Perhaps he could accept that, if not for the other two injuries in his family.

No. No, he could never accept it, not really. Even knowing that she was mortal and so her days were numbered, he couldn’t accept the soft words that said she might never open her eyes again. Might never call him her favorite. Might never laugh that fairy laugh.

He’d been sitting here beside her bed for hours, but he’d promised Mrs. Dawe he would get up by seven o’clock and find something to eat. It was seven now. A few minutes past. But his stomach churned at the very thought of putting food in it. Even so, he leaned over to kiss Mamm-wynn’s ever-soft cheek and then stood. He could use a stretch of his legs, anyway. He’d spotted Libby in the garden a few minutes ago. Perhaps he’d go out there with her. Apologize. With Mabena in bed and Mrs. Dawe and him fussing over Mamm-wynn all day, she’d been the one to welcome neighbor after neighbor who’d come as soon as they heard.

It wasn’t fair to her—she was just a guest here. She shouldn’t have to play hostess. And yet she’d done it without question, without any qualm that he could see. And his neighbors, those who had slipped back here to bring a vase of flowers or put an arm around him, hadn’t seemed to think it odd in the slightest. They’d merely said things like, “I’m glad our lady was on Tresco, at least, to be here now.” And “Our lady said I could slip back for a moment, to give you this.”

He stepped out into the hallway, knowing Mrs. Dawe would take his place within a minute or two—she’d said she’d be in at seven to make sure he kept his word, and she wouldn’t grant him more than a few minutes’ grace on that count. But rather than going directly down the stairs and out into the garden, his feet hitched before a closed door at the end of the corridor.

It had been months since he’d opened it. Because for as many good memories that lived in that room, there were bad ones too that he hadn’t wanted to face. Too many reminders of the last loss to rock their family. Of the years they’d spent fighting an invisible monster eating away at his brother. Of the final battle that Morgan had lost.