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Rhyven looks toward the clock. Then me. He needs to go. I know. He knows. Neither moves.

I could say be careful. Too small. Come back. Too much. I'll miss you. Absolutely not. Don't die. We've done that.

"Try not to embarrass Varethia."

Rhyven's mouth curves. "Concerned?"

"Deeply."

"About my performance."

"Obviously."

"Noted."

He reaches for his flight coat. Puts it on. Every buckle closing feels offensive. At the door, he stops. Hand on the handle. Looks back. There. Again. Those eyes.

"Eirea."

"What." He doesn't say anything. Seconds pass. My heart is being very stupid.

"Eat."

I stare. Of course. I laugh. Actually laugh. "You came here to tell me to eat?"

"No."

"What did you come here for?" Silence. Oh. Rhyven looks at me. No answer. There are too many.

"Your shelves are terrible." I laugh again. Coward.

"Get out."

"Working on it." He opens the door.

"Rhyven." He stops. "Don't die." There. Familiar. Safe. His shoulders shift. Then he looks back.

"It would Inconvenient."

My smile hurts. "Extremely."

He leaves. No hug. No kiss. No confession. Nothing. Just footsteps down the corridor. Then down the stairs. Then gone. I stand there. Longer than necessary. Eight twenty-four. Six minutes until he reports outside. I should shower. I smell terrible.

I turn toward my desk. Stop.

There is food. I didn't notice before. Of course I didn't. Rhyven had been standing in front of it.

Water. Two bottles. Meat wrapped in paper. Fruit. Bread. A clean towel folded beside everything. I stare.

No. No fucking way.

I walk closer. There is something beneath the towel.

A book. Not mine. I know my books. This one is old. Dark green cover. Gold lettering worn along the edge. I pick it up. THE WINDS OF ELARIS.

My breath stops. I know this book. I mentioned it once. Weeks ago. A childhood adventure story.

Out of print. I told Rhyven I'd looked for it for years because my mother used to read pieces of it when I was little. Once. One conversation. Maybe thirty seconds. He remembered. Of course he fucking remembered. I open the cover. A folded piece of paper falls out. No.