Chapter 296: The Small Warmth of New Things

The herbs were bitter—so bitter Sophia had to close her eyes and force them down.

She was grateful Orion wasn’t here or else he would have made a comment about how she couldn’t take something bitter.

The nurse had put the cup into her hands with a practiced gentleness, the same way she’d smoothed the blanket and tucked a stray curl behind Sophia’s ear. "Drink," she’d said simply. "It’ll help the fever settle. Sit for a while after and rest."

Sophia had obeyed, but the taste was just... ew.

The nurse laughed, seeing Sophia’s face scrunched up with a frown.

"I’ll come check on you later. I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to leave here around tomorrow morning. Your fever has gone down a lot, and with just a little rest you’ll be better," the nurse told her.

Sophia gave the woman back the cup. "Thank you," she told the woman, who nodded.

Sophia sat on the bed just watching the snow outside. It was already evening. She wondered where Orion was. She was this close to moving out of the room. She wanted to check on Brynhild and the baby.

But she didn’t even need to move. A knock sounded at the door, and she turned to see Brynhild.

The woman in the doorway looked both worn and fierce. Brynhild’s braids were a bit messy, unlike what Sophia was used to seeing on her. Her silver eyes moved around the room. There was a bandage wrapped around her lower stomach, a square of cloth threaded with medicinal herbs tucked into the cloth and bound there with a practiced knot. Her skin, rich and dark, held tiredness too.

But Sophia didn’t care. She pushed herself up without hesitation, not minding the little pain she felt from the movement. She closed the distance between them just as Brynhild did too.

They met halfway, and then all restraint fell away. Tears poured from Sophia’s eyes and from Brynhild’s too.

They hugged each other fiercely. Sophia didn’t mind that her body hurt, and Brynhild didn’t mind that she had been told to take things slow so as not to hurt herself. They didn’t care.

"I missed you," Brynhild said, voice thick.

"I missed you too," Sophia answered, the words tripping over one another.

They both chuckled together and then released each other. Brynhild lifted her hands, moving them all over Sophia’s face, hair—anything she could touch—while Sophia used her eyes to observe Brynhild.

Her eyes focused on the bandage at her stomach.

"Is that..."

"The bandage?" Brynhild asked her.

"Yes," Sophia told her.

Brynhild’s mouth curved. "It’s from the surgery," she told her.

Sophia nodded and took in Brynhild once more. She knew Brynhild was alive, but this was the first time she was seeing her in person since she had the dream where she died.

"Lysander told me what you did," Brynhild told Sophia. "If it wasn’t for you, then I wouldn’t even be here right now. Thank you."

Sophia laughed and waved her off. "You don’t have to thank me though. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here either. You are the first person who accepted me in the pack. You are like a sister to me."

Brynhild smiled. "You are like a sister to me too. Which is why I made sure to pressure Lysander. I can’t have a smart healer as a doctor and he isn’t able to help one of my best friends."

Sophia gasped. "You did what?" she asked with a laugh.

"I may have also threatened him too," Brynhild told her, making Sophia laugh.

Sophia could only imagine Lysander’s reaction when Brynhild threatened him. But from the first time she had met Brynhild and Lysander, she knew he had a soft spot for her.

He may be stern with other people, but he was very soft with Brynhild.

"I hated that you were going through that," Brynhild told her, "and even if Lysander told me it was not our fault, I couldn’t shake the fact that if you hadn’t gone under the rain because of me, then you wouldn’t have gone through that."

"It wasn’t your fault, neither was it Lysander’s fault or even within his power. Everything that happened happened for a reason. It was just that... I had to fight the battle myself," Sophia told Brynhild.

"I know," Brynhild told her quietly. "Lysander told me. I just wish that sometimes we didn’t need to fight some battles ourselves, because that’s when we need help more but situations wouldn’t allow it."

She sighed deeply, then turned to Sophia. "But at least you are here now. I’m so glad you are okay."

"Me too," Sophia told her, then suddenly changed the topic. "How is the baby?"

Brynhild’s smile opened in a way so proud Sophia wanted to cry again. "Raina?" Brynhild said with bright affection. "She’s small and loud and certain of her rights. Do you want to see her?"

Sophia’s whole face lit. "Yes."

Brynhild’s pleased nod was immediate. "You’ll have to wait to hold her since you still have a fever. Precautions and all."

Sophia laughed at that, breathless and delighted. "Yes," she said. "Please."

Brynhild rose, moving with a woman’s quiet authority. She led the way by scent, a hand on a railing, a confidence of stride that Sophia had always admired. The corridor smelled of herbs as they moved.

They had almost reached the room when Sophia spoke up.

"Raina is your sister’s name, right? Your twin sister?"

Brynhild gave her a smile. "Yes."

"It’s a nice name."

"I think so too," Brynhild said with a smile.

When they got to the room, Sophia paused at the sight before her. Lysander was packing a satchel, but it wasn’t him that made her pause. It was Orion, who held Raina to him with a soft smile while Lysander packed up.

"Orion," she called out as both she and Brynhild stepped into the room.

Orion didn’t look up. "Hi, shorty," he called out.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him with a frown.