LERRIN
His heart raced, thundering in his ears. How had he been so blind? How had he ignored this? How could he have dishonored her this way?
"Suhle?" he breathed. "Please…"
I fear that you will say something we cannot take back, Lerrin.
Her voice in his head was a beautiful chime that echoed in his heart and he cursed himself again for not allowing himself to see this sooner.
Tomorrow I leave to secure our future, he sent. But because I have not secured our present, I leave you in danger. This does not sit well with me.
I have spent much of my life in danger, she sent quietly. You know I can hide. I will protect myself.
But I want to protect you.
The words were stark and revealing, and she knew it. Her breath sucked in, then stopped.
Lerrin plowed on, sending images of her as he saw her—gentle, loving, thoughtful, wise, so patient and self-controlled. Her dignity and grace. Her subversive sense of humor.
