the forest I showed you in the feed of the races. Whatever conduit Rayne had created, it had led them here. Then all the holdings in Razor’s accounts, which our Co-Emperor populated, disclosed the different safe houses. This is the one.”

“Okay. Yeah. You sound certain, and I trust you. We’ll find it.” Sagan couldn’t quite force a smile into her words. After a heavy sigh, it was time to unload her burdens. “It’ll take a while for me to understand. I already forgive Rayne, you know? But six months without telling me she was alive? It stings.”

Korac peered over his shoulder, and there was such intensity in his eyes it took Sagan aback. He said, “Let it go. Take it from me, there’s so much that can come between friendships and love. Only after everything dissolves, do you often look back in hindsight and see so many things which didn’t need to cause strife between you. Don’t let this thought be one of those things. Because if she were to die in the near future, you’ll remember wasting entirely too much time thinking this way. And then the person to forgive will be yourself for wasting it.”

The Verses.

Korac was right, and it was a lesson he’d learned the hard way. He crossed the clearing and cupped Sagan’s face. “She’s alive, and she loves you.”

Sagan swallowed to say, “You are absolutely on top of it and looking fabulous while philosophizing in the woods. And sniffing. Why are you sniffing so much?”

“You don’t smell it?” Comically, Korac sniffed the air like a predator. It was cute, though.

Sagan mimicked him, trying to catch a whiff of…

The ocean breaking on the shore, demolishing sandcastles to the delight of squealing children.

Such a specific smell, and it could only be…

“Rayne.”

Korac said, “I first noticed it about ten minutes ago, but it’s strongest here. And…” He looked over his shoulder at the tree base he’d sniffed earlier. “It’s her blood.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

This was cause for alarm, which Korac immediately addressed, cupping Sagan’s chin. “Save your worry. I think it’s a DNA seal.”

Like the one to Xelan’s stronghold before he filled it in.

“Oh.”

Sagan wet her lips, suddenly nervous. Korac shook his head, let go of her chin, and took her hand. “It’s time, amos.”

Korac led her across the clearing to the tree base. There, Sagan made out the faintest trace of a seam, where the beach smell was most potent. The nerves morphed into excited butterflies in Sagan’s stomach. She spared Korac a glance. He nodded and knocked on the wooden base.

Hand in hand, they waited.

To think, just this morning they were enjoying feeding Echo breakfast before Karter received her for another round of grandmother babysitting. And now the iconic couple were on Thailea, the impossible planet, looking for Rayne and Nox. The possibilities roiled in Sagan’s gut, twisting it into a nervous knot. Anxiety was stupid, unnecessary, and—

A rectangle of the wood opened inward, and Sagan held her breath.

In the light of the tree’s glow, Rayne—beautiful, wonderful Rayne—stood with Nox behind her, framed in the doorway.

The air slammed back into Sagan’s lungs and nearly choked out a sob. “Rayne.” Her name left Sagan’s lips on a breath, unable to muster more.

“Sagan!” Rayne lunged for her, arms outstretched. She latched and squeezed so hard, Sagan’s bones popped. “Oh, sorry. Are you okay?” She lightened up, almost letting go, but Sagan threw her arms around Rayne, giving as much in return.

“Don’t you dare let me go.”

Tears followed. Little happy sobs onto each other’s shoulders. It occurred to Sagan they might disturb the wildlife in the doorway like this. Not to mention, Nox and Korac were stuck on opposite ends of this entanglement.

Rayne must’ve realized, too, because she wiped her face, sniffled, and said, “Here, come inside. Sorry for plowing into you like that.”

Ah. This was a well-deserved opportunity Kyle would be sore he missed. Sagan smirked, saying, “Plow into me, anytime, Callahan.” She even added a wink at Rayne’s baffled face.

The men chuckled, and Rayne finally cracked the prettiest smile with a sexy light in her eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind, Sterling.”

Promise thickened the air, and the only thing powerful enough to draw these two women away from each other was their curiosity at how Korac and Nox would reunite.

The General sensed the time had come, turning from Sagan to his former King.

Nox looked good for a dead man, all tall and brawn with his shirt open—Wait a minute. The buttons were missing.

And Rayne…

She looked so pretty in the short dress, revealing her bare shoulders and legs, and her hair was mussed. Skin flushed—

Oh.

Sagan knew her eyes went wide before she could hide it. Rayne glanced at her with a question on her face, but at the shake of Sagan’s head, they went back to focusing on their boys.

Their boys.

The former King of Cinder looked like he wanted to fidget. It was honestly kinda cute. Nerves looked good on Nox.

Korac stepped across the threshold, looking Nox once over. He checked out the space, lingering his gaze upstairs. Then he met Nox’s eyes.

This was it. After all this time, after all the Verses—This was the moment.

“Permission to speak freely, sire?”

Nox’s expression softened, and his baritone was thick as he said, “Granted, General. Always.”

When he nodded at the loft, Korac’s mask melted into a wicked a smirk. “There’s only one bed.”

As scarlet as Rayne turned, Nox went equally cobalt from head to toe.

Sagan cupped a hand to her face and snickered into it.

Especially as Nox sputtered out, “I’ve been dead for three years, and the first words out of your mouth are to give me shit.”

“Us shit,” Rayne corrected with a glare at Korac.

The troublemaker put his hand on Sagan’s back as he asked, “Do you remember, your majesty, one of our last conversations which occurred after I’d given my shirt to Sagan and Rayne to aid in their escape? You interrogated me about the missing article of clothing. Your majesty, where are your buttons?” Nox’s eyes widened, but Korac moved on from him to Rayne. “And War King?”

She could only blink at him.

To which he crooked his smirk extra to say, “Love the hair.”

What a way to clear the air. Fuck it, Sagan wanted in. She said, “This is what you two deserve for shacking up together while the rest of us think you’re dead.”

The unlikely, yet perfectly suited couple looked properly chastened.

Korac mused, “Wait until Xelan finds out.”

It killed the mood within a heartbeat. Even Sagan stopped grinning and offered Rayne a pitying look. Sagan said, “I promise. We’ll talk to him.”

“Of course we will.” Korac gave Nox’s back a good pat. Hard enough, the enormous Icarus grunted and shifted forward.

Rayne and Sagan exchanged a look and playfully rolled their eyes at the incoming pissing contest.

The glean in Nox’s black eyes accepted Korac’s challenge, as he addressed his former General. “I suppose we should thank you for taking so long to decipher the mountain of obvious clues we left you.”

Korac shook his head as if warning Nox not to open those doors. “Or else we would’ve interrupted your christening of this lovely little bungalow sooner.” The wink he gave Sagan sent a little thrill through her as he continued being an absolute pain in the ass. “I suppose we weren’t the only ones having a honeymoon, amos.”

Sagan consoled Rayne as the blood drained from her kinda deserving best friend, but a little pity wormed its way in. Sagan gently touched Korac’s arm. One look at her, and he immediately sobered. “Sorry, amos. Rayne—”

“No, it’s fine.” Chin high, Rayne went to Nox’s side and snuggled against him. With so much adoration in his expression, he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. Rayne peered up at him with genuine love in her eyes.

It affected Sagan. This was what she’d always wanted. The three girls with their three Icari. Korac took Sagan’s hand, and the warmth felt kindred. He was thinking the same.

Sagan said, “Okay. Tonight, I want some answers. Tomorrow, we’ll brainstorm the best way to break this to Xelan and Tameka. Does that sound good?”

Rayne bounced with excitement. “I’ll put on some tea and give you a tour of the place.”

Nox offered the cutest thing. “I’ll see if I can find some playing cards in the library.”

Playing poker with the Icarus who’d ripped Sagan’s nacre out of her chest sounded odd to most anyone else. Well, not so odd compared to what Korac suggested next.

“Where are we sleeping? There’s no way in the Wrong Side of Eternity we’re all fitting in the same bed. I don’t care how massive it is.”

The girls giggled, and Sagan knew—

Just knew—

Someway, somehow, they would make this work.