As the Crow Falls | ✔

Chapter Forty

Niccola staggered back, numb. Hands caught her. She dropped the bow and turned her face into Isaiah's shoulder, melting into his hug as he held her close. She could hear his heart beating nearly out of his chest.

"Did you get her?" he said. "I know you needed to fulfill your barrower trade, so I told them not to shoot."

"I got her."

"Thank the sky."

His voice wasn't steady. Niccola freed her arms and hugged him back. Tightly.

"I was scared you wouldn't come," he murmured. "I hope that was just a code."

"I was scared you'd turn yourself over for my sake."

"You're the one who does that. I just brought the Guard."

"I'm sorry," said Niccola, and realized a heartbeat later that he'd said it, too. They both paused, unsure what to say next.

"I'm sorry," said Niccola again, breaking the silence. "You were right."

"So were you."

She gave a watery chuckle. "Are we still friends?"

"Were we ever?"

She pulled back and frowned at him. He was smiling. His hands trembled on her arms, there was a bleeding knife-line across this throat, and he was teasing her.

"Am I wrong, though?" he said, nearly laughing, as though the giddy relief of their safety had gone to his head.

Except he wasn't wrong. He'd always intended to court her, and she'd harbored distrust, even hatred for him until the moment she didn't. She dropped forwards again, re-burying herself in his arms. "Depends how you define friends."

She could practically hear his grimace. "Please don't make me mark what differentiates romance from any other long-term partnership. I've never known."

She'd never thought she would hear someone else put that into words, let alone so succinctly.

"But I'm sorry, too," said Isaiah. "You were right. I should have pushed back sooner."

"Did the Guard back you?"

"Without question."

Further conversation was interrupted by a frantic chirping sound. Niccola twisted her head to find a guard making her way towards them with Pekea in her arms, restrained by the wings, paws, and harness. The little dragon kicked and writhed, trying to brace herself against the guard's armor for purchase to launch herself in Isaiah's direction. When they were close, the guard let go. Pekea made the leap and crashed into the space between them. She nuzzled Isaiah frantically.

"I'm fine, Pea," he murmured. Niccola could tell it was a lie. Pekea found the cut on his neck anyway, and forged straight through his attempts to block her from it. She clambered onto his shoulder began to lick it gently. Isaiah elected to return his hand to their hug instead. He rested his cheek in Niccola's hair.

She couldn't not say it. It was clear he felt the same way she did; he wouldn't have made the joke otherwise. He'd always been serious. She was the one who'd been holding back all this time. "I know you never explicitly made me a courtship offer," she said, "but does it still stand?"

The way his whole body sank sent Niccola's heart plunging. Had she assumed too far? She shouldn't have spoken before they talked out the rest of their differences, trivial as those now seemed. They'd both faced death and emerged on the other side willing to forgive each other; she'd assumed that was enough.

"My mother already sent an offer," said Isaiah hoarsely.

Niccola's thoughts tripped over themselves. She pulled back and gripped his arms again. "She what?"