He hadn't expected the hug, but he returned it after a moment of hesitant surprise, wrapping his arms around the slim baker and holding her tightly for a few moments to reassure himself that she was really safe. Her relief was a balm on the sharp edges of his heart, soothing and smoothing them down as he rested his cheek on her hair. "I was worried, too," he admitted, ignoring the roughness of emotion in his voice as he tried to clear his throat and start again. "We didn't know where you had disappeared to, but we all tried to go after you together... I still don't know how we got separated." That had been a frightening moment, stepping out of the Mathair into an armed camp of Fae with only Zuriel at his side, and no sign of the others.
He let he go reluctantly, if only because she had picked up a recent bad habit of disappearing on him when he did. Relief faded to a grave solemnity in his eyes as she apologized. "It is good that you recognize that," Jigano said cautiously, choosing his words carefully. Amalia was right, she had deliberately abandoned her teammates to an unknown situation when she had the choice to do otherwise. Even hearing that Jyoti had been upset was only a partial reason for having done so. "It's how we learn. When I started exploring the starfallen ruins with my... team... we made some bad choices, too. As long as everyone survives them, they're only lessons. But sometimes bad things happen in situations like that, things we don't expect... and people can die, Ama, when they get separated from the group." Jenny had gone off on her own, too, and that had been the last time he'd seen her alive. "I don't want you to have to learn that lesson personally." He gave her a sad smile, letting her feel the lingering pulse of loss and guilt in his heart through the bond. "I've already learned it enough for both of us. Please stay with us the next time we go down there. We'll check each book and place in turn - together."
He let he go reluctantly, if only because she had picked up a recent bad habit of disappearing on him when he did. Relief faded to a grave solemnity in his eyes as she apologized. "It is good that you recognize that," Jigano said cautiously, choosing his words carefully. Amalia was right, she had deliberately abandoned her teammates to an unknown situation when she had the choice to do otherwise. Even hearing that Jyoti had been upset was only a partial reason for having done so. "It's how we learn. When I started exploring the starfallen ruins with my... team... we made some bad choices, too. As long as everyone survives them, they're only lessons. But sometimes bad things happen in situations like that, things we don't expect... and people can die, Ama, when they get separated from the group." Jenny had gone off on her own, too, and that had been the last time he'd seen her alive. "I don't want you to have to learn that lesson personally." He gave her a sad smile, letting her feel the lingering pulse of loss and guilt in his heart through the bond. "I've already learned it enough for both of us. Please stay with us the next time we go down there. We'll check each book and place in turn - together."
