I sat on the curved stone bench, drawing my knees to my chest, allowing my head to fall back against the carved wall. My eyes fell closed, an involuntary sigh escaping me as I relaxed for the first time in what seemed like forever. A thread of nerves still remained, but the pressure building inside me since I was infected with the living metal seemed to have lifted and I was more than willing to accept what moments of quiet I could get.

Someone settled beside me. From the ...