ALESSIA
Ryker explained the Enigma bond on the ninth morning, in the kitchen, before anyone else was awake.
I had found him there again — he was always there first, a fact I had stopped being surprised by and started being quietly grateful for, because the specific quality of Ryker's early morning presence was something I had found, unexpectedly, to be one of the more grounding things about the last nine days. He was simply there. Not performing availability, not arranging himself for effect. Just there, making coffee, existing in the space without requiring anything from it.
He had made mine before I sat down. Same mug. Same placement on the counter. No comment.
I wrapped my hands around it and looked at him.
"Tell me the rest," I said.
"The rest of what?"
"The Enigma bond. You tol
