“I did.”
“She helpsme find my music,” Rominy says softly. He wasn’t sure the magic would allow him to say that.
“She helps you find yourself.”
Longing to return to her fills him.
“Clean up,” Father says. “She’ll be there waiting when you’re done.”
Rominy takes another deep breath and nods before reaching for his trunk.
Bythetimehe’swashed and dressed, Rominy’s need to return to Elowyn gnaws at him. He runs his fingers over his prickly jaw before shoving away from the mirror. Maybe he’ll grow a beard. Beards are in style these days.
He doesn’t bother with his waistcoat, either. Mother will probably be horrified. It’s a lot of fuss about something that hardly matters. Cerian just wears leather all the time. And Tharios wears some sort of linen tunic over leather trousers.
No one will care if Rominy is formally dressed or not. Other than Mother, but she probably won’t fuss. She saves most of her fussing for Arisanna, which hardly seems fair, now that he thinks about it.
He doesn’t stop for his shoes, either. None of it seems to matter as much as returning to Elowyn as soon as possible. Not that he’s any more worried about her than he has been. He just needs to be with her again.
Father watches him from the chair across the room. “Feel better?”
“Yes, though I think perhaps I’ve reached the limit of my ability to cope away from Elowyn.”
“Just so we’re clear, is your state of dress a conscious decision or an oversight?”
“This is me not caring about waistcoats right now.”
“I would join you, but I have a feeling my wife would be far less understanding than yours.”
Rominy’s mouth slips into a smile at that.
“Shall we?” Father pushes himself out of the chair, but before he reaches the door, Rominy pulls him into another hug.
“What’s this for?” Father asks as he wraps his arms around Rominy and holds him close.
“For being the sort of man I want to be. And for being here when I needed you.”
“Now you’re making me teary.”
“I promise not to tell.”
Father laughs, and Rominy lets him go. Together, they pass through the door and into the hallway. Elowyn’s heartbeat remains steady in Rominy’s chest. She must still be sleeping, which is a relief. Mother stands in the hallway, and she only eyes Rominy’s garb briefly before giving him a hug. Then she and Father return to their room together.
When Rominy pushes open the door to Elowyn’s room, it’s quiet inside, the magic elven lights dimmed.
“Welcome back,” Tharios says. “Your mother sent for food while you were gone.” He gestures to the tray on the table, and Rominy nods.
“Thank you. I’ll eat in a minute.”
“Elowyn’s just asleep,” Tharios says. “A normal sleep. She’ll probably sleep a lot in the next few days. Her body needs rest.”
She looks less pale than she did before. That’s a good sign.
“Eat, and then you can try to sleep,” Tharios says. “Grandmera will watch over you while I rest for a few hours.” He leans closer. “She said she’d drag me to my bed and tie me to it with my own vines if I don’t go willingly.”
“That threat would hit differently coming from your wife.” The words are out before Rominy can stop them, and horror fills him as Tharios bursts into laughter.
“The thought had crossed my mind as well,” Tharios says.
