Perry felt no remorse for what he’d done. He wished he could be nobler about it, but he couldn’t be. He knew regret, having slain Vale. Perry would carry that burden for the rest of his life. But Sable’s death brought him nothing but relief.

Looking at the faces around him, he ached to see his sister’s. Liv should have been there, teasing Roar. Laughing louder than anyone at his jokes. Across the fire, Twig and the brothers sat quiet and somber, no doubt feeling the absence of Gren and Reef. They had all been brothers. A circle of Six—now broken, also because of Sable.

Perry’s gaze moved to Willow, who sat between Molly and Bear with Talon. Flea slept curled at her feet, but she looked lonely, and Perry knew who she missed.

They had made it here, but the price had been steep.

Aria’s hand slipped into his. She looked into his eyes, the firelight illuminating her face. “How are you doing?” she asked.

“Me?” Perry ran his fingers over the bruise Sable had left on her forehead. It would fade, and the cut Sable had given him on the ribs would heal. Perry hardly felt it now. What he felt was the girl he loved, tucked to his side. “I’m doing amazing.”

She smiled, recognizing her answer to the same question a few days ago. “Really?”

He nodded. When they found some time alone, he’d tell her about all the triumph and sorrow that stretched at the walls of his heart. For now, he just said, “Really.”

A conversation across the fire caught his attention. Marron was talking to Molly and a few Dwellers about forming a leadership council. They planned to begin recruiting members in the morning.

Perry gave Aria’s shoulder a squeeze, tipping his chin. “You should be part of that council.”

“I want to be,” she said, and then fell quiet for a moment. “Maybe I’ll ask Loran if he wants to be in it, too.”

It was a great idea. Perry couldn’t think of a better way for Aria to build a relationship with her father, and he knew how much she wanted that.

Aria’s gaze went to his neck, where the chain no longer rested. “What about you?”

“You’ll do a better job than I ever did. You already have. And I have important plans for tomorrow.”

“Important plans?”

“That’s right.” He winked at Talon, who was drifting to sleep next to Molly. “I’m going fishing.”

Aria’s gray eyes brightened. “Using what kind of bait? Earthworms? Night crawlers?”

“Are you ever going to forget that?”

“No. Never.”

“Fine.” He leaned in and whispered, “Then I love you, my little Night Crawler.” He kissed her then, because he could. Lingered over her lips, because he couldn’t stop himself.