ELRETH
Leaving Aaryn was heartbreaking, but he'd eventually pushed her out the door with a kiss and a promise to come to the cave after dinner. She'd found herself reluctant to walk away even after he'd closed the door, but she was reminded of the days her father had had to leave the cave sick, injured, or distraught because duty called.
Sometimes being a leader meant doing things you didn't want to do because they needed to be done. So, she squared her shoulders and started walking. But then Lhern's words came back to her. Maybe she'd give her new Captain a little test to see just how ready he was?
It hit her then that she'd gotten distracted and forgotten to tell Aaryn that the elder knew they were mates. She hesitated and turned back towards his tree, but he would have gone back to his mother by now. She'd tell him that night when he visited.
