Chapter 369:Reunion.

Chapter 369: 369:Reunion.

"You weren’t there. You don’t know what it was like standing outside that cave when it collapsed and knowing you were still inside. You don’t know what it was like going back to that observation center and listening to people tell me that you were probably dead and that I should be grateful I got out... ha... They kept talking about weeks and rescue teams and planning as if I was supposed to stand there and accept that you might be buried underneath that mountain for months."

Silver didn’t interrupt her. Ravenna pulled back just enough to look at him, her face wet with tears. Her eyes were also red.

She looked angry but relieved at the same time. She was also exhausted but happy. Silver had never seen so many emotions fighting across her face at once. It was both fascinating and saddening to see how much damage his inevitable choice had done to her.

"... this is hard... hic... And then you sent one message."

Her voice shook.

"One message after days of nothing, telling me you were alive, and then you disappeared again... hic... I called you, sent messages but nothing reached you. Yesterday you told me you were almost out, and when I called, your phone actually rang. Do you understand what that did to me? It rang, Silver. I thought you were finally going to answer me, and then the connection disappeared again."

Silver’s arms remained around her she had at some point loosened her hold on him and gotten down.

"My phone is gone."

She stared at him in confusion.

"What do you mean it’s gone?"

"It’s somewhere inside the Valley, I’m even sure how to get it."

Her expression changed.

He immediately added, "There’s a story behind that."

Her eyes widened.

"Of course there is a story behind that. There is apparently a story behind every terrible thing that happens whenever you’re involved. You disappear underground for almost six days... six fucking days... that’s a whole week. And then send me two freaking messages like you’re giving a normal travel update... to make it even better,you went ahead and lost your phone somewhere inside the valley and then appear at the academy looking like someone threw you off a mountain."

Silver became suspiciously quiet his eyes shifting from hers.

Ravenna stopped her rant and stared at him when she noticed his body language change.

"Silver."

He looked away slightly throwing away the little subtlety he was trying to have. Her eyes narrowed through the tears.

"Why did you look away when I said that?"

He slowly looked back at her before chuckling nervously to himself.

"I’ve got a story to tell."

Ravenna stared at him for several seconds, then she started crying again.

His attempt at humor disappeared instantly.

"Hey." He adjusted his hold on her. "Ravenna, I’m here."

"That’s why I’m crying, you idiot."

"I know. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to say when you’re crying because I’m alive."

"You don’t have to say anything."

Her forehead dropped against his.

"Just don’t disappear again."

Silver looked at her. He couldn’t promise that nothing dangerous would ever happen.

They were Contractors.

The world didn’t allow promises like that but he could promise something else.

"I won’t choose to disappear from you. I can’t promise there won’t be another mission that goes wrong or another beast that turns out to be much stronger than anyone expected, because both of us know what kind of world we live in. But I can promise you that I will always try to come back. Even when I was trapped down there and couldn’t tell which tunnel went up or down anymore, getting back to you was the one thing I never stopped thinking about."

She closed her eyes.

He continued quietly.

"There were times I genuinely didn’t know whether I’d find the surface. I didn’t know whether the message would reach you. I didn’t even know whether you listened to me and went to Alpha Three. But I knew that if there was a route out, I was going to find it. I wasn’t going to let the last thing between us be me ordering Antony to carry you away while you were unconscious."

She opened her eyes.

"Don’t remind me about Antony knocking me out. I want ti beat the crap out of him for doing that."

His mouth twitched.

"I told him to."

"I know."

"So technically you should be angry with me not him."

"I’m extremely angry with you. You’re not off the hook just because you’re here."

Silver nodded.

"I wouldn’t want to be off it."

Ravenna’s voice cracked again.

"But I’m happier that you’re alive than I am angry, and I hate that because I had an entire speech prepared for when I saw you."

He smiled.

"What happened to the speech?"

"I forgot it."

"That’s unfortunate. I would have liked to hear it."

She stared blankly at him.

"Silver, I swear if you keep joking while I’m trying to tell you how terrified I was, I’m going to hit you."

His smile softened.

"Then I’ll stop."

She studied him. For once, he actually did remain silent and just held her.

Ravenna slowly raised one hand from around his neck and touched the side of his face. Her fingers stopped near the small dressing.

He didn’t move and waited to see what she wanted to do.

She traced the edge carefully.

"How badly are you hurt?"

"Much better than I was."

"That isn’t an answer."

"I know but it’s the best I can give."

"Silver."

He sighed.

"My body is healing surprisingly quickly. I took medicine immediately after, I’ve been treated enough that nothing immediately dangerous is wrong with me, and I can walk without assistance. I’m exhausted, bruised and probably going to sleep for an unreasonable number of hours when everything settles down, but I’m not standing here secretly dying."

Her eyes searched his face.

"Are you sure?"

"I’m sure."

"You wouldn’t tell me if you weren’t."

"I would now."

That answer surprised her. He looked serious.

"After everything you just went through because you didn’t know what was happening to me, I don’t think I have the right to stand here and pretend I’m fine if I’m not. I’m hurt, but I’m recovering. That’s the truth."

Ravenna swallowed, then hugged him again. Silver held her tighter.

Mallory remained several meters away, still holding the folder Ravenna had dropped.

She was crying too. She’d tried wiping her eyes twice in a bid to hide her emotions but eventually given up.

Several people nearby were openly watching now.

An academy representative had even started walking toward them before another representative quietly stopped him after realizing this clearly wasn’t an argument.

Ravenna didn’t notice any of them but Silver did. He glanced around skeptically.

"We have an audience."

"I don’t care."

"I suspected you wouldn’t."

"Let them look."

He smiled.

"That’s very different from the Ravenna who used to look at me like I’m some weirdo me for smiling at her."

She pulled back enough to glare at him.

"You know you are sometimes."

"I’ve missed that."

The glare weakened. Silver lifted one hand, his thumb wiping beneath her eye, then the other.

Ravenna carefully watched him.

"You really came."

His hand remained against her cheek.

"I told you I would."

"No. You told me you were almost out. That’s different."

"Then I should have been more specific."

She shook her head.

"You could have died."

"I’m fine."

"That queen could have killed you."

"But it didn’t."

"The cave collapsed on you."

"I’m here."

"You were alone for days."

Silver’s expression softened further.

"Not completely."

She frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"I had you waiting for me."

Her face crumpled again. Silver immediately regretted the line.

"That wasn’t supposed to make you cry more."

"You should stop talking."

"I think that’s probably wise."

Ravenna laughed through her tears. The sound was small and unsteady, but it was there.

He smiled.

For several seconds they simply looked at each other. Her hand remained against his face while his arm remained around her waist.

Neither of them seemed to notice how close they’d become.

Then suddenly... Ravenna kissed him.

There was no warning or hesitation. She pulled his face toward hers and pressed her lips against his.

Silver froze for a fraction of a second, then his eyes closed and he kissed her back.