Kadiatu beamed. “Of course, we will. No matter our decision, you’re always one of us. You’re family. And if the prince is your friend, then he is welcome, too.”

Marai gave her a rare smile. “Thank you, Kadi. Let me go tell Ruenen.”

Dusk was falling, and she found Ruenen standing by the river, peering up at the rising moon. His whole body was illuminated in a tangerine glow, highlighting the copper strands in his hair. He smiled when he spotted Marai coming towards him.

“That didn’t go horribly, did it?”

Marai shook her head. “No, not horribly.”

“Did they say no?”

“They want us to stay the night.”

Ruenen’s smile widened to show his dimples. “Then it went well.”

Marai stared up at the sky, too. The desert sunset splashed veins of orange and red through the clouds. “You never told me about your plan to make Nevandia a place for magical folk.”

Ruenen pushed his sleeves up, and his bare arm brushed against hers.

“I hadn’t thought about it until I met your family,” he said with a chuckle. “When I saw them, they reminded me of you when we first met. So rigid, so closed-off. Skeptical of everyone trying to show any ounce of kindness.”

“I don’t believe I’ve changed that much,” Marai said, but as the words left her mouth, she knew they were a lie. She’d softened in the months she’d known Ruenen.

“Right, of course,” Ruenen said, nudging her gently. He gazed back at the dusky sky. “If I’m going to lead, I want to do things that matter. It’s not about winning the war. I want to enact change.” His eyes opened wider when he glanced back down at her.

“What?” Marai asked, stilling.

“The sunset . . . you look like you’re glowing,” he said in awe. He raised his hand slowly and took hold of the end of her messy braid. He stroked her hair beneath his fingers, gold-flecked eyes sparkling as they grazed over her face.

Marai’s fingers inched towards the other hand at his side. One gentle touch sent a shockwave of warmth through her, fire snaking under her skin.

Ruenen’s fingers entwined with hers. At that moment, Marai couldn’t imagine any other place she’d rather be. Ruenen dropped her braid and traced one knuckle across her cheek. She leaned into that touch, surprising herself. His face came closer and Marai tilted back her head. It was instinctual; her body wanted to be near him. Nothing else on earth felt more natural than standing with Ruenen by the riverbank.

Scuffling footsteps in the dirt sent Marai jolting backwards, leaving the empty space between her and Ruenen feeling as massive as the ravine.

Keshel stood at the mouth of the cave. His eyes tightened as he took in the scene before him.

“Come in for dinner,” he said, then turned on his heel back inside the cave. It wasn’t a request.

Ruenen smiled and followed Keshel inside straight away.

The fae congregated around the fire. The typical desert stew bubbled in the large iron pot, steam wafting in twisting strands towards the cavern ceiling. Marai and Ruenen shared a stump, the remaining seat, as Thora doled out the stew. As Ruenen thanked her with a smile, Thora nodded and quickly stared down to her own bowl.

After a moment of weighted silence, Kadiatu’s timid voice rose up. “Are you enjoying the stew?”

Ruenen was mid-spoonful. “It’s delicious! Thank you all so much for letting me join you tonight.”

“I grew the vegetables,” said Kadiatu, earning a scowl from Leif, “and Thora’s a great cook. But we all help.”

“This is the best meal I’ve had in months,” Ruenen said, and Thora’s cheeks turned a soft pink. “Honestly, I’ve been on the run for so long that it’s nice to sit down and enjoy a meal with good company for a change.”

Marai saw his smile falter. If Nevandia didn’t accept him, he would continue to run for the rest of his life. She desperately hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

“Thora’s also a great healer,” Marai told Ruenen.

“Marai—” said Thora, blushing further.

Raife chuckled fondly, making Thora huff.

“Raife, Leif, and Aresti are excellent fighters.” Marai inclined her head in their direction.

Leif glared back. Aresti tossed her head, enjoying the compliment.

“What about you, Keshel?” asked Ruenen politely.

Keshel stared at him, face unreadable. “I protect this family.”

Ruenen gulped, and returned to slurping his stew.

“Keshel keeps us all safe with his barriers,” Kadiatu said, leaning across Marai to speak to Ruenen. “And he’s a seer. He saw you in his visions.”

“He did?” Ruenen asked, eyes opening wide.

Keshel’s grip on his spoon was so tight, his knuckles turned bone white. “Kadiatu.” His voice was deep, laced with caution. “The prince doesn’t need to know everything about us.”

For the first time, Ruenen scowled. “I’m not going to use this information against you.”

“We cannot be so certain of that,” said Keshel.

Marai nudged Ruenen when he opened his mouth to retort. He pursed his lips into a thin line, and then finished his dinner. Keshel watched the interaction through narrowed eyes.

Ruenen and Marai collected the dirty dishes. They carried the bowls and spoons to the river and set them down in the dirt.

“I can do that,” said Thora, hurrying over with a rag. “You’re a prince.”

Ruenen smiled. “I don’t mind. I’m happy to help. I’ve never felt much like a prince, anyways.”

“You can help me collect firewood,” said Raife, appearing at the cave entrance with Keshel.

Ruenen nodded and joined Raife, walking slowly up the river, chatting quietly. Keshel watched after them, arms tightly folded across his chest. Those dark eyes turned to Marai. He said not a word, but she could feel everything he wanted to say. He was disappointed in her. Angry. Worried. He’d never trust her again. His stare was a hot poker searing into her flesh as she turned to the river and began washing the dishes. After a moment, his footsteps disappeared into the cave.

“Keshel’s hardly said a word to me or Ruenen,” Marai grumbled, “and he’s spent the whole evening scowling as much as Leif.”

“Well, can you blame him? You’ve uprooted everything he created, and you brought a human into our territory,” Thora said, drying wooden bowls with her rag. She gave Marai a pointed look. “And he’s jealous.”

“What?” Marai sputtered, dropping the spoons she’d just cleaned back into the dirt. “What could Keshel possibly be jealous of?”

Thora raised her eyebrows. “He saw you out here alone with the prince.”