Shady

“I missed you too,” she said, throat constricting. And now he was here and she was angry about it. Gods.

Ky gave the tiniest of smiles. “It’ll be nice… the past few weeks have been a tiny bit rough. Not-not to complain! Just… will be nice… to have books.”

“I know,” she murmured. “I… appreciate your heart,” she managed.

“…and then you’re going to leave.” Her face was burning even more now and she still wouldn’t look at him. “You have to. I agree you have to. But… but ...

Ky nodded. “It’s incredible… I want to read the sections this time. I… knew I couldn’t before. But now.”

She sighed, face burning. She still didn’t look at him. “I just don’t see how this improves the situation.”

Ky smiled a little. “I’m open to recommendations. I’ve only ever read… two? When I was a kid. But I loved them.”

She glanced away, not answering.

She sighed and said quietly, but tersely, “and what will it improve for you to make the journey instead of me? I don’t have a territory depending on me. I ...

“You will not ,” she said firmly, furrowing her brow. “You’ll get yourself killed.”

“Stories,” she murmured. “That part was true.”

“And what’s going to happen on the way home?” she countered. “We’d all be safe now if I’d come home. But now we’re both trapped here.”

Ky glanced at him. He was doing a good job of pretending, if this really was some elaborate scheme to get her walked to Aleth. So perhaps Ash really was ...

“I’m fine.” She flushed, not looking at him. “You didn’t need to come. It’s fine .

“…doesn’t usually matter,” she said quietly, glancing around again. “I always go down with him.”