Mahu regarded Ikenga for a long moment, her expression unreadable. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm but distant.
"Welcome home, brother." There was no step forward. No embrace. No gesture of closeness.
Ikenga met her gaze and smiled anyway.
"You seem to have gotten more beautiful in my absence," he said lightly, attempting warmth where silence threatened to settle.
Mahu returned the smile.
But it was thin. Polite. Distance clear in it.
Ikenga's expression faltered, his smile fading as he truly saw her, how composed she stood, how much effort it took to remain so.
His voice turned sharp as he noticed something "You're injured, no…" His gaze flicked from one face to the next, jaw tightening as realization settled in. "You all are injured. What happened?"
Jaus let out a low, humorless scoff, throwing Crepuscular a sideways glance, one filled with irritation and mild embarrassment. He'd clearly lost whatever wager they'd made.
