Page 121 of The Huntmaster

I stared down at my mate, feeling the fierce, protective love driving her thoughts through our connection. She was right. Bringing back whispers of a ghost would only poison our people’s recovery.

"We say nothing," I finally agreed, my low voice settling the matter. "We keep our scouts vigilant on the outer borders in secret. But to the tribe... the deep crusts are cleansed."

Toren offered a slow, solemn nod. "Agreed."

Lyra let out a quiet, relieved breath. She reached out, her small hand sliding into mine and squeezing tight, her dark eyes lifting to meet my glowing ones with unconditional warmth.

"Come on," she whispered softly, tugging gently on my hand as she looked between Toren and me. "Let's go home."

Chapter 75

Lyra

The ascent out of the deep crusts felt like leaving a grave behind.

With every foot of rope we climbed, the oppressive sulfur and ash faded, replaced by the crisp, cool air of the canopy. By the time we stepped off the upper landing bridges into the main square of the Nest, the twin suns were dipping low on the horizon, bathing the Great Tree in long streaks of violet and molten gold.

Kaelen stayed by my side, his hand a solid anchor at the small of my back. Down our bond, the tense edge of his suspicion still buzzed—a quiet predator waiting in the dark—but outwardly, he wore the stoic composure of the Huntmaster.

"Take the scout team to the armoury and log the salvaged steel," Kaelen ordered Jarek quietly, his voice carrying the calm authority the tribe needed to hear. "And get Toren back to the healers' hut before he collapses on my walkways."

"I am fine," Toren grumbled from behind us, though he didn't put up his usual fight as two younger vanguard warriors stepped in to steady his stride. He gave me a brief, approving nod before letting them lead him down the lower wooden stairs.

I waited until the scouts dispersed, then pulled Kaelen slightly toward the shade of the archway.

"First stop," I said quietly, reaching into my satchel. "Deliveries."

We found Tyler sitting on a carved timber bench near the edge of the central square. He was watching a group of young Alu'un children play a game with polished river stones. His posture was still rigid—his shoulders hitched slightly, clearly still adjusting to the loud, towering presence of the warriors moving around him—but he wasn't retreating into the shadows anymore.

As we approached, I placed a hand on Kaelen’s arm and looked up into his golden eyes. "Give us just a moment?" I asked softly. "It’s... a personal thing for him."

Kaelen searched my face, then gave a quiet nod and stepped back to give us privacy, keeping his protective gaze fixed on the square.

"Hey," I called out gently, stepping up to the bench.

Tyler turned around. "Hey. You guys made it back in one piece."

I paused, raising an eyebrow with a faint smirk. "How did you know we were even back?"

Tyler let out a dry, breathy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Because I saw Toren limping out of the healers' hut earlier like a madman. I tried to stop him—literally stood in his way—but he’s a massive, stubborn ass. I gave up trying to help the idiot after he nearly pushed me over with his good arm."

A small laugh escaped me. "Yeah, that sounds like Toren."

Sobering up, I unslung my pouch and reached inside, pulling out the small, sun-carved stone I had retrieved from Sila’s quarters.

The moment Tyler’s eyes landed on the stone, he froze. The colour drained from his face, his posture going rigid as if a ghost had just walked over his grave, reliving the dark, suffocating memories in an instant.

"I found this in her room," I said quietly, stepping closer so I didn't draw anyone else's attention. "It seemed like something important to you."

"I... I mean, it’s..." Tyler stuttered, his jaw working as he struggled to find his voice, his chest heaving slightly.

Before he could spiral, I gently reached out, placed the smooth stone into his palm, folded his fingers over it, and cupped my hands over his.

"You don't have to tell me anything," I said softly, looking him dead in the eye with complete sincerity. "Not a single word. But I want you to know... I'm always here. If and whenever you want to talk about anything at all."

Tyler swallowed hard, closing his eyes for a second as he shook his head slightly, as if physically brushing the dark thoughts away. He took a steadying breath and looked down at our hands.

"Thank you, Lyra," he murmured, his voice tight but grounded. "Seriously."