Page 73 of The Edge of Never

He cocked his head to the side.

“Did I dae anything wrong when it happened? Did ye no want me tae touch ye or…?”

I shook my head.

“No, I mean, usually I don’t like being touched when it happens, but when you held me, it helped. The pressure helped. I felt safe with you… I feel safe with you and that’s not something I can say about anyone but my dad and Olly.”

Thane’s eyes darted between mine, staring at me with such reverence that it grew hard to breathe.

“I wannae kiss ye,” he whispered, “but no if it’s tae much for ye right noo.”

I’ve cried so very much today already, but I want to cry happy tears this time.

Thane had to be one of the most considerate people I’d ever met.

“You can.”

He pressed his mouth against mine for the briefest of kisses that almost didn’t feel like enough.

“After what we’ve had tae deal with, there’s no shame in it being hard for ye, Kit. It’s a lot tae cope with.”

“Yeah… this situation hasn’t been easy.”

We’d avoided discussing what we would do about our predicament long enough. I didn’t feel like I was emotionally ready to speak further about my disability with Thane. Meltdowns wore me out. And I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact he’d been so understanding about it.

Thane shifted back, putting some space between us. His expression was cautious as if he knew the time had come to make a decision regarding what to do next.

We couldn’t stay here forever. Our food supplies were going to run out. I didn’t know how long a human body could survive with only water to sustain it. And allowing my mind to go towards the worst-case scenario wouldn’t help matters.

“What are our options here, Thane? Tell me honestly.”

He folded his lips inside his mouth and looked away from me.

I gave him a minute. There was no point in demanding he answer me immediately. We weren’t in any urgent need right at that moment, but we would be soon. I could feel it.

“Well, ye know we can continue tae stay here and hope we get rescued.”

“We’ll call that option one.”

“Aye. Option two is that ye walk oot of here and get help.”

“What exactly would that entail?”

He sighed.

“Ye cannae get oot of this glen withoot a four tae five hour walk in either direction, but likely longer after all the fresh snow and the conditions. That’s why I said ye would have tae go. With me, it’ll take twice as long, if no more.”

“And you’ll be in pain the whole time. I don’t want to do that to you.”

His eyes grew soft at my words. Did he not realise how much I cared about him? That causing him pain would only hurt me too.

“Are those the only options we have?”

“Aye.”

They both sounded horrible if I was honest. Well, not that being with Thane was a chore, but I felt gross after wearing the same clothes for days. I wanted a hot shower, warm food, and a real bed. I wanted that for both of us. The thought of him being alone out here felt wrong. We’d been in this together from the beginning. And yet we couldn’t stay either. Not forever.

“Which one do you suggest?”

---