"Yes, I can hear you," Gideon murmured. His eyes remained tightly shut as he rested his chin heavily on her shoulder, tightening his arms around her instead of pulling back from the embrace.
The surrounding men quickly averted their gazes, stepping back to give the pair a few moments of privacy.
"I'm sorry," Adeline whispered. She finally withdrew from the hug, her hands resting on his chest as she looked into his eyes.
Tears were still rolling down her cheeks, blurring her vision. A sudden fear had taken hold of her heart. Gideon had been so close to... She shook her head quickly, refusing to let her mind finish the thought or even acknowledge the word death.
They both stood up, and Gideon ran a critical eye over the gathered men. "Did you all help us?" he questioned, his voice carrying the natural authority of his rank.
