Rydon nodded. “Hard not to when I had blood on my clothes. Your brother took it as well as you’d expect.”
Terena twisted her lips.
“Have you told your sister yet?”
Terena turned her head to look over the empty room, then turnedback to Rydon with a shake of her head. “She was asleep already. And I didn’t want to wake her yet to tell her.”
“Are you worried?”
“No,” Terena said hesitantly. “Maybe.”
“She needs to know,” Rydon chided.
They sat in silence for a long time before Terena pushed her chair back and rose.
“I’ll go talk to her. Hopefully she’s awake.”
Climbing the stairs, Terena flexed her hands, her steps slow as she breathed in and out slowly. The room was awash in greys from the light filtering in through the curtain behind Sonah’s bed. Terena closed the door softly behind her and made her way to Sonah’s bed.
When she sat, Sonah stirred, mumbling sleepily. Terena smiled and put a hand on the girl’s hair.
“Sonah?”
Sonah remained still. Terena bent close and whispered her name again.
She stirred and Terena sat back, waiting.
When the girl’s eyes fluttered open, she smiled.
“I’m sorry to wake you, but I need to speak with you.”
Sonah’s brow furrowed, then she shifted up onto her elbow. She rubbed at her eye. “What’s happened?”
“Nothing, everything’s fine,” Terena whispered. “But I need to tell you something before we meet up with the others.”
Sonah regarded her for several seconds, then sat up. “All right.”
Now that she was about to tell her, Terena’s heart raced. She cleared her throat. “When I went to the oracle, she told me something else I… I wanted to talk to you about.”
Sonah stared back at her, waiting.
“She told me… she told me you are my sister.”
Sonah continued to stare at her, and Terena worried she hadn’t understood. She opened her mouth to try again when the girl moved back against the headboard, her face screwed up.
“What?”
Terena’s mouth seemed stuffed with cotton. She licked her lips. “The oracle told me I travel with my sister. Thatyouare my sister, Sonah.”
Sonah’s face paled, then reddened, and her mouth opened and closed. Dread washed over Terena, squeezing the breath from her lungs, and she inhaled sharply. Sonah’s eyes misted and Terena looked away.
The girl covered her face with her hands.
“Sonah, I’m sorry,” Terena said, placing her hand awkwardly on her forearm. “I wanted to tell you so many times. But?—”
Sonah’s shoulders shook as she sobbed.
Terena’s heart broke. Her eyes stung and she went to rise, intent on giving Sonah some space when the girl launched herself at Terena, throwing her arms around her. Terena froze, then hugged her back fiercely. She buried her face in Sonah’s hair, taking a shuddering breath as she willed herself not to cry. They sat like that, wrapped in each other, and Terena had a strange feeling of homecoming. She tightened her arms and Sonah did the same as her sobs quieted.
