I covered her hand with my own and squeezed. “Miska, I’m not sending you away, I promise. I just thought you’d feel more comfortable away from them. I care about you, Miska. We all do, and your safety and comfort mean more than anything.”
She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around me. “I only feel safe around you guys. No one else.” Her soft sobs shook me, and I laid a comforting hand on her back. “Please, don’t leave me alone again.”
“I won’t,” I promised, holding her tightly.
She pulled back. “So I can stay?”
I cupped her small face in my hands, wiping away her tears with my thumbs. “Miska, this is your home. Your place is here with us. Forever and ever.”
She sucked in a shaky breath and blinked back the tears that were still threatening to spill. Wiping at her nose, she lay back down. “Samkiel would never let anything happen to you, so I am not scared.”
I wrinkled my nose at her. “He wouldn’t, which is why he will be very close to me, too.”
She nodded and tried to hold back a yawn, but it broke free. “Thank you for telling me the truth. It means a lot that you trust me and don’t treat me like a baby. Thank you for not lying to me or keeping me in the dark.”
Gods, this little girl made my heart fucking melt. “If I could burn Jade City twice over for you, Miska, I would.”
She giggled. “I know.”
“Okay, time for bed.” I flicked her nose playfully before standing to dim the lights, leaving the enchanted stones glowing softly. I knew she wouldn’t want to be in the dark tonight. Her eyes tracked me as I took a step toward the door.
“Can you stay with me tonight?” she blurted, the uncertainty in her voice stopping me in my tracks.
I wondered how many nights she had huddled in the dark, afraid and alone. How much courage and trust had it taken her to ask for such a simple thing? She had been through something terrifying, and I understood. I wouldn’t have wanted to be alone tonight, either.
“Of course.”
Her smile was nearly blinding in the soft gloom of her room. She wiggled closer to the edge, making room for me as if the bed wasn’t big enough for her three times over. I slipped into bed beside her, and she nestled against my side, tucking one hand under her chin. Wrapping my arm around her, I hugged her close, feeling how small she actually was. Life had already shown her how brutal it could be. This strong, brave, and lovely child had been through so much, and I refused to let it continue, not just for her, but for others like her. This was not living. She deserved to laugh and spend time with her friends, not worry about how to stab someone who had threatened her.
“Can you sing to me?” she whispered in the dark. “I remember my mom singing to me when I was little to help me sleep, and I miss it.”
“All right, but if you make fun of me …”
She laughed. “I promise I won’t.”
“Okay, how about this one? Gabby and I used to hum this early in the morning when we’d walk to the market with my family.” I began to hum and willed my body to relax against her. The song remembered, each note containing a memory of laughter, love, and sun-filled days. I let them wash through me, and tonight, while I held this precious girl, they didn’t hurt. It wasn’t until I’d reached the end and started again that she finally fell asleep.
She started to snore, and I lay there for what felt like hours, listening to the soothing sound. Her hands no longer gripped the covers in fear, her face peaceful. I was glad I could give that to her. Gabby had always said I was a protector, and right then, I felt it.
Soft footfalls came down the hall, and the only reason I didn’t bristle with defensive rage was the familiar warmth that suffused my heart. Miska’s door crept open, and a beam of light streamed in. Samkiel leaned in the doorway and just looked at us for a long moment, his eyes softening with love.
“I was wondering where you were,”he said down our bond, not wanting to wake her.
“She asked me to stay,”I said.“She’s still shaken up.”
“I imagine.”
“She also doesn’t want to stay with anyone else.”
He nodded.“I assumed that as well, but she deserved to have the choice.”
“I agree.”
“Cameron and Reggie can stay with her while we are gone,”he said.“For my own sanity, I’ll arrange for extra security while we are gone. I’ll work on it tonight, and it should be in place before we leave.”
“My hero,”I said, knowing he felt my laughter vibrating along our bond. I followed it with a flood of warmth.“Think you can survive one night without me?”
“Absolutely not. I may very well perish.”
