Chapter 517: Torn Apart

GAHRYE

It was an act of sheer self-discipline not to simply walk out of the cave and back to the Portal and go back to his mate. Watching Elia and Reth embrace, seeing the love in the eyes of the King, and the fear in Elia, knowing his own mate was floundering without him… and he without her.

He'd been uncertain what to do when he finally reached home. Alone and in the dark, he'd dropped Elia's bag off at the cave mouth, then taken the trails to go home, his head spinning with the sheer joy of being in the WildWood again—with its fresh air and the scents of everything natural. 

It was late, but the market was alight with lanterns and noise, music—which meant they were feasting. 

Reth hadn't been lying that the peace was new. It seemed like the entire city must have been at the Market, because there'd been no one on the paths. 

He almost walked into it. But he was dirty and tired and… utterly uncertain of himself.