“I’ve got you,” He snuggled her against him and set his chin on her shoulder. “You can feel however you need to.”

“I thank you,” she sighed, and the sound had a note of sad frustration in it. “Why did they never care for me, what did I do wrong?”

He kissed her cheek right by her ear and felt her shudder. “Nothing, from what it you’ve told me the entire council was using you for something.” He felt something in the bond, a hurriedly suppressed ...