"It doesn't disgust you?" Eva asked, almost wishing she hadn't.
There were some lies you told yourself that were necessary. She didn't think she'd survive having the veil ripped from her.
"I would love you no matter what. You are Eva, and that is enough."
Eva didn't have words to tell him how much that meant to her. For the first time in a long time, perhaps ever, she felt completely and utterly at home in his arms.
Almost as if he always had been and she was only realizing it in this moment.
"Still, I can't ask you to abandon your life."
She knew what it was to be lost, to have nowhere to call her own. She wouldn't wish that for him.
"You are my life."
Eva shook her head. "Fallon. Your Anateri."
"They will survive without me. I could not survive without you."
Seeing her expression, Caden chuckled and pulled her into his embrace. "A thought for later,alea na. For now, we sleep. Tomorrow will be difficult enough. We'll be fighting for our future."
And in some part, the rest of the Broken Lands.
Eva pushed the heavy topic of conversation out of her mind, knowing he was right. Tomorrow and probably the next few days would be a trial. One she needed to meet at least partially rested.
Caden's breathing deepened before smoothing into sleep. Envying him his ability to fall asleep so easily, Eva closed her eyes and tried to shut off her mind.
The night dragged until finally she fell into the darkness, rousing once when she felt the warmth at her side depart.
"Go to sleep,alea na."
Warm lips touched hers and Eva murmured a drowsy goodbye before turning over and falling asleep again.
The next time Eva awoke it was to the sensation of eyes on her. More than one pair. It was a feeling she was all too familiar with.
She held motionless as she took stock of her surroundings. The parts of her not fully under the blanket were chilly, mostly her nose and cheeks. The fingers of her hands and a part of one arm.
The blanket was slightly damp on top from the early morning dew that hadn't quite penetrated through its thickness.
Eva's hip ached, and the ground under her was hard. Grass tickled her cheek and there was a lump of dirt or rock digging into her ribs. There was also a weight against her legs, pinning them in place.
All in all, there was nothing that spoke of danger.
Reassured, Eva cracked her eyes open, immediately wishing she hadn't bothered.
Manner-less louts. Every one of them.
Eva opened her eyes fully, pushing the blanket away from her face to glare up at the four watching her.
"You sleep for a long time," Brisa informed her, poking her in the face. "I thought humans were day dwellers. Is there something wrong with you? Are you sick?"
Eva slapped Brisa's hand away from her face. "Nothing is wrong with me."
If you didn't count the four annoyances standing over her and watching her sleep.
Caia was a little understandable. She was a horse. Who knew what was going on in her brain?
The other three didn't have that excuse.
