“Then yes,” Tharios says. “When she’s tired in the heartlanding, encourage her to sleep. It may be the heartlanding’s way of giving her breaks from the energy required to maintain the bond between you.”
“Wait, so I shouldn’t be there? I thought—”
“She needs you, Rominy. The heartbinding knows what her body can handle. If it was best not to let you meet, you wouldn’t have. The heartbinding wouldn’t have allowed it. Trust it, all right?”
Rominy nods in relief. He’ll have to take Tharios’s word for it.
“Now, I have to ask,” Tharios says. “What did you believe you did to hurt Elowyn before you woke?”
For a moment, Rominy just stares at Tharios.
“This is a safe place to talk, Rominy.”
Glancing away, Rominy holds back a nervous laugh. This won’t be awkward at all.
“Elowyn is beautiful. She’s difficult for me to resist. No. That came out wrong. I mean, it’s true, but I make my own choices. I—”
“I understand what you’re saying, Rominy. When I told you not to light her on fire, I wasn’t sure if that should include the heartlanding or not. I’ve read nothing one way or the other to indicate whether the effects of accessing fire magic in the heartlanding carry over to the real world. I need to see if I can get any information from my father about that. That said, Elowyn wasn’t in any sort of distress when you woke, and I was monitoring you both closely.”
“Please tell me you’re saying it’s all right to set her on fire in the heartlanding.”
Tharios chuckles. “I will speak to my parents. They might have a better grasp on this. But I haven’t seen any evidence to indicate otherwise. I didn’t observe any spikes in her fever while you were with her, for whatever that’s worth.”
Rominy nods. “That’s worth a lot. Not that we...I mean, we tried not to...” He huffs in frustration and leans his head against the wall.
“I understand. I want to get some food and water in you. Let you walk around for a bit when you feel up to it. But if Elowyn hasn’t woken in a few hours, I’ll help you sleep again, and I’ll try to have a better answer for you, all right?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
“It will be all right, Rominy. Hold on to that. I’m going to give you a few minutes to yourself while I speak to my parents and scrounge up some food for you. You can talk to Elowyn if you wish while I’m gone.”
“Can I touch her? Hold her hand?”
“She’s still warm but no longer burning. Just be gentle. I’ll be back soon.” Tharios lets himself out, and Rominy gazes down at her.
It will be all right.
“I’m here, El,” he whispers as he carefully reaches for her hand. Her flesh is warm but not too hot. “I’m being strong like you said. At least, I’m trying.”
What can he say that will comfort her? If she can even hear him this time.
Thoughts of her words on the deck of their sailboat fill him. The way she nestled against him while he sang to her. How she asked him to sing if he woke without her.
“I can do that,” he says before letting his voice quietly fill the room.
Love Her Freely
Episode 96
OncetheyleaveElowyn’sroom, Arisanna looks weary, but she sets out toward the hotel door to find her parents.
“Arisanna, wait.”
When she turns back to Cerian, he glances at all the people milling about the corridor. Rominy’s guards stand at Elowyn’s door, and Mother and Father converse with Grandmera and Viala in quiet Elvish.
What was he planning to do with so many people present? He just wanted to hold Arisanna for a moment—be to her what she is to him—but she might not appreciate that right now.
It’s just his family, though. And those guards. And she did hang on him as they traversed Feressa together.
