My hand hit something crinkly. I switched on the light to find a note Ro had left me on his pillow.

Gone to Palm Springs. Back in the morning. Don't worry.

He'd snuck out in the middle of the night to fly to California. Why would I possibly worry? I tried to go back to sleep, but his absence left me raw and empty, like a demon had sliced me open, casually thrust in a claw, and yanked out my insides.

Dawn was a long time coming. Rohan's reappearance even longer. ...