Not healed. Not removed. But reinforced somehow. Like the river's magic had wrapped around the cracks and held them together. Like it had bought me time I hadn't expected to have.
Maybe more than eighteen months.
Maybe extra months.
Just speculation. Just hope. But the seal wasn't breaking as fast as before and that had to mean something.
A knock shattered my thoughts.
Sharp. Sudden. Making me jump and dismiss the flames reflexively.
I stared at the door.
"Who is it?" I called.
Pause.
Then that voice. Muffled by wood but unmistakable. Sharp and invasive and belonging to exactly one person who would ignore propriety and show up at my door after dark.
"It's me."
Soren.
Of course it was Soren.
"I'm tired," I said immediately.
"I know. I just want to say goodnight."
"Goodnight!" I yelled at the door.
Silence.
Then: "Not like that."
"Then stay there. I don't care."
More silence.
