Page 270 of Black Reign

There it is again.

The division neither of us knows how to close.

“I’m trying.”

He nods.

No pressure.

No demand that I trust him because he rescued me.

That only makes it worse.

I look back at the book.

“When Papa died, do you remember that night?”

“Yes.”

“You stayed online.”

“Yes.”

“For six hours.”

“Seven.”

My head turns.

“What?”

“Seven hours and nineteen minutes.”

I stare.

“You remember?”

His eyes hold mine.

“Sabine.”

Something about the way he says my name makes my throat tighten.

“I remember everything about you.”

I look away before he sees how badly that lands.

Too late.

His fingers slide beneath my chin.

Not forcing.

Just asking me to look back.

I do.

“I didn't know what happened,” he says. “You wouldn't tell me. You only said someone was gone.”