"Put me down, you giant," she teased, but there was affection in her voice. Freedom fighters.
Rick set her down but kept his hands on her shoulders, looking her over like he was checking for injuries. "You have no idea how good it is to see you. What brought this on? You didn't tell me you were coming, no warning, no heads-up, nothing."
She gave him the same faint smile she'd given Alia earlier. "I wanted to surprise you."
He grinned widely. "Well, you did. In the best way." He looked over at Alia, almost giddy. "We're hosting a feast tomorrow. A proper welcome home. It's been… what? Months since I've seen her?"
"Too long," Rhiannon said.
Alia smiled faintly, but her eyes stayed on Rhiannon, cataloguing every subtle shift in her expression.
Rick's gaze softened further. "And how's Icarus? Did he come with you?"
The question landed like a stone.
