Chapter 12:
The bang is a fist on wood.
"Prez. It's me."
Kael doesn't move for a second. His hand's still on my jaw and his eyes are still on mine and there's something in the air between us that hasn't gone anywhere.
Then he lets go and stands up and the moment folds up like a chair.
"Sheriff's here," he says. "You want to stay, stay. You want to go upstairs, go."
"I'll stay."
He nods. Goes to the door.
The sheriff comes in shaking water off his hat. Same soft old hat from last night, same gray mustache, same tired face. He looks at me and then he looks at the cut on my shoulders and his eyebrows go up about a quarter inch.
"That's yours," he says to Kael.
"It's mine."
"Huh." He puts his hat back on. "Well. That's gonna make for some interesting talk at the diner."
"Sit down,
