Shady

"...what day is today?" Talia asked. "I'm sorry, I lose track easily."

"I hope so..." Zander agreed with a slight nod. "For Ky's sake."

"What day is the market day?" Talia asked, picking up her hand.

Talia and Ky both subconsciously glanced at each other and smiled shyly, then glanced away with a nod of agreement. Rifkin saw it and smiled a little. Gods, he was ...

"Thank you," Derik said, inclining his head as well. "With any luck, it won't reach anyone but those of us who were in this room, and Rek and Akeno." "...I ...

Ky nodded. "You seem really social; I bet you're friends with the whole place."

"He's ten," Derik said firmly, glancing back at Gaius. "Some burdens are too heavy for little shoulders."

"Oh." Ky wrinkled her nose. "No thank you, then. I'll stick with pretty earrings."

Derik sighed, glancing back at Kieran. "...Jer's going through a lot, okay? Something... upsetting has happened. She is safe. And she'll be okay. But she'll be pissy for a bit. ...

(Aww buddy ;-; ) "Something," Derik agreed, glancing back at Gaius tiredly. "Doesn't mean he knows what."

She did so a few moments later, body going heavy as she slipped from consciousness, feeling safe to do so for the first time in several weeks. "Yeah," Zander nodded ...

"Why's that?"

Ky was so sleepy. She felt her body getting heavier and heavier with each deep breath that she took, the emotions stripping every last bit of energy from her as ...

"I can't wait to see it all," Ky said with a little smile. "I'm sure it's very lively."

Ky nodded, returning the embrace and working on matching her own breaths to his in an attempt to calm down. Kieran glanced at him, then noticed Zander. He smiled a ...