ARIANNE POV
Ivan rode inside the castle looking every bit like a fierce protector. His long hair hung wildly around him, his face had smudges of dirt and dried blood. My heart lurched at the sight. Beside him Kiran and Tag'arkh also rode on their horses, all of them looking every bit tired but also fierce at the same time.
He was safe, Ivan was safe and he was right here not dead! My breath caught in my throat as I took them in, my eyes locked on Ivan. For days, I had feared the worst, imagining every horrible possibility in the dead of night. But here he was, not a specter of my nightmares, but flesh and blood, right before me. He was safe. Ivan was safe, and he was right here, not dead!
