“Whenever you’re ready.”
Arisanna steps away, and Rominy lies back, breathing out slowly as he clings to Elowyn’s hand. “I’m ready.”
“Sleep well, Rominy.” Tharios lays a hand on Rominy’s shoulder, and everything goes dark once more.
Whenapurplish,moonlessnight sky full of tiny pinpricks of starlight takes shape as Elowyn blinks open her eyes, she stares at it for a few moments.
This isn’t Feressa. She’s been trying to reach Feressa. And Rominy.
The real world.
But the rocking beneath her and the gentle breeze teasing her hair leave no question about where she is.
The heartlanding.
She bites back a groan.
“Elowyn.”
“I tried. I tried to wake. But I—”
Rominy crawls toward her and wraps his arms around her before she can finish. “You did amazing, love. Tharios said you worked hard today.”
“I tried.”
“I know. And I’m here now, so you can rest, all right?”
She groans.
“I hope that was about the resting and not about me.” He kisses her temple, and she sighs as her lips twitch into a smile.
“Of course it wasn’t about you. I missed you.”
“Well, I missed your smile. And your voice. Your gray eyes. Your kisses. Your sense of adventure. Being alone with you. Everything, really.”
If he’s trying to cheer her up, he’s doing a pretty good job.
“How do you feel?” he asks as he runs his hand along her arm. “Are you tired?”
“Maybe a little.” As much as she hates to admit it.
“Do you want to sleep?”
“No.”
“Then we won’t. At least not yet. But tell me if you get sleepy, all right? Tharios says it’s important for you to rest when you get tired here.”
That sounds like something Tharios would say.
“Elowyn, what does oathbound mean?”
She looks up at Rominy. “Where did you hear that?”
“Cerian said Tharios and Viala are oathbound. She...lit your hotel room on fire. By accident.”
Elowyn’s eyes grow wide. “Please tell me Cerian was there. Or Pera or Grandmera. Mother, even. She could put it out with her water magic. Tharios isn’t—he doesn’t have fire or water magic. He didn’t hurt himself trying to protect her, did he?”
“Tharios is fine, El. Take a deep breath, all right? Cerian was there. He dealt with it.”
