“We are playing hide and seek, Sofie.”
A swirl of memories unfurled in Sofie, Damien, and Chloe’s minds, as vivid as if they had occurred only yesterday. Damien had grinned as he hid Chloe and Sofie within the confines of a wardrobe. When he told Chloe that she was a brave woman and that true courage lay not in the absence of reason but in its preservation, he had likely already prepared for the possibility that he might meet his end.
“Thank you, Sofie,” said Damien. “Should you ever weary of the ruffians in the Duchy of Carter, you are always welcome to return.”
Chloe offered no protest this time. A smile tinged with amusement graced her features as she glanced at her husband. She recognized the sincerity in his words; he had always been committed to shielding those he cherished by any means at his disposal. It was this knowledge of being under his impenetrable protection that allowed her to smile so serenely.
