---
He scanned the tree line, still expecting Fenna to appear any day. She'd been gone three nights now—longer than he'd wanted. He trusted her, but trust didn't smother worry. Not when volcanoes and immortal birds were involved.
He rubbed the back of his neck, wrestling doubts back into their corner. Just then, the soft rustle of leaves reached his ears. It was too soft for a boar, too light for a deer. Zephyr froze, hand drifting to the dagger at his belt. He turned. He was ready to use his dragon sense.
Suddenly a pair of hands slid over his eyes, warm and familiar.
"Guess who's back?" a voice whispered in his ear.
Zephyr's heart leapt into his throat. He released the dagger, grin widening. "If it's a legendary phoenix empress, I'm surrendering."
The hands lifted. Zephyr pivoted, arms half-raised to sweep Fenna into a hug, but the moment he saw her face, the embrace stalled.
