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“I need to rest.”

“I’ll be right here.”

“You should go.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“You don’t really want to be here. You’re feeling guilty. You’re forgiven. Go.”

Bart just sat there, knowing he should go because she told him to, but unable to make himself move from the chair he sat in.

A few moments later she opened her eyes and looked directly into his eyes. “Who found me?”

“Rokai. No one would speak to me because of my association with the Consortium. They spoke to Rokai. He found you.”

“Do you know what happened to me?” she asked.

Bart shook his head.

“Neither do I,” Mirilla said. “All I remember is falling. I remember thinking you’d come for me. Then lying in the dark. I don’t know what happened. I can’t tell you what happened. Doesn’t that bother you?”

“I know exactly what happened.”

“You do?” she asked.

Bart nodded. “You survived. Whatever you endured, you survived.That’s all I need to know. My admiration for you had grown more than I ever thought it could. You not only went out on your own to prove your innocence, you survived all that was thrown at you. You are so very strong, Mirilla.”

She settled into the pillows and turned her head away from him.

“I’m so sorry. I should have defended you vehemently.”

“It didn’t have to be vehement. It only had to be voiced. Sovereigna Eula defended me, and sent me to my room to get me away from all the accusations. You just stood there indecisively.”

“I know.”

They remained there quietly, each reliving the moments that led them to this point. After some time Mirilla finally spoke again.

“If it were me, I’m not sure I’d have done any differently than you did. The Sire’s arguments for my guilt were very practical. The circumstances my brother had taken advantage of, along with my hesitation to make our relationship public would have created doubts, had they been reversed.”

“I wasn’t convinced, but I could see the possibility,” Bart admitted. “I was so confused. It’s ingrained in me to follow common logic, and that’s what lay at the basis of each accusation Quin justified. But my emotions kept screaming at me that itcouldn’t be possible. My own insecurities kept eating away at me, and let the confusion overrun the truth my heart already knew. I went to you the next morning to tell you I knew you were innocent, but you didn’t answer the door. It was only when the Sovereigna went back with me to beg you to open the door that I found that you’d left. I’ve been searching for you since.”

Mirilla closed her eyes again.

“I’m sorry, Mirilla. I’m sorry I made you feel that I wouldn’t protect you.”

“It wasn’t just that. I had to prove my innocence for myself.”

“And the only way to do that was find your brother.”

She nodded, then lay quietly for a few minutes clearing her throat from time to time.

“Would you like some water?”

“Please. Cold?” she asked.

Bart got up and walked over to a small shelf on the left side of her bed. He poured her a cup of cold water, then held it for her as she drank from the cup. She drank a gulp at first, causing herself to cough. After she settled down, she tried small, controlled sips and did much better. When she’d had enough she rested back into her pillows again.

“Are you hungry?”

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