Lachlan pulled her close as he pictured her waiting for her mother to wake up, and how frightened and grief stricken she must have been when she didn’t.
“I...” She hesitated as they reached the steps. She tucked her rose branch under one arm then lifted something from the pocket of her gown and held it out. When she uncurled her fingers, he saw a string of pearls coiled on her palm.
“These were my mother’s. It’s all I could save when the Court took my house to pay the victims of my father’s crimes.” Her voice wavered on the last word, but when she raised her head to look at him, fierce pride gleamed in her eyes.
“You don’t wear them?” he asked, surprised at her humility.
“No. They’re too precious for that. I couldn’t even part with them for food and water when…” She couldn’t finish her
