He’d told her he loved her. She supposed that was when he realized it.
“But then I did.” Solmir’s gaze went from Raffe to Neve. “As much as I could.”
Raffe nodded. His fingers flexed by his side. “Just one punch, then.”
He delivered it as soon as the words left his mouth. Solmir reeled back, but when he straightened, it was with a rueful grin. “Oh, come on, don’t you want to make it worthwhile? You and the Wolf can both take a shot, I’ve got nothing to lose but time.”
“Stop, Solmir.”
Almost a whisper; still, it rang. Every eye turned to Neve.
All this time, she’d agonized over how she would explain this to Raffe, to Red, to everyone who cared about her and hated Solmir, as if the two were part and parcel, something that came together automatically. But those two words—the way she delivered them, maybe—seemed to do all her explaining for her.
She looked to Red, hoping her sister would understand, her sister who’d married a monster and become one herself. Their paths mirrored even in this, both of them falling for someone inhuman and following in their footsteps, only to be thrust back into rude humanity.
Red swallowed. She took a shaky breath, then looked to Solmir, eyes narrow and fierce. “I want you to know,” she said, “that the only thing saving you is her.”
“Same as it ever was,” Solmir murmured.
Raffe stepped back, the effort of it conscious. “I’m thankful for what you did,” he said. “But I never want to see you again.”
“Believe me, you won’t.” Solmir wiped the blood off his jaw. “I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do with my newfound humanity, but it will be something far away from here.”
It twisted Neve’s gut. Red’s eyes darted to her, like she could tell.
Solmir didn’t look at her, but she could tell he wanted to. Instead, he raised a brow at Eammon, standing behind Red. “What do you say, Wolf? You want one more round before I go?”
There was something hopeful in it, like Solmir wanted Eammon to hit him. If Eammon heard it, he didn’t let it sway him. Red’s husband shook his head. “I’m with Raffe. We’re done.”
“We’re done,” Solmir repeated, hands raised, walking backward, a pained smirk on his mouth. Then his hands dropped, and he turned, headed into the snow.
“Solmir…” Damn her, Neve could barely get out any word but his name.
He glanced over his shoulder, a flash of blue. “It’s done, Neve,” he murmured. “Let it be done.”
Then he trudged away. And she let him.
They all stood there a moment, still figures in snow. Neve took a deep breath. Closed her eyes.
Steeling her spine, she turned to Raffe. “I loved you.”
He didn’t miss the past tense, and he didn’t seem upset by it. Raffe nodded, his hand on Kayu’s at his side, the action absent and natural. “I loved you, too.”
One decisive nod, the matter closed. The love she and Raffe had shared was real, but it was different now, changed into something warmer and more placid. Kayu would need someone by her side who knew the Valleydan court, who could help her navigate her new role.
Her lip lifted in a bittersweet smile. She’d always thought that Raffe would make an excellent consort.
“Let’s go to the Keep.” This from Red, and said with a forced cheerfulness that only made it clear none of them had any idea what to do now. “It’s better than standing out here in the cold.”
Haltingly, the others started moving toward the border of the woods, glad that someone had given them something to do other than stand there. Neve stood still for a moment, watching that figure dwindle smaller in the snow.
Then she turned and followed her sister.
Low voices, murmuring as they walked—Fife, saying something that Neve didn’t catch but that made Eammon bark surprised laughter. Kayu, leaning in with a smile to whisper to Raffe. Lyra and Red walked together, and Neve heard Lyra mention something about the air feeling strange, about pins and needles in her fingers.
Good people who would do good things. Maybe not always—maybe those forks in the road would make them choose different paths sometimes, walk somewhere in the gray in-between—but good people nonetheless.
She thought of Solmir. Of trying for goodness.
So deep was she in her thoughts that she didn’t realize Red was waiting for her at the edge of the forest until she almost ran into her.
Red grabbed her shoulders, held her steady. Her eyes were wet, and there was a small, sad smile on her face. “Go make him tell you goodbye.”