Private Tales An Evening with Friends

[Nathaira]

Nathaira's heart was finally getting a chance to slow down. Kasimir was alive, Rumer was safe, and even Genevieve had proven her loyalty. And, despite her obvious annoyance and confusion, Nathaira did not think Kala would turn them in, or kick them out just yet.

"They didn't hurt you?"

Her tired smile wavered. "They... went away," she said quietly. "Your neck wass broken and... I tried to make them sstay..." She couldn't quite get the words out, it was like being strangled by guilt and fear and a desperate need to focus on the happiness she had now instead of the misery they'd felt only an hour before. "I'm ssorry."

 

[Rumer]

Rumer's lips curled as Kasimir returned the embrace, however weak he seemed. With Nat drawing in close, she managed to wrap her arm around her too, clutching onto them both for dear life. They really were free. It was going to take some time to get used to that fact.

She gorged herself on the comfort she'd been so desperately starved of, and the more her panic eased and the warmth flooded in, she realised how dreadfully tired she was. She'd sleep for a week if she could, she was surely owed months of it.

The corners of her lips kicked upward in a smile as Kasimir looked at her, and she wiped the tears from her face as she stood and looked between the two before deciding to step back with somewhat of a childish grin. Turning to look for Genevieve, her gaze fell and she dropped to her knees in front of her to pull the woman into a hug.

"Thank you, Gen."