na'

ne estate withou

e I'd been holding my breath for days. The crisp evening air touched my

My hands were shaking lightly on the

ould

for

any

my phone buzzed in the pas

am

about what hap

. My mother's been babying h

ng she said to hear

old steel across my ches

even surprised. He was explaini

not once-did h

creen, then typed

k to work. I ha

ord, I never want

ed the phone face-down on the seat,

-

elped.

my thoughts churned restlessly. I moved on autopilot, checking over

was pr

wa

sking how I felt, or if I was eating enough. N

be... I

nner rush, standing at the pass when one of t

ped, wide-eyed. "Someo

wned.

some man. With a gigantic bouquet of roses. L

hands on a t

ready

e kitchen, heart ste

am

of fresh blood, thick and velvety, no doubt grown in some greenhouse that only nobles had

said softly w

when he looked at me like that-like I was

still be mad," he said

id. But I too

ders eased

ry. In person. No mes

ayed

. "Just the two of us. Tomorrow.

"The one a

rst house. After ou

together, arguing over throw pillows, l

book

. I just... wanted to take you somewhere wi

e roses in my arms.

d Vi

e," he said quickly

-

wasn't like before. The silence between us wasn't as sharp, but it

he cottage, my breath

udly at the entrance. Vines curled along the stone walls

e of our past that had

ut, clutchin

unlocked

it opened, som

in the

as someo

ust so

iv

nk robe-the same robe-her hair curled and flowing over her should

"I didn't know you were st

My grip on the

's mother gave me the address. She said I could sta

to Damie

I didn't know. I swea

ly. "Please don't be mad. I'll leave if I'm not

t her and ent

expecting a fight. May

t give i

to go," I s

t," he said. "Let her stay. Just ton

W

ut deeper th

nce. "Fine.

-

sleep th

till looked like ours, but the soul had shifted

the house

om the solstice market w

s had been replaced wi

ed. One photo frame on the

antique teacup set-gone. In its

an's

just enter

ad tak

om, clutching my robe tighter.

roses I'd placed on the table. "He

ned my

said quietly. "He b

d... well, you know how much I love red roses. He used

dn't

idn'

, into the bedroom,

rtbreaks don't br

o it in