The bed I was in was big, but not big enough to scoot away from my mother without upsetting her. There were chairs on either side, but I wasn’t sure if someone had brought those from another place in the room or from somewhere else. I looked back at the one Lorne had been sitting in, a red blanket was thrown over the back, and a pillow was crunched against the side, and I wondered if he’d been sleeping in it. But he was gone.

He was gone now.

I pulled my knees into my chest and rested my head on them to hide my seemingly endless stream of tears. I wondered how I could ask for Roan without pissing off my mother. She’d be hurt that I wasn’t confiding in her, but her constant stream of questions was making this so much worse.

“Everyone leave.” Lorne’s voice cut through the whispers and my mom’s pleading tone as she stroked my hair, and the thick, swirling emotions threatening to drown me. “Give us a moment. Please.” The please felt tacked on at the end like he’d only just remembered to be polite.

I lifted my head, and he was there. At the foot of the bed. Watching me. And just like that, the tears stopped.

Declan started to object, but Lorne’s glow flashed painfully bright and the look he gave Declan—like he would slit Declan’s throat if he could and be happy doing it—I never wanted to be on the receiving end of a look like that. Not from anyone.

“You don’t want me to go, do you?” Mom’s face was full of concern and worry, which was nice, but I did want her to go. There was just no way I’d ever be able to tell her that though. So I took the coward’s way out. I looked at Lorne.

“Please, Liz. I need a moment alone with her.” His gaze stayed glued to mine as he spoke to my mom.

“Now?” Declan spat the word. “She just woke up from a coma, and you’re picking now to talk to her. Can’t you just give her—?”

“No. I can’t just. Leave now,” Lorne said, without even looking at Declan.

Declan looked like he wanted to punch Lorne, but my father pulled him away.

My father. This was a hell of a first impression, but I couldn’t help myself. He was watching Lorne and me very carefully, and then he said something in Aunare. Lorne whispered something back.

Ha shalshasa ni meha.

The words felt important. They echoed in my mind.

Ha shalshasa ni meha.

Ha shalshasa ni meha.

I didn’t know what that meant, but it seemed to simultaneously piss off Declan while my father nodded slowly and stepped back.

“Come, Elizabeth. She’ll be okay. Lorne will come get us in a moment.”