Rowan dozed off like that to the distant sound of birdsong, with his head on his knees and the hem of his jacket crushed in his bleeding palm. It seemed like he'd barely closed his eyes before the unmistakable warmth of his brother's energy brushing over his spirit woke him.
The touch of Alaric's magic as he assessed the damage that lay in the space beyond the physical was so nimble, Rowan normally wouldn't have sensed it at all. But every bit of him inside and out had been worn so raw, even his brother's skill wasn't enough to slip by unnoticed.
"Why are you doing that right now?" Rowan mumbled. "I said I wanted to be alone…"
He lifted his head to find Alaric sitting beside him, his hand hovering unobtrusively next to the curve of Rowan's shoulder. A bowl of water and a towel waited in the grass in front of his crossed legs.
"I know, but Loma's resting in your house…and I was too worried to leave you any longer."
