She retreated to the lavatory, reminding herself that this was real. He was here. He would still be there when she returned. Hot water and soap washed over her as she sobbed in private. Cassie had spent so long fighting against everyone else’s desire to keep her alive, she didn’t quite remember what it meant to stay alive of her own volition.
When she emerged from the shower, she found a clean towel and the clothing Eleri had mentioned. Cassie dried herself and slipped into the things that hung from her lank frame. She held her breath as she reentered the clinic’s atrium, not willing tobelieve what had happened was real until she saw him again, until she was touching him.
Örim sat up on the exam table, looking over a set of scans with Aglao.
“I am impressed at your healing capabilities. There are few species that could recover from such a traumatic dematerialization.” Aglao finished their exam and turned off the med scanners. “It is fortunate Cassie had recovered such a significant piece of your original composition.”
“Piece of my composition?” Örim glanced at Cassie for an explanation while reaching out to offer her his hand.
“Your heart,” she said.
“My chest node? You kept that?”
She nodded and placed a hand flat against his chest. “Your heart.” She hadn’t meant to start crying again, but her eyes were wet. Örim gathered her close.
“Thank you for bringing me back to you.”
You’re the most peace I’ve ever known.She breathed him in, his familiar scent and presence granting her a reprieve from the hollowness she’d been battling.
“And you’re the fiercest storm I’ve weathered. My aöseria.” Örim tucked her head under his chin. “Shall we go home now?”
Cassie nodded against him.
Eleri activated her wrist interface. “I’ll ask S’samph to drive you both back. No strenuous activities until you’re fully reseeded. You’re still a cracking risk for the next few days.” After warning Örim, Eleri turned to Cassie. “And you, you need to eat and stop sleeping on the floor. No more sitting and pining and neglecting yourself, ok? Örim will tell me if you do.”
Cassie sniffed and laughed a bit through her tears. “You sound like S’samph.”
“He’s a bad influence, what can I say?” Eleri sighed and stretched. “Take care of each other. We’ll come visit soon and bring some more food and reseeding solution.”
While they waited in silence for S’samph’s arrival, with Örim’s arms wrapped firmly around her, Cassie finally felt safe.
CHAPTER 55
Örim
Before leaving them, S’samph had pulled Örim aside to show him the IA paperwork. Cassie’s protective custodial documents. Örim suspected things had been bad while he was healing, but he hadn’t realized the extent. The paperwork catalogued a list of concerns justifying S’samph’s preliminary application: attempted suicide, anorexia, and extensive self-harm with documented examples.
His energy core spiking, Örim stopped reading after the first three items. “All of this?”
“It is not as bad as it was.” S’samph transferred the document with a quick tap of his wrist interface, but Örim could already see evidence of the damage without reading more for the moment. Cassie was thin, more bones than flesh at this point, and she glared at S’samph every time the latil’e came anywhere near her.
“I am less concerned now that you have returned, but I am still concerned,” S’samph said with a lash of his tail. “If you don’t feel recovered enough to take on her responsibility, I will hold it until you are.”
Örim tapped his off-center wrist nodes. She was his aöseria. His responsibility. Regardless of what any paperwork said. “Cassie is safe with me. I’ll keep her safe.”
“I am available if you need me. There will be a guardianship revision hearing in two standard months.” S’samph exited the conversation with a flick of his frill and remounted his levibike.
When Örim went inside, Cassie was waiting for him with her head peeking out the door.Is everything ok?she asked. Her eyes slipped over him as if checking for damage. Gently, he took her hands in his, pushing up her sleeves. Cassie flinched, and Örim tried his best to hide the instinctive recoil at the mess of scars, all in various stages of healing, crisscrossing her forearms.
“My aöseria. What did you do to yourself?” He held out his arms for her. She shook her head.
I don’t want to break you. Eleri said no activity until you’re better.
“I’ve already held you. I didn’t break.”
I can’t, she said, tears streaking down her face as she averted her gaze from her exposed injuries.I broke my promise. I tried to leave.
“But you’re here now. We both are.” Örim slid her sleeves back down before leading her deeper into their home. The air was stale. No one had been here since she’d run off during their fight. No one had been here since he’d raced to the dock house, only to arrive too late to save them both. He’d never had the chance to apologize for yelling, for calling her cracked, for all the things that might have kept her from fleeing. “I want to hold you, aöseria. I promise you won’t break me.”
