“Tom?” Mal knocked softly, though his impatience was mounting. He needed to see Tom now, at once, before he could leave his bedchamber and speak to anyone. Thank the gods he hadn’t had time to say much to Will, but Mal knew his kind-hearted cousin would want to see Tom as soon as he had the strength for it. Mal had to speak to him first. Mal raised his hand to knock again, but hesitated. Will had only just lapsed into exhausted slumber after hours of restless misery. He couldn’t risk waking him. “Tom?” he said, just above a whisper. “Are you in there?” Not a sound came through the door. Mal tried the knob, a little surprised to find it unlocked, and slipped within. For a moment he thought the room was empty, but then he saw Tom slumped in a chair by the cold fireplace, still in that absurd
