Darice cut an irritated glare at her. “You don’t understand. You didn’t make the climb. It was life-changing.”

Thia held her hands up in surrender. “I’m just grateful for your new attitude, kiran. You keep this up, and you’ll be my all-time favorite camping buddy.”

Fain offered his nephew a tentative smile. “You’re supposed to have your hair braided now that you’ve made your ascent into adulthood.” Hesitantly, he reached out.

Darice moved closer to him so that Fain could braid his hair.

If Sumi lived a thousand years, she’d never forget the sad yet proud look on Fain’s face that his nephew was allowing Fain to touch him for the first time in Darice’s life. Darice appeared unsure at first, but after a few minutes he relaxed and accepted Fain as family.

It touched her heart to see them like that.

Thia draped her arm over Sumi’s shoulders. “Don’t look now, but the others have noticed you… Heads up.”

Suddenly terrified, Sumi glanced past their small group to see the truth in those words. Syn had taken Dancer and Bastien to the infirmary and everyone who’d been focused on Dancer was now staring at them.

Or more to the point, her.

Never in her life had she wished herself invisible more.

A gorgeous, bearded male in a burgundy Phrixian battlesuit was the first to walk over to them. He had the same intense, predator lope that marked both Fain and Dancer.

His long black hair had a bright red stripe in it and was pulled back into a ponytail. “No one told me we were doing makeovers! Stand aside, Fain, you’re not doing that right.” Using his hip, he bumped Fain to the left and took over plaiting Darice’s hair. Then he flashed a bright smile at Sumi. “I’m Mari, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

Sumi returned his smile. So this was Safir and Kyr’s brother. She could see the resemblance between him and Saf, but not so much with Kyr. Maybe because he and Saf still had a soul.

And Mari didn’t appear crazy.

“Mari?”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “What, love?”

“Your brother, Safir —”

“Is at home, being taken care of, even as we speak.”

“He’s no longer in Kyr’s custody?”

Maris paused to meet her gaze. “He’s safe.”

“Thank the gods,” she breathed.

Thia grinned at them. “By the way, Aunt Mari’s the one who’s going to be grumpiest with you from now on.”

That made Sumi’s heart stop. What had she done? “Why?”

Thia wrinkled her nose. “He’s Uncle Hauk’s late-night gaming partner.”

Mari winked at her. “It’s okay. Hauk is one male I don’t mind sharing. Besides, my son and hubby will be delighted to have more undivided time with me.”