Samara stood on the balcony in the dark, enjoying the light breeze. She had spent the morning with Emma and the afternoon with Arrow and a man named Salvin. She unconsciously smiled at the thought of the older scholarly man. He reminded her a lot of an older version of Mason with his quiet disposition.
Between Arrow’s constant teasing and Salvin’s calming influence, she felt steady again—or at least as steady as she could feel on an alien world. She wrapped her arms around her waist when she sensed Adalard’s approach more than heard it. A moment later, his warm hands wrapped around her, and he drew her back against his body.
“How are you feeling?” he murmured.
She relaxed and released a deep sigh. “Better. I’m sorry… about the meltdown I had.”
He tenderly turned her in his arms until s
