Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,72

each of us always busy with one project or another. Ryder was constantly in the hospital wing, offering any help he could give. I knew it was hard on him at times, since he was afraid the darkness he’d experienced when he rescued me from Stone would come back. It didn’t make him any less caring however. When Ryder committed himself to a project, he went all-in. The hybrid children stuck to him like glue, comforted by his humor and genuine warmth. It was fun to watch them trail after him like ducklings on the days I had enough time to make it down to the lower levels.

Some of the rebellion leaders had wanted to separate the children, to spread them amongst the different safe zones the way the leaders were. While logically it made sense to not have all of the targets in the same place, it would have killed those children. Having lived and survived together made them so close that separating them would have torn them apart. Ryder had been furious at the suggestion, his shoulders shaking while he’d sworn low and steady under his breath at Victoria, the leader of Faction Malachite. We had all been feeling the Joshua’s loss, and Ryder was still mourning the fact that he couldn’t find his niece. Having one more family separated was more than he could bear. Luckily, it hadn’t turned into a fight.

I eyed the other side of the training yard where Rio from Faction Opal was dueling with Leo from Topaz. While we had members from all factions here at this encampment, only the leaders and bodyguards from Opal and Topaz were currently on the premises. Victoria from Malachite and Frederick from Amber were off at other locations, though they stayed in touch through conference calls and Ciarán’s dream visits. I had to admit it was a useful system.

“Well, this looks like fun.” The chipper voice belonged to Valleria, the leader of Faction Topaz. The Valkyrie seemed to wear a genuine smile as she took in the giggling Nix and Theo. Valleria had been the first faction leader we had met when we underwent our trial, and we’d formed a tentative friendship with her and her bodyguard Leo.

“Val,” Nix greeted her brightly. While there was no question that Nix was far from social, she did seem to occasionally appreciate the other female’s company. It didn’t hurt that, being from Topaz, her faction’s values were closest to our own beliefs. Theo nodded his own greeting, adjusting the dark frames of his glasses.

“It’s nice to see you, Val.” I dropped my arms with a mental note to remind Ryder to heal some of the bruising later. If I was lucky, maybe we’d have a little time to heal some other aches I was dealing with… I brushed the thought aside to focus on the female in front of me. “I saw Leo training.”

Val shook her head. “Leo doesn’t do anything but train,” she commented wryly. “And if he had his way, I’d be right there with him.”

“Oh, I think I understand that feeling.” Nix sent a pointed look to Damien and Killian, who were currently attempting to break several bones.

“It’s a necessary evil at the moment,” Theo reminded her, softening the harsh rebuke by pulling her into his chest and pressing a kiss against her head.

Val laughed lightly. “Ah, young love. You lot are so cute. I assume having all your mates back together again has been wonderful.” A blush stained Nix’s cheeks, making me smile in response. I loved when she blushed. “I hoped I’d catch Joshua out here today.”

Nix hesitated, and I stepped forward, clasping her hand in mine and stroking a soothing finger over hers. “He’s with Tao and Gaspard,” I explained quietly, aware of the others in the courtyard. “They’re sorting through all of the information he brought back to make sure there was nothing of importance he missed that could be of use to the faction leaders.” Of course, by sorting, I meant Gaspard was rifling through his head like a filing cabinet…

“I see.” Val shrugged. “I’ll leave them to it then and look forward to hearing about the results. I suppose having someone like Gaspard, who was once so familiar with the Council and their ways, would be helpful in this matter, though it might take some convincing for the other faction leaders to see it as such.”

Nix’s demeanor had cooled considerably as she studied the other female. “Other than information, was there