Serena reached for him before she was fully awake, and her hand found nothing. Her eyes snapped open to cold sheets and an empty bed.
Her heart was thudding against her ribs.
Did she dream that too?
No. If she could remember, then it wasn't a dream.
They'd been keeping all of this from her for almost three weeks.
She shook her head.
No more. She was done being protected and kept in the dark.
✦✦✦
Serena and Elara made their way to the healing wing.
Alaric looked up from his work the moment they entered.
"Serena, how are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling much better, thank you for your tonics." Serena met his gaze steadily. "I need to speak with you in private."
His face darkened. Without a word, he turned and walked towards his office. Serena and Elara followed.
He closed the door behind them and crossed to his desk without offering either of them a seat, which told Serena everything she needed to know about how this conversation was going to go.
