Page 104 of The Sun He Buried

“I watched.”

“You walked into an intimate scene and froze. Many people would react. You still choose what you want and what you do.”

Across the table, metal touches wood.

Eirik has set down his knife.

Baldr keeps his eyes on me. “You did nothing wrong.”

I nod.

One tear reaches my cheek.

Wonderful.

I wipe it away.

Another follows.

“I need to go.”

Baldr rises with me. “I’ll come.”

“No.”

The word breaks.

That makes everything better.

Asta stands. “I will.”

I pull my hand from hers.

“Please. I need one minute.”

She stops.

Baldr does too.

Eirik remains at the head of the table. His purple eye catches mine.

No smile now.

I hate that more.

I leave before the next tear falls.

It reaches my mouth at the stairs.

The guest passage is empty. I find our room without missing a turn and close the door behind me.

He can feel me through walls.

He can feel me from across the hall.

He can probably feel me crying now.

I hate that he knows.