Shady

Pratik nodded. “Neither of you should be going anywhere until the trolls settle down.”

Tadaaki looked at him uneasily. That meant that he would be aching badly when Aleth woke up — at least if Ms. Miller left them alone. He’d stay between Aleth ...

“A grown son,” Pratik countered. But then nodded. “But yes. I do think she’d want to return here sooner rather than later. But she may be willing to travel a ...

It would be generous to consider Aleth conscious. He was vaguely aware of what was going on, but he couldn’t have moved if he tried — which he didn’t — ...

“I mean…no,” Pratik admitted. “I don’t know her mind and don’t know her all that well. You’d have to ask her to know for sure, not me.”

“Hmm… good question.” Pratik considered it for a moment. “I… don’t know that she’d be willing to leave here for good. But I expect she’d go off with you for ...

Ky nodded just as weakly. It took so much energy to sit up. To even breathe. Exist. She curled into her pillow, sliding down to a half-lying half-propped up position.

Pratik nodded. “Solid plan.”

Ky shook her head weakly.

(The irony of the quote Gen at the bottom of this page being: If you run now, you will be running the rest of your life. — Reborn) Pratik nodded ...

Ky was trembling badly, too tired to be able to tilt her head to look at… at… the woman. “…Hot.” Not cold. She was very hot.

“Oh?” Pratik asked curiously.

Tadaaki was quiet for a moment, racking his brain to try to remember more of the past week, but he couldn’t. Gods. Had he taken his eyes off her long ...

Pratik let out a little huff. What kind of monsters had tormented a child of seven like that? He really wished Rickard would breathe a name. “That’s… terrible. I’m glad ...

Tadaaki looked at her a moment. His brain felt so thick and heavy. How long had it been? “I… I don’t remember, ma’am. I… I think it was… three? Days ...