The Home Front

RETH

Movement in the cave woke him suddenly from a dream in which he'd been able to reach Elia, but only briefly, and he'd had to tell her about Candace. She had been horrified. He'd pleaded with her to understand why he'd had to leave her body, but Elia had sobbed uncontrollably, hitting out at him when he tried to embrace her.

He'd been terrified—trying to explain to her that their time was short, that they could only speak for these few minutes. To please, let him hold her and comfort her while he could, but she was inconsolable.

Then a rustle of movement nearby snapped him back to reality and as he sat up, blinking, the dream faded, along with the thrill in his heart at seeing her.

He rubbed his face and raked back his hair that had fallen from its leather while he'd been asleep in Aymora's bed—she'd insisted that he rest there rather than on the cot.