(Nisha)
Zephyr pulled back briefly, her hands on either side of Hesita’s face, as if she couldn’t believe she was real.
“I thought you left,” Zephyr said.
Hestia put a hand over Zephyr’s and shook her head, her golden eyes filled with sorrow. “I was taken by Soleil-” she choked.
“I know,” Zephyr soothed her, and I couldn’t help bawlking. I hadn’t heard anything that might have even resembled a slightly soothing tone from her, even when she was attempting to be nice. “We know now.”
“I wished you would come for me, but I know you didn’t know,” Hesita said, swallowing. "That you couldn't. More than anything, I wanted to be able to somehow reach out to you before, before she-"
“I know." Zephyr leaned closer so their foreheads touched. "I would have scoured the earth if I knew you hadn
