For several seconds, nobody moved.
Flinn's mouth fell open.
Linn stared at him as though she couldn't trust her own eyes. Cresty's hand remained frozen on Anthierin's shoulder, while Layla's dark expression simply vanished, replaced by sheer disbelief.
Anthierin stared at Lexel.
Her tears stopped.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
The hand that had been trembling moments ago slowly reached toward him, as though she needed to touch him before she could accept that he was actually standing there.
Lexel lowered the hammer toward her.
Anthierin's eyes widened further.
He was real.
He was alive.
The despair that had crushed her chest only moments ago shattered under a rush of relief so overwhelming that her knees nearly gave out again.
Then she moved.
