Chapter 6: In the garden.

RENDER WAS SPEECHLESS. He was also so overwhelmingly happy to see Toren that he didn’t want to move.

Moving might break the spell. He just wanted to bask in this moment. Many times in the joint, Render thought he would never see Tory again.

“You’re out of the reformatory?” Toren stood and took the hood off his head. They had cut his hair short. The black curls were gone. That didn’t matter. Toren was still handsome, even with the shaved head.

“Yes. My sentence is over.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was invited to the queen’s party.”

“The Lord and Lady smile upon me today. I almost told my mother I was busy and could not accompany her.” Toren set his prayer book on the bench and took a few steps toward him. “I prayed for you every day. I was worried about you. I’m happy to see you well.”

They were a foot apart, but for all the problems they would have if they touched, there might as well have been a mountain between them.