"Airam!"
At the sound of her name, Airam looked.
Hermione and Esther were running toward her across the courtyard.
For a heartbeat, Airam could only stand there.
Then she moved.
She ran toward them.
Esther reached her first.
The younger girl crashed into Airam's arms with a broken sob and clung to her so tightly that Airam had to brace herself to keep from stumbling backward.
"Eldest Sister!"
Esther's voice trembled.
She buried her face against Airam's shoulder as though she feared that letting go, even for a second, would make Airam disappear again.
"I thought…" Esther tried to speak, but the words dissolved into tears. "I thought you were gone!"
Airam's arms closed around her.
The feeling of Esther's small body shaking against her finally broke something inside her. She feared she would never come back.
Now she was home.
Esther was in her arms.
And Airam could no longer pretend that nothing had touched her.
Hermione reached them a moment later.
