CROSS SUIT (#2 COURT OF SUITS series)

♠ EIGHTEEN ♠

I wasn't sure how long I held my breath. I might have been dead, drifting into some afterlife world far from the advisors and their feud for my crown. Far from the sweeping surges of energy hurled to and fro, the clanging of swords, the squirting of blood.

But something stirred in me, and my eardrums rang, though I heard nothing. No fighting, no insults... nothing.

I did feel something beneath me, though. Meaning I wasn't floating off into another realm. I was on the ground... but where?

I opened one eye, winced, then opened the other. A cloud of sparkly smoke dissipated from my vision, and I recognized the familiar stone and starch scent of my courtyard. On either side of me were the flowery shrubs I'd loved to hide behind as a child, and beneath me was the cold cobblestone I'd often scraped my knees on.

A few feet ahead of me I spotted Lady Ossenna, levitating, her head still tipped back, her eyes a glossy, creamy white, her mouth stuck in an o though no sound escaped. Sir Sym, beside her, peered about the area as if scanning for enemies, then relaxed, puffing out heavy breaths of relief.

Huddled near me was Ysac, hands over his face, blood dripping through his fingers.

"Ysac, it's okay." I shook him, and he lowered his palms. "We're okay."

His eyes were prune-colored as he glanced at me. "Huh?" I helped him sit up, and he whipped a few curls from his forehead. "We're home?" There were cuts in his trousers, and scratches in his armor, but he appeared otherwise unscathed, besides a head wound he must have received after being thrown around by Luned.

I stood up, and my lungs deflated at the sight of our thick ramparts and towering trees and all the soldiers we'd brought with us—including those killed by Sinclair.

How did we get here? How did we travel from Hartland Jungle to Acewood? And how long ago did we leave?

To my far right, I detected Teodric. He kneeled, holding the sword still pointed at—

"Jack?" I ran up to Teodric—Ysac hobbled after me—and heaved him up to embrace him. Jack wasn't going anywhere, with his thigh so ruined. "Teo, you're okay, we're okay, we're home."

The foreign prince blinked at me. "What... how?" He flipped to the dazed Jack slumped on the pavement, bleeding out from his injury, then tipped forward and hurled out his guts.

Such a sight would usually disgust me, but I couldn't help but chuckle, reassured. We were alive and secure. For now.

When Ysac caught up to us he rubbed his lover's back and helped him perk up. Then he clutched him tight to his chest, the blood from his wound gushing over Teodric's armor—but neither cared. They hugged, oblivious to the world, delighted to be safe from harm.

I crouched beside Jack, my gaze digging into his blackened eyes as they narrowed on me. He braced to spit on me, but the motion seemed to incur severe agony in his thigh, so he refrained.

"I have no idea how you made it here with us, but looks like we have you as a hostage," I muttered, smacking his cheeks to ensure he didn't pass out. "You might be useful." I straightened up and clapped my hands. "Have his wound tended to and throw him in the dungeons!"

A handful of guards barreled over, snagged Jack under the armpits, and hauled him into the castle.

I meandered over to Lady Ossenna, whose eyes shifted to their galaxy glow as her shoes touched the pavement. She smiled at me. Then coughed so hard she toppled over and crumbled to her knees.

"You... were right..." she said, her gaze losing its intensity as Sir Sym lunged to her side. "Gwenore... you were right."

"Calm down," said Sir Sym, his jaw taut, his shoulders rigid as he patted the sweat on her cheekbones, wiped the spittle from her chin. "You need rest."