the Jade Witch swirled like a typhoon in her mind:
“You’d be flogged in the street for that in Jadenvive. That woman’s as cold as the full moon in a blizzard.”
“Yeah. I heard that when her father died, she went out that night and came back for her coronation covered in blood.”
“Don’t say that so loud! She has a spy on every lamppost.”
“Kira.” Ryon dipped his head to catch her vacant gaze, snapping her out of spiraling fear. “It’s okay. He’ll be fine.” He steadied himself with a hand on the bed.
“W-wait.” Kira reached a hand out to Ryon, watching him with a disapproving eye. His abs looked like a child’s colorful finger painting. “You should keep resting and healing.”
“I’m fine.” Ryon tried to hide his caution as he started toward her. “Go on, root rats. I bet Miss Gwyn could use your help.”
Aegwyn eyed him with concern. “Be careful.”
Gael dashed to Ryon and hugged his waist. Ryon barely had time to put a hand on the boy’s back before Gael released him and rushed out of the room.
“Miss Iggy, can we go to the park after we help in the kitchen?” Mayla asked as she stretched her hands up to Aegwyn and was rewarded with a seat on her hip.
“No, baby, I think the park got burned . . .” Aegwyn’s voice trailed away, leaving Kira alone in the room with Ryon.
Kira balled her hands into fists, straightened them, and clenched them again. She turned back to Ryon and watched him take a careful step as he squinted at the floor.
She tried not to bounce on her heels. Can he not walk? An image of Tekkyn in chains interrupted her thoughts, and she shoved it right back out. I’ve never even thought about what it would be like to have bad vision.
“Aish, don’t look at me like that.” Ryon pulled a beige tunic on and strode to her with apparent confidence.
Kira cleared her throat and smiled. “Sorry.” She crossed the hallway to the stairs and bounded down to the landing that turned halfway down. “So if they’re taking Tekkyn straight to Brooke, do you know where she would be?”
Ryon gripped the railing and frowned at the steps. He lowered a cautious foot to the first one and muttered something Kira couldn’t hear. “Probably in the Great Hall, if it isn’t damaged.”
Kira flinched when Ryon slipped on the second step. He steadied himself on the railing, but she dashed up to his side. “Let me help—”
“I’m fine,” he interrupted. “Thanks.”
Something chipped away at Kira’s heart with every step he took. Bleed Zamara.
“Ryon, I really don’t think you should be—”
“Shut up.” He reached her and kissed her forehead.
Kira grinned and slipped her arm through his. “Okay, but if you hurt yourself even more, you’re in big trouble.”
Ryon raised an eyebrow. “Oh my.”
A choked laugh burst from Kira. Her skin burned against his, but she let herself relish the feeling. The nervous elation made her giddy enough to shudder. Despite how they’d met, the cultural divide, his stolen kiss, everything—it just felt . . . right.
She led him downstairs and through the maze of refugees on Het’saya’s first floor. Her peripheral vision ensured that he didn’t step on anything he shouldn’t—scattered belongings in haphazard piles or people sleeping on mats. She breathed freely when they escaped to clear air. Her smoke-scorched lungs were eternally grateful.
A low whistle sang beside her. Kira turned and followed Ryon’s gaze to the branches above. “Everything’s black. How much of the village was lost?”
“I’m not sure,” Kira said. “There’s a lot of damage. People are talking about abandoning the trees and expanding the walls to spread out across the earth, or moving to a fishing village to the south on Lake Mossu’s shore.”
Ryon looked like he’d been punched in the gut. “Figures.”
Kira tilted her head at him. Does he take responsibility for the entire city? “Well, many of the fields should be ready for harvest soon, and it looks like half of the crops were spared. There’s no way they’ll be abandoned.”
Ryon harrumphed. “I hope you’re right.” He turned left and strode toward a collapsed bridge blocked off by a thin rope. “Great Hall’s one level up.”
Kira pulled back on his arm. “That bridge is down.”
He stopped and leaned toward the Phoeran script on the sign that dangled from the rope. He grumbled something she couldn’t make out.
Kira’s heart shattered. “There’s another bridge that goes up from this platform, isn’t there?” She pointed to a wooden ramp on