“Me? I’m doing amazing.”
“Really,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Come here.” He took her hand and lifted her up. In a heartbeat, she found herself in a dim corner made darker by Perry, who towered over her and around her, blocking out the meager light.
Bending, he rested his forehead against hers and smiled. “I had some things I wanted to talk to you about. I think they were important, but I can’t remember now.”
“Because I said I’m amazing?”
His smile widened. “Because you are amazing.” He took her injured hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. “How is this?”
She couldn’t believe he wanted to know if she was in pain. “Not bad . . . I’m becoming left-handed.” The pain was either fading day by day, or she was becoming better at coping with it. Either way, she decided to consider it an improvement. “You?”
“A little sore,” he said absently, like he’d forgotten the bruises that covered him. “That move you did on Kirra was champ. It would never work on me, though.”
“I could pin you in two seconds flat.”
“I don’t know about that.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “We’ll have to see.” He cradled her face with callused hands, and bridged the distance between them.
His lips were gentle and soft as he kissed her, unlike the flexed muscles in his forearms. He felt solid and real and safe—everything she needed. She took the hem of his shirt and pulled him closer.
His kiss deepened as he leaned into her. His hands slid down her waist and settled on her hips, sending a warm wave of desire flooding through her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting more, but he broke their kiss and made a low hissing sound by her ear. “You know I’m at a steep disadvantage here, right? When you want me, I feel it. It’s impossible to keep my hands off you.”
“Sounds like an advantage to both of us.”
He drew back, giving her a lopsided grin. “It would be if we were alone.” His gaze strayed toward the cockpit, a familiar, steady focus returning to his eyes. “We’re almost there.”
Through the windshield, she saw ocean and Aether—a sky twisting with Aether—but she found herself smiling. She couldn’t wait to see Caleb again. She couldn’t wait to see Molly and Willow, and even Brooke.
Perry straightened, taking her hand. “We need to be united about something. If Jupiter and Brooke made it safely, we’ve got the Belswan Hover they brought back, and now this Dragonwing. Between the two, I’m guessing they’d fit a hundred people.”
“It’s not enough. That would barely fit a quarter of us. You’re not thinking of only sending a hundred people to the Still Blue, are you?”
He shook his head. “No. I wasn’t. I’m not ready to give in yet.”
Aria realized she’d already known his answer. They felt the same way about this. Hundreds of years ago during the Unity, there’d been a selection to choose those who’d take shelter in the Pods and those who wouldn’t. It had divided her ancestors and his, but she couldn’t let that happen again. How could she value one person’s life more than another? How could she choose Caleb over Talon? Jupiter over Willow?
She couldn’t, and neither could Perry. They had brought Dwellers and Outsiders together, and that was how it would stay.
“We have to be prepared, Aria. Not everyone will see it the way we do.”
“We’ll make them see it. We’ll find another solution.”
“I have some thoughts on that.” He glanced at the cockpit again. Roar stood next to the pilot, directing him over the last stretch toward the cave. “We’ll talk later.”
She knew they would, but she wanted to tell him something now, while Roar was occupied. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything.”
“Talk to him.”
He understood right away. “We’re fine.” He shifted his weight, his green eyes darting back to Roar. “He’s my brother. . . . We don’t need to apologize.”
“I didn’t mean that you should apologize, Perry.” Roar’s anger had faded in the Komodo, but he stood no chance of accepting what had happened to Liv unless Perry did. Unless they got through it together.
Perry stared into her eyes like he saw all her thoughts in them. Then he brought her hand up and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“I promise,” he said.
They arrived at the bluff at midday.
Aria climbed down to the cove and stared at the horizon, trapping her hair against the wind in one hand. Ashes blew past her like swarms of moths, disappearing into the surf. Her eyes burned, and an acrid smoky taste slid over her tongue.
“It’s from the fires we avoided to get here,” Perry said, coming to her side. He tipped his head to the south. “The storms aren’t moving anymore. Just spreading.”
The knot of Aether that had been raging when they’d left for the Komodo had expanded. Funnels scored down a vast portion of the horizon, reminding her of the rainwater streaking down the Hover’s windshield the day they’d started the Komodo operation.
“I feel like it’s going to drown us. Like eventually we won’t be able to breathe. Strange, isn’t it? You can’t drown in fire.”
Perry blinked at her, his lips lifting in a tired smile. “No. Not strange at all.”
He took her hand as they walked to the cave. Roar and Cinder stepped inside first, the pilot a few steps behind them.
As soon as she and Perry entered, the Tides surrounded them, sweeping Perry away. They swallowed him up with their greetings and laughter. In less than a minute, he held Talon in his arms while the Six slapped his back, jostling him. Not the gentlest welcoming, but they didn’t know about Perry’s battered condition. And judging by the smile on his face, he didn’t seem to mind.
Aria heard Flea’s happy barks and spotted him at the edge of the crowd. She caught sight of Willow just as she flew into Cinder, knocking him clean to the ground. Aria smiled. No gentle welcome there, either.
Roar stood with Brooke nearby, waving Aria over, but she couldn’t join them yet. She took Soren’s hand. He looked so dazed and heartbroken, his gaze hollow and unfocused. She needed to find Jupiter for him, or a place where he could have some quiet. It’d be one or the other; Jupiter and quiet didn’t happen together.
As she led Soren away from the crowd, she remembered the pilot. He’d be exhausted, and terrified of this new environment. After she got Soren settled, she’d make sure to check on him, too.
Molly stopped her before she’d gotten far. She cupped Aria’s face with papery hands and laughed. “Look at you! You’re an absolute fright!”
Aria smiled. “I can imagine. I haven’t seen a brush in days.”
Molly eased back. Her gaze flicked to Soren before coming back to Aria. “Brooke told me how the mission began. You had me sick with worry.”
“Sorry,” Aria said, though she loved knowing that Molly had missed her. She let herself enjoy the feeling of being cherished for a moment before turning back to her tasks. “Molly, we flew in with a pilot—”
“I know. We’re feeding him. Then we’ll take him to the Dweller cavern. He’s doing just fine.”
Aria smiled at the older woman’s efficiency. “Where’s Caleb?” she asked. Most likely Jupiter wouldn’t be far off.
“Same place. The Dweller cavern. They’re all there.” Molly’s smile faded as she noticed Soren’s silence and sensed something was wrong.
“Why are they in there? Are they still sick?” Aria asked.
“Oh, no. They’ve recovered, every one of them. But they won’t come out of there. I’m sorry . . . I’ve tried.”
“They won’t leave?” Aria said. Stunned, she left Molly and hurried to the Dweller cavern, towing Soren along. As they stepped inside, she and Soren received a much more lukewarm reception than Perry and Cinder had. The Dwellers seemed more leery than relieved to see them, but Caleb came over, smiling warmly. Jupiter came too, favoring one leg, accompanied by Rune, who walked slowly in order to keep pace with him.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” Rune said, her lips tugging into a smile.
She was Jupiter’s girlfriend now, but she’d been Aria’s friend first. Seeing her brought a rush of memories of times they’d spent together, with Paisley, Caleb, and Pixie. Aria’s heart twisted for the friends she’d never see again.
She lifted her shoulders. “Well, here I am.”
Rune’s shrewd eyes studied her. “You look like you stepped out of a horror Realm.”
Aria laughed, unsurprised by her directness. Rune had been the honesty in their group. A perfect foil to Paisley’s unfailing sweetness and Caleb’s rambling creativity. “So I’ve heard.”
She embraced Rune, who patted Aria’s shoulder and let herself be hugged. An awkward display of affection, but it was better than Aria could have hoped. At least in a small way, Rune was adjusting to life on the outside.
Aria drew back and they all stood, glancing at Soren. Looking at one another and feeling the absence of their lost home and their lost friends.
Eventually they sat, gathering in a circle. Aria kept Soren close to her side, worried about him. Jupiter and Rune held hands, and Aria wished Paisley could be there to see them. She wouldn’t have believed it; greater opposites didn’t exist.
Aria answered their questions about her mission to the Komodo, doing her best to avoid mentioning Hess out of respect for Soren, who listened in silence. The conversation quickly turned to her Outsider friends. Unsurprisingly, Rune wanted to know about Peregrine in particular.
“Caleb said you’re with him?” she asked.
Caleb winced, sending Aria a little shrug of apology. She smiled, so he’d know she didn’t mind. She saw no better way of helping them accept the Tides than by being open about her relationship with Perry—the exact opposite of the tactic she’d tried the first time, with the Tides.
“Yes. We’re together.” Saying the words aloud gave her a little shiver of pride.
“Do you love him?” Rune asked.
“Yes.”
“You love a Savage? Love him?”
“Yes, Rune. I do.”
“Have you and he—”
“Yes. We have. Can we move on now?”
“Yes,” Caleb and Jupiter answered in unison.
Rune narrowed her eyes. “You and I are talking later,” she said.
Then it was Aria’s turn to ask questions. “Have you all been here the whole time I was away? Cowering here, in the back?”
“We’re not cowering,” Rune said. “We’re just keeping our distance. It’s easier for everyone this way.” She glanced at Jupiter, who tapped a rhythm on his shoe. “They don’t like us, right, Jup?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Some of them are all right.”
“What do you mean they don’t like you?” Aria asked. “What have they done to you?”