Chapter 24

Ardala woke in the grey light of early morning to the sensation of warmth and comfort. A sense of wellbeing that suffused her and a smell that raised the hackles on the back of her neck. She lifted her head only to see that she had rolled in the night so that she’d become entangled with Vajra. Her head was pillowed on his shoulder and his arms were around her tightly. This could not be allowed, the tie was pressing on her fierce control of it, little wisps escaping her to attach to him.

She rolled away, praying that he wouldn’t wake, she needed to leave, and she needed to go now. She managed to extricate herself without more than a light stir from him which made her breathe a sigh of relief. It was the work of a moment to button her coat against the chill and slip into her shoes. They were not hers but there was so much snow outside, she could smell it through the door. She only hoped that she would be forgiven for taking the things she needed to survive.