Page 105 of The Prince's Fealty

Tor stared at the man, arrested. He’d… definitely not thought about it like that.

He blew out a breath. “You’re right. The important thing is that we’re all here now. I wish fewer people had been hurt. But we made it here.”

There was nowhere Tor would rather be than by Pel’s side, with peace hopefully restored to the United Realms—and Tor’s family safe. He couldn’t express the relief he felt to have them all unharmed at his side. (Truth be told, he felt a little like he could float right off the back of his horse, he felt so light, but that was ridiculous.) There was more that he had to discuss with Var, of course, but just at the moment, he savored their current victory.

That in mind, he tried to push all the other thoughts out of his head. Instead, he turned to Bavil and Larexa.

“Things went well in Bessar, I take it?”

“Gornexi actually apologized for everything,” Bavil said, looking a bit stunned. “Which was remarkably decent of them given that they thought they had proof I’d cheated on Marwila while we were courting. In retrospect, we should have come up with any other plan to prevent a political marriage between us, but it seemed like our best option at the time. I certainly can’t blame Gornexi for protecting their sister. Queen Somila is extremely canny; honestly, I think she’s already planning a bonding ceremony.”

Larexa flushed heavily, but she was smiling, and Pel and Tor congratulated her.

“It’s a little soon for that,” she said, but she couldn’t hide her happiness. “Marwila and I had the chance to talk a little before Bav and I left Zanay, and it feels like there are possibilities now, which is such an amazing feeling.”

“Not to speak ill of the dead,” Tor started.

Pel, Bavil,andLarexa scoffed.

Tor tried to look offended, but then he gave up and grinned at them. “Yeah, all right. I do actually realize grief is complicated and all that, and I want you to have whatever feelings you have, and they’re all valid.”

“But?” Pel prompted with amusement.

“But,” Tor continued pointedly, “your father was kind of an ass.”

Pel rolled his eyes. None of them seemed particularly offended by this observation.

“Nostex was, too, obviously. Butnow, I think we actually have rulers who genuinely care about their people and their families and what makes them happy. I know it’s not always going to be perfect, but I think it’s going to be so much better.”

“Honestly,” Bavil admitted, “I’m not sure why everyone was trying so hard to force things before. Clearly, we should just let people do what they want. I’m getting an alliance with Bessar and one with Alossa out of it.”

Tor snorted. “True! And Var’s getting one with Vayrin as well. And someone he knows and trusts in Filon. We are obviously the best at this.”

They all grinned at one another, knowing full well that most of what had happened had been entirely accidental—or perhaps goddess-blessed. At this point, Tor felt as though they must have had her favor to have survived everything that had just happened.

This was definitely amuchmore pleasant trip than the one to Filon. Tor’s mind spun a little as he remembered that he hadn’t actually been sure anything was going on in Filon. He’d stopped there only because it had seemed to make sense on the way to Lotar. He shivered as he imagined what might have happened if he’d decided that pushing on to get to his sister was more important. Maybe the others could have managed without him, but he was glad they hadn’t needed to test that chance.

Now, there was nowhere they needed to get to urgently. There was lots that needed to be done, especially once they returned to their own realms, but it didn’t have that life-or-death desperation that they’d faced so recently.

They stopped periodically so that those in the carriage could stretch their legs. Ada, Fernila, and Var all looked better the farther away they got from Fila. Tor imagined he was probably the same, like a looming shadow was finally receding and tension was bleeding out of him.

They needed to spend one night in Filon before they reached Lotar, but they were miles away from Fila and the castle when they finally stopped. There were still hours of sunlight left, but they were all beginning to fade, even though it was only early evening.Tor wasn’t sure he could count how many hours he’d been up in a row. Whatever energy had carried him through everything they’d encountered was well and truly gone now.

Well.Almostgone.

Because after a very pleasant dinner together—where Fernila and Varfinallyrelaxed enough to let Tor have a bit of baby time!—they all retired to their nice, private rooms. Ada and Larexa chose to share, which Tor was pretty sure was Pel’s sister making sure Tor’s sister wasn’t uncomfortable alone. (He loved Larexa. She was the best.) Ada not sharing with anyoneelsewas probably the best option at the moment. (If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Ada, and Tor would support her in whatever that was. But he might have some questions.)

Everyone else paired up as couples or got their own room, and Tor made a sound of happy contentment as he closed the door on everyone else, leaving him and Pel in their very own room together.

They looked at one another, and a second later, they were in one another’s arms, holding one another close.

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” Tor breathed into Pel’s hair.

“Same,” Pel muttered against Tor’s shoulder.

There was something about being safely away from Fila and the castle that made this moment feel satisfying and more profound than even finding one another again after Nostex’s death. Or maybe Tor’s attention had been too divided then, torn between Pel and Ada and Var and Cala. They were all incredibly important to him—and now they were all totally safe, so Tor could concentrate on the man in his arms.

The realization hit him at odd times, the fact that every single person he cared most about could have been killed last night… but instead, they’d all survived. It was emotional extremes at their best, and if Tor still drank, he would probably have tried to dull all of these feelings.