CHAPTER 114. Seeing Clearly (4 Jan)

  ~ CARA ~

  I woke up the next morning from a night of frantic dreams of losing Rig in a dozen different ways and the first thing I was aware of was anxiety twisting and fizzing in my chest.

  For a moment I was disoriented, uncertain what was dream and what was reality. But the second I opened my eyes and saw the light filtering through the windows in Rig’s room, I sucked in a breath.

  Quick as a flash I rolled over, reaching out… but the other side of the bed was empty and cold. And the blankets had never been pulled back.

  The view of the flat quilt and lack of Rig-shaped-hollow made chest tighten and go hollow in the same moment.

  Purrkins, who’d been disturbed by my sudden movement, gave a little meow and stretched, his tiny paw-pads spread wide and claws extended and he curled himself backwards in that impossible way cats could. But I ignored him as I pushed up to sit, fear bubbling in my gut.