The first thing Kaelen felt was the weight. Not the crushing kind. The small, warm, persistent kind. A body pressed against his ribs. Tiny fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. Breath. Warm and damp against his neck.
He opened his eyes.
Gray light filtered through the single window. Dawn. Or what passed for it down here. The room smelled of old stone, damp wool, and something else. Something like moss after rain. Like the inside of a living thing.
The sprite pressed closer. Its skin was cool. Smooth like river stones. It made a sound. Not a word. A vibration. A small humming thrum that Kaelen felt in his teeth.
He smiled before he thought about it.
His arm came up. His hand found the sprite's back. Small. Fragile. The bones felt like bird bones under the skin. He held it. Just held it. The sprite hummed louder. Its face pressed into his chest.
Kaelen didn't know why he was happy. He just was.
