Valen sat down, his movements slow and deliberate, as if afraid one wrong step would break the fragile air between them. Across from him, Ella sat rigidly, her eyes rimmed with the evidence of tears she had yet to completely hide. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clearing her throat.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, her voice still hoarse from crying. She straightened her back, trying to project a calm she didn’t feel. “You can… you can go on.”

Valen’s chest ...