Chapter XLI • Maia

Continuation.

“S-such a surprise, my friend,” I utter, faking a grin as the blonde happily throws his arms around my shoulders and wrapping me in a rather tight embrace.

He is practically crying at the sight of me.

“I have found you! By the gods, you do not know how long I’ve been searching for you, Maia,” he replies, sighing in relief whilst he pats the back of my head fondly. “It has been too long; you have not returned home yet, and Wyatt and I have been so, so worried about you…”

When he mentions my uncle, I gently push him away by his shoulders to keep him at arm’s length. I am finally able to get a good look at him from head to toe: his blonde hair is more unkempt than usual, there are dark circles resting beneath his tired blue eyes, his clothes are slightly ragged and torn, mayhap from all the travelling he has done, and he seems… lankier, as if he has not been eating nor sleeping properly lately.

“You look like you’ve gone through one of the hells and back,” I tell him, w