Early one morning Steve woke her from a deep, dreamless sleep to tell her they were leaving the village. Perhaps it was the way he said it, or the sudden dread of leaving the quiet village nestled in the palm of a ring of mountains where she felt so safe. But she rebelled.

“I want to stay here.” She lunged from the bed to face him with arms akimbo, chin lifted in uncertain defiance. “I have no intention of being dragged around the entire country without even knowing why, or where I’m going.”

A black brow arched in amusement. “Get dressed, Ginny. Or are you waiting for me to help you? It’s a surprise, and I don’t want to spoil it for you.”

Ginny gazed at him uncertainly, her brief defiance vanishing. There was something so different about him now, the way he watched her, helped her so tenderly, ignored her when she was ill-tempered. While she’d been mending, he had not left her side, but watched her with something like—like shame in his eyes.

I can’t bear it! After all that has happened, he must think me so loathsome, so defiled….

Turning away, she said without looking at him, “Oh, yes, you never miss a chance to show me that you’re stronger than I am. I suppose you’ll drag me kicking and screaming all the way to…to wherever it is you’re taking me.”

“Ginny, don’t make this hard on both of us. We can’t stay here forever.”

Agitated, she began to pace the floor, moving from the window to the door which was always closed at her request, a barrier to protect her from the world, from danger.

“Why can’t we stay here? I don’t want to leave, Steve. I don’t think…I don’t think I can!”

After a moment of quiet, he came to her. He put a hand on her arm and kept it there even when she flinched away from him. “Ginny, I wasn’t there for you last time, but I am now. Luna is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Drawing in a ragged breath, she turned blindly toward him and felt his arms go around her, holding her against his chest. She heard the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear, his words muffled.

“Christ, Ginny…Oh God, I don’t think you know how I regret that I wasn’t there for you. Come with me. I won’t force you if you don’t want to go now, but you have to leave here one day.”

“Yes,” she said against his shirt, “I know. You’re right. I’ll go. I’ll go with you.”