I must have dozed off at some point because I woke up to soft knocks on my door.Before I could respond, the door cracked open, and Darion peeked in.
“Did I wake you?”he asked.
“I just nodded off.Didn’t even mean to.”
“I can come back—”
“No!”I blurted.Then, softer, “No.Please stay.”
Darion smiled—a big smile, like he couldn’t believe his luck.Or maybe I was projecting.He slipped off his boots and lay on the bed next to me, taking my hand.It was the smallest expression of intimacy, but that was what was special about it.Not an overt gesture, just a simpleI’m glad to be here with you.
“How are you doing?”Darion said in a gentle voice.
“Our home is gone.It’s surreal.I’m worried about my sister.”
Darion nodded, concern in his eyes.
“But I’m hopeful about the future, about Emberlight.”I paused for a moment, then looked into his eyes.“And hopeful about us.”
Darion smiled, squeezing my hand.
We lay there for a moment, not speaking, and my thoughts drifted to my sister once again.How could I let myself enjoy Darion when her life had completely fallen apart?
“I don’t know what I’m going to do about Elena,” I said.“We can never go back home, and I don’t know where is safe anymore.”
“She’s safe here for now, and we can figure out the rest later.I know that’s not the most comforting thing, but the Order of Emberlight has a lot of experience with Emberborn refugees.”
“What happens to them?”
“They often start here, like Elena.Then we sneak them out of the city to the northern lands, past the Everwinter Mountains, where Tarnasau’s influence is weaker.There are families there who take in displaced Emberborn.”
The idea of Elena leaving the city hit me like a punch to the gut.How would I know she was safe?How could I possibly entrust her to strangers after the promise I’d made to my mother?And on top of everything else, I’d miss her dearly.
“Isn’t there any way she could stay in the city?”I asked.
“She would be in constant danger.Being on the Royal Guard’s watch list means she’d have to stay locked up like a caged animal.That’s not much of a life.”
“I don’t think I could ever be comfortable if she wasn’t near.”
“You don’t have to decide anything now,” Darion said in a calm voice.“Let’s wait until you see the Emberlight Council and hear what they have to say.Speaking of which, several council members are occupied and can’t make it here until tomorrow morning.”
“Will you stay with me tonight?”I asked.A mixture of emotions swirled inside me, but the one thing I knew was that I didn’t want to be alone.
Darion smiled.“I was hoping you’d ask.I didn’t want to press.Of course I’ll stay with you.”
Relief and happiness bloomed in me like a field of wildflowers in summer.Given how much had changed, having this one good thing was more stabilizing than I could imagine.
Darion’s thumb traced circles on my palm, and for the first time since I’d left the clock tower, my body stopped shaking.
“Hang on,” Darion said, hopping off the bed.“I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”A bit of panic tugged at my insides.It annoyed me because it was irrational.This was a new feeling for me, or perhaps just something I’d been good at hiding from myself.
“It’s a surprise,” Darion said with a coy smile.“Don’t worry.I’ll be right back.”
He left me sitting there with my thoughts, but his smile and promise to be back soon settled my nerves enough for me to relax the slightest bit.
In a few minutes, Darion returned, grinning broadly and carrying a glazed ceramic basin with steam rising from it.
