If anyone understood how Zinnia was feeling, it was Alvin – between Sloane being presumed dead (and then being found) and Wally’s dragon injury, he’d been in her shoes recently. She had tried her best to support him where she could, and as much as she hated having the tables turned, Zin appreciated that Alvin knew exactly how she was feeling. Her shoulders rose faintly with her inhale, but then she slowly let out it as though she could ease some of the heaviness pressing on her chest.

She stared straight ahead at the neat line of hedges. “I have.” Zin said after a minute. “Well, Thistle has. I appreciate her so much, but taking it feels like I’m giving in. Like if I numb myself to get enough rest, I’ll wake up and find that I can’t remember parts of him.” She laughed quietly, realizing how silly it sounded. Alvin knew she had Rhys hadn’t been in love, that they wouldn’t have gotten married had it not been for her pregnancy, but still, they had been something. Friends, at the very least.

“I know how silly that sounds. Emery needs me to rest, not walk through the day like I’m a ghost, but..” She pursed her lips together as she tried to find the right words. “But what if I forget things about him and then I can’t tell Emery? She deserves to know who her father was.” At least in her dreams she could remember how brave Rhys was – how he died trying to shield them.

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