"You mentioned having something for me," Grim said finally, his back still to Liona, his grip on Echo's hilt white-knuckled.
The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Grim could hear Liona rise from her seat, her footsteps soft as she approached him. He tensed further, unsure of what to expect.
"Yes," she said, her voice closer now. "Something that was given to me by my mother."
Grim didn't turn, afraid of what emotions might betray him if he faced her now. The revelation of her engagement to Max Luminaris had shaken him in ways he hadn't anticipated, stirring feelings he didn't think he had.
"You have no idea how painful it was," Liona continued, her voice softer. "When word came that your body was burned to a crisp..." She paused, and Grim could hear the emotion in her voice. "I didn't believe it at first. I couldn't. I waited for news.... any news.... that you had escaped."
