Interlude [h.s]

ninety-nine

The car stops past the gate. The buildings of the Revolution are standing beyond the windshield, but Alouette doesn't make a move. "What happened in there?" she asks Jayden in a low voice. He's been eerily quiet since he's come out of the Shade's headquarters for the second time, and her every attempt to get information out of him was fruitless.

Jayden is staring straight ahead as he speaks. "We're here."

Alouette bites her lower lip and opens the door, hesitantly stepping out. She turns back to look at him, hand gripping the car door. "Are you..." She finds she doesn't know exactly what she's asking him. Are you okay? Are you mad at me because I failed and you had to come get me? What did you do? Every question feels too small to put to words the complex tangle of emotions in her chest—none is all-encompassing enough. She closes the door.

An arm wraps around her shoulders. She jolts and snaps around, immediately calming down when her eyes meet Harry's. Night has fallen on her way back, and they look so very dark, like they could swallow her whole.

His hand lifts her chin—his skin is cold; he's been standing outside without a coat for a while. "Are you okay?" His voice is low, a little rough, like he's given orders back and forth for the whole afternoon. He probably did.

She nods her head. His hand leaves her jaw, but his arm stays around her shoulders as he turns around and walks her towards the buildings of the Revolution. They aren't the only people outside—there are still a few cars other than Jayden's, and there's a mixture of Palace guards and members of the Revolution walking in and out of the buildings. Alouette would like to think they walk past them unnoticed, but they don't.

She presses herself into Harry's side tighter, not wanting to be perceived by others. She isn't in a celebratory mood. She knows too much of what went down to call the afternoon a resounding win and move on. There's nothing glorious in what happened—her ears are still whistling from the gunshots, and if she closes her eyes, she can still see the bodies on the floor, smell the iron in the air. She wants to stay in Harry's arms until she disappears.

When they reach the main door, Ezra is standing next to it. It doesn't take her long to figure out he's been waiting for his own to come back next to Harry for the past hour or two. He smiles at him, sends half a glance in her direction. "And with this, all of mine are back," he announces, eyeing Harry curiously. "Where's the remaining half of yours?"

Harry replies without missing a beat. "In Greenside, finishing their task."

Ezra nods, and then his gaze moves to Alouette. This time, it's so sharp that it makes her feel a little uncomfortable. "You're all good, I hope?"

Harry's hand tightens around her shoulder. "She's fine," he replies before she can consider opening her mouth, walking past him and into the warmth of the building. "We'll be in our room."

"Dinner's at nine," Ezra says after them. "Looking forward to trying your champagne."

Harry ignores him and makes a beeline for the stairs. People move aside to let them pass, and Alouette can't stop herself from glancing up and trying to spot familiar faces. She tenses up when she finds none.

"Where are Elijah and Jesse?"

"They're alive."

She nods, steeling herself against the worry. It's not exactly what she was hoping to hear, but it's better than nothing. Alive is good. She can work with alive. She's so mentally exhausted she can't make herself ask for more.

Harry walks up the stairs, taking Alouette with him.

Only when they're alone on the new landing, his voice comes low and oddly soothing, considering everything. "What's wrong?"