Exton

Rowan sits in the sunny kitchen holding her coffee cup, stunned. Her hands started to shake and she quickly hid them under the table even though there was no one to see other than the sylphs who were bustling around the kitchen.

Well, what did you expect? Not many would even consider a relationship with someone who has so little time to devote to it...

Raina enters the kitchen and sends the sylphs scattering. “Creepy little shits. I dont know how the Sorcerer and Silk can stand having them underfoot all the time. Worse than kids...or puppies...or...” She falls silent when she notices the haunted look on Rowans face, the trembling hands as she brings them out from under the table to her mug of coffee. Raina silently pours her coffee and joins Rowan at the table.

“Whats wrong? Tannr and Ob seem to be doing better....” Raina knew Rowan would never hide anything about her brothers condition from her, unless of course Tannr asked her to. In which case I will be beating his ass as soon as he is better....

Rowan turns her face to the window and takes a deep ragged breath trying desperately to check the tears she feels threatening.

Reaching across the table Raina takes one of Rowans hands and opens herself to feel the emotions. Sadness, regret, loneliness, a jumble of conflicting feelings, Raina knew immediately what the problem was.

“Traeger?”

Rowan nods and the tears slip down her cheeks.

Raina grabs a clean kitchen towel from the rack and hands it Rowan. She sits silently, not sure if the healer would want to talk to her or not.

 “Thank you...” Rowan wipes her cheeks and tries to smile. “I really should have seen this coming. I have no time to devote myself as completely as I should to a man or a relationship. I just hope he doesnt think I took advantage of him...or anything like that. I dont think I mislead him in any way, but he seemed in so much pain when he left. I wonder if he has spoken to Pandora...”

The tears start again and Raina isnt sure what to say, knowing that sometimes there just arent the right words no matter how hard one wishes there was.