Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Even with the half-hearted threat Ada gave her, Lyv immediately dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands as her tears once again appeared. She couldn't contain her relief and happiness, which came out in broken, shaking sobs. It wasn't Jai who rushed forward to hold her then, though he did run up behind her, along with the others. It was Ada who pulled her hands away from her face, her own tears welling up in her eyes before she wrapped Lyv in her arms.

"What...I thought you were..." Lyv tried to get out, reaching forward to clutch her hands at the front of Ada's jacket as she looked her over. She could see several scrapes and bruises that looked days old, including one that was below her left eye and along her jaw. "How did you get out?"

"Every one of the strongholds have secret tunnels below them. I would have thought you'd known this, especially since you were notorious for using the ones at the palace back in the city," Ada answered with a laugh, thick with emotion. "I've missed you so much, Lyv. You have no idea. And when we heard what happened to you..." She shook her head, reaching up to cradle Lyv's face in her hands before kissing both her cheeks. "Father had so many of the Escarrali guardsmen out searching, just in case you were here. We kept a look out for months, but then we got Jai's message about how you escaped and were back with them. I don't think I've cried that much in years."

Lyv reached for Ada again, wrapping her arm securely around her in a hug she returned just as fiercely. "I'm all right now."

"Not according to Jai, you're not. You still have that godsforsaken dark magic in you, don't you?"

"You need to stop giving me reasons to finally kill him. He talks way too much and worrying far too many people."

"Even though it's obviously true after what we all just witnessed? Obviously, he loves you enough to risk you carving him up with that dagger of yours. We all did love watching the two of you training together when you were here before. But at that time, you two weren't mated and finally together. I'm going to need some details as to how and when that happened, all right?"

Lyv's laugh was finally one that portrayed her relief even more so. "I was expecting you to ask me about all of that, but not this soon in being back together."

"After this last week, I'm in desperate need of conversation that will take my mind off of everything. And if that has to be talking about that beautiful mate of yours, then so be it."

"He is pretty to look at, isn't he?"

"That's for damn sure."

"Ada! You never curse."

"I bet you do even more when you two are tangled together..."

"Stop it! Stop making me laugh when all I want to do is cry right now!"

Ada leaned forward and kissed both of her cheeks before heaving a dramatic sigh. "I'm all right," she told her. "And you're all right. We'll need to talk, though, about what...happened to you over these last few months. Even if you don't want to give me a lot since I'm sure you're still processing through it, just give me a little bit of explanation. Oh, and I will happily suffer through all of the dirty details about you and the Crown Prince of Dalcaine, too."

Lyv laughed again through her tears. "You're crazy."

"And you two do know I'm right here, don't you?"

Both Lyv and Ada looked up to the male in question, who was standing just a foot away with a slightly amused expression. He was joined by Gideon, Thia, Allel, and Kalla, all still startled by Ada's sudden appearance.