rm

Not fire-hot or feverish, but gentle

tch up. She jerked slightly, gasping, wait

none

vender and something faintly herbal. The pillow cradled her h

s snapp

head and flinched at the sight of a wide chamber - luxurious beyond anything she had e

er

r gaze

lo

as t

but discarded on the floor. His white shirt was slightly wrinkled, sleeves ro

ods, those eyes - w

chi

it

he moment

re aw

. Rough. Laced with

ower too fresh, too sharp. Her hands fumbled towar

" he said gently, raising

pidly, trying

whispered, b

ing toward a second smal

name on his lips-"h

nket, rosy-cheeked and fast asleep, clutching a

d. Relief nearly

er eyes as she

y, one hand gently steadying her shoulder

ou were close to frostbite. Your feet were torn

ips tremb

y w

this?" she breath

olden light over his angular features. "Because the gods made

nderstand hi

stood safety. Her

g-recognized something terrify

pi

symp

osses

en know me,"

what kind of woman risks death to shield her son from monste

s, her hands shaking

y, stepping closer, "that yo

_______

ulence-though it had that in spades-but in its quiet. No shouting. No

...

t let go of the

dressed her in, even as Leor giggled and ran ahead of her in socks that didn't have holes

always

every day si

a thick book tucked under one arm, sometimes with a tray of fruit and te

e came, Leor lit

ow as he ran toward the man sta

nspecting the early bloom of the rose

. "You're supposed to be r

arms anyway. "It's n

ling, silent, bruised - was laughing. Talking. Even daring enou

ed theatrica

iggled

folding her hands tightly in front of

id he kee

wa

ian walked Leor back toward her, the boy n

an eyebrow. "

. You're obvio

passed in his eyes. "I'm a man who

forcing herself to meet his gaz

oment-too long. "Some things

d his eyes, still cli

lifting the boy easily into his a

ands clinging to the collar of Cassian's coat. Elira's

Too aware of how steady he walked. How quiet he always was, even when spe

r body jerked when he turned suddenly toward her to as

er com

ories of faraway places. Elira sometimes caught him watching her-like he was m

e only said, "You scr

dn't r

ayed unti