Back in Dravengard, Angelica stepped into Kai's room with a soft smile, only to find her son already moving.
Kai heaved a heavy sigh, pushed himself up off the bed, reached for the crutch propped against the bedside table, and started for the door without so much as a glance at her.
"And where do you think you're going?" Angelica asked.
"I don't have time for you tonight, Mother."
She blinked. There was no charm in his voice. No cocky grin, no teasing lilt, none of the easy mischief that lived in him as naturally as breathing. For the first time she could remember, her baby boy sounded flat and tired and done.
"Kai." She stepped in front of him. "Why have you been avoiding me? Ever since I brought Alicia to see you, you've barely looked at me. What is the matter with you?"
Kai stopped and looked at her, and the look was not a kind one.
"Really?" he said. "You're going to stand there and pretend you don't know exactly what you did?"
