Kella slept late into the next day. Getting up wasn’t on her list of priorities. Every time she started to wake, she rolled over and managed to fall asleep again. Her body was worn out, and needed to recuperate.

It helped that Taroy was there. She sensed him always nearby, and something about his presence still calmed her. She was aware when he’d returned to her rooms last night and climbed into bed with her. He’d pulled her into his arms and whispered an apology for being a troll. Kella wasn’t sure but she might have cried and accepted his apology. She was going to have to ask him if that had happened or if she dreamed it.

Kella was hovering in that place between waking and sleep. She gathered the blankets around her neck and rolled onto her side. She slid her hand across the top...

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