I get up, climb out of my window, and shift, flying into the night. The air is cool, the sky is clear, and a full moon lights up the night. It’s only a few hours until dawn. At first, I think I’ll take a quick flight around the lake to clear my head, but then I find myself heading in the direction of Anora’s house. Just as I consider turning around, I spot her sitting on the roof, knees drawn to her chest.

Screw it. Might as well see what she’s up to.

I shift and land beside her. She jumps.

“Jesus Christ! You scared me!” she hisses, and I can’t help grinning.

“Sorry,” I offer, but I’m more amused than anything else.

She’s quiet for a moment, probably trying to calm down after I frightened her, and then she asks, “You’re not checking up on me, are you?”

I raise a brow. “That makes me think you’re thinking about doing something you’re not supposed to.”

She smiles just a little and turns her head away. “That night when you came here before because you wanted to…” She waves a hand vaguely. “Whatever you wanted to do. Were you one of the ravens in my tree?”

“Yeah. We were ordered to watch over you. Shadow knights protect the Eurydice. But we didn’t know…” I take a seat beside her. My legs dangle off the edge of the roof, which elicits a growl from one of her hounds. It’s clear they’ve made it their job to protect her. I wonder if they’ve always done that, but I assume the Order would have known if they did. Perhaps there’s something about her being close to the site of the gates that has brought them out.

“And now? Why are you here now?” she asks.

“Truth is, I couldn’t sleep,” I admit.

I feel her eyes on me. “Me either.”

Another moment of silence and then I ask, “How are you holding up?”

“I should be asking you that question.” She peeks at me through her lashes.

“I have never really had to deal with death,” I admit. “My grandparents all died either before I was born or shortly after. Lily is the first person I’ve lost. I think I thought it would never happen to me. Stupid, I know.”

“It’s not stupid,” she whispers.

When I look at her, her eyes have softened. It makes me feel like I can share my deepest secrets with her.

“It’s weird, you know? Because the things that make me think of her are so unpredictable.”