Page 116 of To Fight and To Fold

Aaryn turned to find⁠—

"Thea," she greeted, a smile curling her lips as Thea approached.

Thea pointed over her shoulder with her thumb, the other hand tucked in a pocket. "Just wanted to let you know I saw your dragon on his favorite rock. I think the kids wore him out."

Aaryn's heart pitter-pattered, and she hoped it wasn't obvious as she raked her gaze over Thea for injuries.

"Runa?" Thea asked, brow furrowing.

The woman in question stepped up beside Aaryn, a smile of disbelief on her face. "Thea?"

Aaryn watched in confusion as the two stepped forward, embracing heartily. Their arms wrapped around one another, and Aaryn was utterly unfamiliar with the expression on Thea's face. Maybe because it was one of… wonder? Excitement?

"What are you doing here?" Thea asked, hands planted on her shoulders as they stepped back.

"I—I was with my parents in Skymore when…" Something dark seeped into her voice. "When Evergale attacked," she finished.

Thea's eyes flashed with concern. "Your parents…?"

"Are fine. They're with the other refugees."

They finally released each other, and Aaryn didn't realize she'd been waiting for just that. "I was a little injured, but Aaryn took me to a healer," she said.

"And you know Aaryn because…" Thea asked, tucking her hands behind her back.

"Runa was the guard assigned to me when the prince locked us down," Aaryn explained.

Thea blinked, shocked, gaze stuck on the former guard. "How did we never cross paths?"

"It's been…" Runa trailed off, and Thea turned thoughtful.

"More than a decade, at the very least. Skies! I remember your parents' stall at the market," Thea remarked.

It struck Aaryn then.

Thea was from Skymore. And she… hadn't mentioned it. Not even when she'd seen it burning with her own eyes. Aaryn had assumed something had happened to Thea's family, for her to end up here. For Vaelen to have taken her in. Maybe it didn't matter that the town Thea had been born in was gone.

Maybe she hadn't allowed it to matter.

And now, Runa. A bridge to that childhood.

This Thea was the same one Runa had grown up with. The same one she'd mentioned in the library all those moons ago.

Aaryn studied Thea, looking for a crack in the facade, and now she was torn. Torn between seeing to Runa and Carissa; and the desire to comfort Thea, to mend cracks Aaryn hadn't even found yet.

They hugged once more before breaking apart, and Aaryn stood by, feeling awkward.

"I knew there was a Thea we were on the lookout for, but I didn't know it was you. The world is much smaller than I give it credit for," Runa said, shaking her head with wonder. "You know, you were always quite the troublemaker."

"The very same," Thea announced, holding her hands out as if to present herself. Aaryn rolled her eyes.

Runa glanced between them. "Ohh, is she your guard now?" Runa asked as if she'd figured out a mystery, and Thea snorted.

"Hardly. She fits right in here," Thea said, and the softness of her tone made Aaryn flush.

"Is that so?" Runa beamed over at Aaryn.

Her cheeks heated. "Yes," she admitted. "I get to spend so much time with Starspark, and there's no guard to rush us through it."