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Two bad legs. That was the reality.
“Neither.” Adry’s hand rested on his shoulder, her touch sending a shock through him, as if his whole being orientated himself toward her, like a sunflower toward the sun. “Neither leg is a bad leg. Sure, they might be a little different. A little weaker than what you were used to before, and they need a little help from time to time. But neither one is bad.”
He wasn’t sure he was at the point yet where he could embrace that mentality.
Still, he forced a smile and faced her. “Linshi.”
Her hand still rested on his shoulder, her face close to his as they sat side by side. Their shoulders likely would have been nearly touching, if she hadn’t been half-turned toward him to put her hand on his shoulder.
She’d been his rock through all of this. He wasn’t sure what he would have done without her fierceness pushing him and yet steadying him all at once. He might never have gotten out of bed, much less gotten to the point where he was taking small steps.
“Of course.” She rested a hand on his cheek, the tips of her fingers trailing in his hair. Her smile turned soft as she leaned forward. “You know, we’re courting now.”
“We are.” How he wanted to murmur her name, cradle her face, and…
They were courting. He didn’t have to resist those longings, within proper boundaries of course.
He gathered her closer and kissed her. Learning to walk could wait a few more minutes.
When he returned to his room, Merrik let himself flop onto his bed. Perhaps a little dramatic, but he found himself lying there staring up at his ceiling.
Had that morning been real? He hadn’t simply slept late, caught in his sweetest dreams of what it would be like to court Adry?
Compared to the whirl in his head and heart, the pain in his legs was easily manageable. He’d overdone it, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about that. When he found the energy, he’d take another dose of juice laced with healing magic.
A soft knock sounded on his door a moment before his mama peeked inside. “Lunch is ready.”
“Linshi.” Merrik couldn’t bring himself to move for another moment. What if he broke the enchantment and found this morning hadn’t been real after all?
Mama’s brow furrowed, and she swung the door open wider. “Are you all right?”
He must look a sight, if she was concerned once again. After all he’d put her through when he’d first returned, she must worry to see him lying there so still and seemingly unresponsive.
He forced himself to sit upright, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. He smiled, hoping it didn’t look as love-addled as he felt. “I am all right, Mama. More than all right.”
She studied his face for another moment before she nodded. “Do you want me to bring up a tray?”
“No, I will come down. Just give me a moment.” He needed to pull himself together.
“All right.” Something in Mama’s tone and expression didn’t fully match her words as she hesitated, not leaving.
“What is it?” Merrik searched Mama’s face, trying to read what was wrong.
“I’m just worried.” Mama glanced away from him. “You have been so much happier since you began spending a great deal of time with Adry. Yet…I’m just concerned.”
Right. Well, he wasn’t going to get a better opening than that for this confession.
“We are courting, Mama.” Merrik flexed his fingers in the blankets as he faced her. “Me and Adry.”
“Really?” Mama’s gaze snapped back to him, her eyes going wide.
“Yes.” Merrik smiled, that once painful ache now turned into a squeezing warmth in his chest. “We did not want to tell anyone right away as we sorted out how to go from such close friends to courting. Especially given how close our families are. And we would like to tell her parents ourselves, when we have the chance.”
“Then I won’t say anything to Essie the next time I talk to her.” Mama crossed the room, bent down, and gave him a hug. “I am so happy for you, Merrik. I know where your heart has been these past decades.”
Of course she had. Adry’s mama had probably known the same thing about her.
Adry had been right. Neither of them had been all that subtle.
