Evaline:
I stood outside River's bedroom door for a long moment, my fist hovering inches away from the wood. The corridor was quiet, bathed in the dim glow of the night lamps, the rest of the house wrapped in deep sleep. Midnight had long passed, yet my heart refused to slow, my thoughts racing in circles no matter how many times I told myself to rest.
I had tried.
I really had.
I had lain in bed staring at the ceiling, listening to the distant hum of the wards around the house, counting sheeps, replaying Elion Grey's words again and again until they blurred together into something heavy and suffocating.
Secrets of our heritage.
It felt like a hand curled around my chest, squeezing just enough to keep me awake.
So here I was.
Needing River.
