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Evelyn

I ith a start,as I shifted on the couch, the book I’d been reading slipping fro the floor with a thump

For a h to knohere I was, but as consciousness seeped intorush of awareness I felt the heavy absence of Cian, and it was strange to sense this gaping distance for someone so shortly after they’d come into my life

I sat up and grabbed the book, one of the few “props” that had been in the house The story itself had been boring enough to put me to sleep, or maybe I was just so mentally exhausted that s down

I wished I was back in that subconscious state where I wasn’t worrying about as going on and if Cian was okay I wished I could go back days before, e’d been in that h I was afraid of the future, we didn’t have all this other shit in the way

“Ye dozed off for only ten minutes”

I looked over at Odhran, who stood in the entryway of the living roo arms were crossed over his broad chest We didn’t speak, but I could see the exhaustion still written heavily over his face Although ere strangers, I felt like ere kind of one and the same in the kindred spirit departnized his

“I…” I wasn’t sure what to say, didn’t want to make the situation weird or aard But ever since I’d sat across fro room table and told him I was sorry, I’d felt him retreat even more into himself, becoence in his eyes and kneas planning so his mate back, and he won’t stop until he succeeds

He gave h I hadn’t been able to finish my sentence The situation was hard all around, and neither one of us kne to navigate it

“I’ tae clean up, but it shouldn’t takeht I was an invalid and didn’t trust ment or state of mind I could tell by the tone of his voice and the softness of his expression I knew he just wanted to make sure I wasn’t too spooked and would be fine by myself

He was looking out for me because Cian wasn't here

I was thankful for his concern and his company But I wanted Cian here so much more that it felt like I had this wound in the center of my body that I kneould never heal “I’ll be fine, but thank you Take your tiical houses or enchanted witchcraft that protected things, but I did feel safe with Odhran

He gave a curt nod, and once I was alone, I got up and walked over to the bookcase, one that had some faux plants on the shelves, a couple of vases, and a picture frame that still had the insert of the fake family in it I set the book where I’d found it and turned to the , the curtains closed, yet I still felt fully exposed

I wrapped h I knew Cian wasn’t that far away—a ten- distance, he’d told me—I couldn’t help but feel like there was an ocean between us It was a strange feeling to be so connected to so them, to feel like your lives were already intertwined and you didn’t even kno it happened

It didn’t ical sense But at the same time it made all the sense in the world It was a fantastical situation But I trusted it I believed in ht direction It had always held strong and true my entire life, and I kneouldn’t be any different

I was vaguely aware of the sound of pipes creaking as Odhran started the shower, and made e, ain, when you were in an i your body needed was sustenance, not when it was trying to survive in other ways

I was about to go ru to eat and forceso my belly wouldn’t be empty, when the sound of so The three knocks that sounded seeh the house