We arrive in the healer’s quarters in the palace by my design, where Silene is immediately handed off to a group of powerful fae I trust to keep her alive and safe. After the healers remove the iron arrowhead from her stomach, Thorne, six healers, and myself weave magic over her body to stabilize her. It doesn’t wake her, but it returns her skin tone to her usual golden hue. She looks as if she could be sleeping. I’m a bit surprised that with so many of us I’m not able to heal her after I did it with Thorne so easily, but it must be because Thorne is so much more powerful than her and his own magic aided in the process. I want to immediately go get more thayar concentrate and use my enhanced magic to help her, but even I know that isn’t wise considering how much magic I’ve expended today and the exhaustion I feel. To do that again, I need to be fully in control—I can’t risk another moment like at the Battle of Moormyr. But after seeing the way the aether returned to the ground after channeling so much of it to defeat Krantz, I’m feeling relieved. For the first time in a very long time, I have hope that maybe the declining thayar isn’t my fault after all.

After assuring the healers I’ll return to help heal Silene myself as soon as I’m able, I aerstep Thorne, Fionn, and Allyssia to the Velmaran apartment so we can clean up and regroup. My body protests with every step I take, craving a nap and a cup of tea to celebrate our victory. Fionn and Allyssia move near the fireplace to speak in low voices, so Thorne pulls me into his room. The second the door closes, he’s wrapped me in his arms before I can even take my shoes off.

“You’re so sexy when you fight,” he whispers into my hair before pulling it aside and kissing my neck. The words lack their usual flirtatious zing, and I know he’s trying to use the irreverence to help us both decompress. I let him make his way across my collarbone, up the other side of my neck, and to my mouth. He parts my lips with his tongue, devouring me with his full lips.

“Mmmmm,” I moan. “You’re pretty sexy yourself. You’ve officially completed your mission as my ally, princeling. You helped take down the rebellion. Guess it’s time to send you back to Velmara.” He laughs deeply, the noise vibrating my chest from his proximity. It sends a delicious warmth through me.