I glanced over my shoulder to see him standing beneath the trellis of glittering vines. He wore simple clothes—just his boots and trousers and a white shirt—and his hair was loose, dark as raven wings. A woolen cloak was fastened at his neck.

“And His Grace looks the same,” I said wryly, and he joined me on the bench.

“How are you, truly, Clem?” he asked, and then noticed what I was wearing—a thin robe. “And why aren’t you wearing a cloak, for gods’ sake!” He unbuckled his and draped it over my shoulders.

I sank into the cloak’s warmth, hiding a smile. “I grow stronger every day. And you? I hear you’ve been busy.”

“To the uttermost. But it’s given me something to do while I waited for you to wake.”

We fell quiet, content to simply sit beside each other.

Phelan whispered, “May I hold you?”

My heart stirred, beating a heady song within my blood. But I said, “Someone might see us.” Which was ridiculous, as I could only dimly discern him in the dark.

Phelan laughed. “I really don’t care.”

Once, he had been afraid of what others thought of him. Once, I had been bent by revenge and coldness and believed myself stronger alone.

I shifted toward him and he drew me onto his lap. Our fingers entwined and I rested in his embrace. We sat like that for a moment, admiring the starlit sky, until I turned to face him.

“What do you dream of, Phelan?” I asked.

“What do I dream of?” he countered, amused. “By night or by day?”

Of course, I wanted to know the things he beheld at night, the dreams that rose from his darkest places. But more than that . . . I wanted to know what he wanted.

“By day,” I said.

He glanced beyond me, where the mountains rested in the moonlight, glazed in ice. “I used to dream of being someone worthy, and so I became a magician. And then I dreamt of finding somewhere I belonged, where I could use my magic for the good of others. I never thought I would find it in Seren, but the past couple of days have proven to me that purpose can be found in unexpected places.” He paused, his gaze tracing me. “What about you, Clem? What do you dream of by day?”

I closed my eyes, as if I could see my desire, resting just beyond my reach. “I dream of finding a new home. Of bringing something broken back together, and not just with magic but with stories and friendship and good food.”

When I looked at Phelan again, I caught a glimmer in his eyes, as if he dreamt the same things as me. I leaned closer to him until our lips met, polite and cautious and then hungry and familiar, and my heart was suddenly racing. But for the first time in months, there was no pain.