The main hall smelled of sweat and fear. Murmurs and quiet sobbing muted the sounds of battle but didn’t quite drown them out. Kyra ran from one stall to the next, searching through faces. People were crowded into every corner. Finally, she glimpsed a familiar figure, his arms draped protectively around two young girls. The girls covered their ears as they huddled on the ground. All three of them had faces blackened with soot, and streaked—even Flick’s—with tears.

“Flick!” Kyra forgot about the demon cat invasion, forgot she was supposed to be dead, and barreled toward them, stopping short as they looked up and registered her face. There was a moment of shocked silence. The girls gasped. Flick stared as if he thought he’d gone mad.

“Is it really…” he said.

She nodded. Flick stared for another second before he shouted her name, voice cracking with emotion. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to his chest, holding her so tightly she thought he was going to break her ribs. Kyra squeezed her eyes tight against the tears that threatened to spill. It would be all right. She wanted to just stay here, lean against him, and forget everything. He kissed her soot-stained forehead and squeezed her again before holding her back out to look at her.

“They told us you were dead.”

“I know. I’m…” She choked on the words. Idalee and Lettie stared wide-eyed, as if unsure if she was really there. Kyra reached out and pulled them close. She shouldn’t have worked for the Guild. She should have listened to Flick, to Bella…“Where’s Bella?”

A shadow crossed Flick’s face, and Kyra froze. He looked toward a group of women bent over someone on the ground. “She was stuck in the kitchens when the fires started. We were lucky we could get her out—”

She didn’t wait for him to finish. The crowd of women parted at her approach, and Kyra trembled as Bella came into view. The cook was pale beneath the soot, eyes closed as she struggled for breath. Forcing back tears, Kyra laid a hand on Bella’s arm. Bella turned at the unexpected touch, eyes fluttering open.

“Kyra? Is that you?” Her voice was hoarse and weak.

“I’m really here.” Kyra could no longer hold her tears back. “I’m so sorry, Bella.”

Bella reached up and brushed Kyra’s arm with a shaking hand. “Were those knights just fooling us?” Bella’s voice trailed off and she coughed. Kyra laid a hand on her shoulder and waited until the spasms subsided.

“We were trying to protect you. The Guild…” Kyra stopped again. Did it really matter? “I’m so sorry.”

Bella smiled. “Don’t be. You did your best.…I’m proud of you.”