The moonlight bathed them in soft silver as Darenn finally stopped walking.
Kalista, now visible again and cradled against his chest, blinked the last of her tears away. Her face was a mess—her eyes puffy and rimmed red, her nose still sniffling—but she didn't care. Not as much. Not when she was breathing easier than she had all night.
"Hey," she muttered, voice dry and hoarse, "you're still carrying me."
He looked down at her with a small smirk. "You're lighter than I thought. Could've sworn you bragged about being too strong for this."
Kalista rolled her eyes and wriggled slightly in his hold. "Shut up."
But there was no real heat behind it. Only a flicker of color rising to her cheeks.
He gently lowered her to the ground, and only then did she realize where they were.
Her breath caught in her throat.
