Book 4: Without Her

Finn

After a day of my bite aching, Xandra returns to our room. She doesn’t mention what happened. Since not mentioning things is my specialty, I decide to follow her lead.

And for one night, that feels almost normal.

But a second day passes. A third. I train with Elian and Ingrid in out-of-the-way corners of the camp that Denidor somehow always seems to find anyway. I get used to the tingling of Vedran’s magic on my skin, disguising my face just enough that we can scrape another few days closer to this whole plan coming together.

Xandra still doesn’t say anything. She just eats meals with me, laughs at my jokes, puts my hand on her stomach so I can feel the twins kick. A couple of times, when she does that, I open my mouth in the hope and with a prayer that the words can sneak out before my brain notices. Every time, she looks up at me like she’s waiting, and they die on my tongue.

The faint flicker of disappointment in her gaze become