Chapter 61

"*Lily*?" Damion says, the dark rasp of his voice cutting across the hallway.

I'd recognize the sight of his tall sturdy frame anywhere. Like the night he left, he's swathed in black gear. A few strands of his dark curling hair droop onto his forehead, and the same dark bruises under his eyes he had when he left only look darker. Like he hasn't been sleeping.

The sharp planes of his face go slack with shock, while the dark slashes of eyebrows pull together like he can't decide if what he's seeing is real or not. The entire length of his body goes taut, like he's frozen.

I take off in a sprint, the soles of my boots pounding on the stone tunnel floor as I fly across the space between us and launch myself into his arms. He catches me easily like it's second nature for him- like his arms were made for it. Made for *me*. My legs wrap around his torso, my arms clinging to the broad lines of his shoulders and neck, wishing I could somehow pull him in even tighter.

Happiness and relief burst through me like a warm light as his arms wrap around me, pulling me so tightly into his chest I can barely breathe. I don't want to though. Who needs air anyway? Suddenly, everything that had felt wrong over the past few days feels right.

Having him here with me is everything, and yet not enough at the same time. I want more. *Need* more. I tilt back from the embrace of his arms just enough so I can tangle my fingers in the soft waves of his dark hair and lower my mouth to his.

He tastes like home.

He meets my kiss without hesitation, tilting his head to accommodate for the new angle. Our lips slide together in a heated scorching kiss that sends shivers up my spine and has my heart thumping unsteadily against my ribcage and a pulse of need clinching at my core.

Someone clears their throat awkwardly behind us, "It's good to see you again, Princess Liliana," comes the deeply amused voice of the person standing a few feet back from us. My attention had been so focused- so narrowed in on Damion - that I'd somehow forgotten that there are still other people standing nearby. I pull back just enough to see the shifter who had been standing with Damion when we'd arrived. Captain Alfson.

I loosen my death grip on Damion, my cheeks flaming, and Damion complies, setting me gently back on my feet. He keeps me tucked firmly into his side, though. Like he's nervous that if he lets go of me for even a second that I'll flicker away like a mirage.

I recognize the shifter male standing just a few paces away from the single time I'd seen him - that night in the garden after Damion had kissed me for the first time. His wavy and fiery red hair is brighter than I remember, though. Last time I'd seen him, it had been left down, flowing past his shoulders but today he has it tied back with a strip of leather.

"Hi, Leif," I say, turning my head so I can see him a bit better around Damion's arm, "It's good to see you, too. Though, I'm pretty sure I remember asking you to call me Lily."

His red eyebrows shoot up toward his hairline and that same mischievous light dances in his green eyes.

"How are you here? Did something happen-" Damion starts to ask, then cuts himself off, his body stiffening as realization dawns on him, "*I'm going to fucking kill you, Alfson*." Damion growls. There's a look of pure murder that flashes through his dark eyes that makes me think that he might really mean it.

The red haired shifter freezes, then sighs, "Lothbrook-"

Damion doesn't let him finish, "When I took you on as my second, I didn't realize you had such a shoddy sense of self preservation," his voice is a low murderous growl.

"Don't be mad at him," I say, "I *wanted* to come." A sudden wave of vulnerability courses through me as I crane my neck to look hesitantly back up into his face, and my voice lowers to a whisper, "I missed you."

His anger seems to deflate out of him between one heartbeat and the next. The planes of his face that had been tight with fury soften, and his eyes flash such a sheen of gold so dark it almost looks bronze, "I missed you too. So gods damned much. But you shouldn't have risked yourself like that, if anything had happened to you-"

"I'm completely fine," I say, but his eyes suddenly catch and linger on what I imagine is the half dried blood clumped to the side of my temple and that shade of gold in his gaze shifts to a swirling mix of amber and purple that has me wincing. I really wish I had been able to be healed before running into him if only so he wouldn't worry. But it's too late now.

Alarm and horror flash across his face, "*You're bleeding*," His attention whips over to my guards who stand silently by, "What the *hell* happened out there?"

Xavier's posture is tense where he stands a few paces back next to Arden, expression grave, "The storm happened, sir."

"Shit," I hear Leif hiss under his breath, he blanches and the blood drains from his face. The unnatural shade of pale makes his freckles stand out in sharp contrast.

"We lost Erik to the fog," Arden admits to them in a low voice, "It all happened so fast. There was nothing we could do to help him."

A tense silence settles over everyone as the news sinks in. Leif is the first to speak, "I'll inform his family."

"We were just escorting Lily to the hospital wing so she could get checked out by a Healer," Xavier explains to Damion.

"I'm fine," I say, "Really. It's nothing, just a scratch."

Damion looks down at me again, his eyes flickering over my face before turning back to my guards, "I'll take it from here. You two go and get some rest. Thank you for watching out for her."

"Of course, sir." Arden says, "We'll leave your bag in your room, Lily. We'll come check up on you later."

When I turn back to thank her, she silently mouths, *have fun* where only I can see her and I can't help but grin at her.

Damion turns to face the still pale Leif, "I'm going to need you to reschedule the rest of my day."

"Already done." Leif says, with what appears to be a barely suppressed smirk.

Damion's arm squeezes around me, "Let's get you to a healer."