A moment after the cloud docked, Ziel walked out of the front, his emerald horns glistening in the sun and his cloak flapping. He raised a hand.

“Did you kidnap his oldest son, or what?” Yerin asked.

“I negotiated his company for a year. At a reasonable rate.”

She was still leaning against Lindon, and Eithan noticed. “You’ll have plenty of time to spend together once we’re on our way.”

Lindon seemed to realize their situation himself. “Apologies, you’re right. We need to be on our way.” He gently tried to separate from Yerin.

She didn’t let him go.

There were dozens of strangers around, not to mention people that actually knew them, but Yerin no longer cared.

She grabbed him by the back of the head, stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed him.

He reacted in stunned surprise for a moment, and a fear rose up from a deep part of her that he was going to push her away again.

Then he leaned in, wrapping his arms around her, and kissed her back.

When they separated and she caught her breath, Ziel was standing next to them. He didn’t look like he cared what they did, and he would probably wear that expression if the sky collapsed.

“So,” he said, “where are we going?”

Yerin was gratified to see that Lindon was red-faced and focused on his own cycling. After a moment collecting himself, he looked away from her and toward Ziel.

“Home,” he said.

THE END