The first thing Verona registered was the warmth against her cheek. But it wasn't the harsh, stinging kind of warmth that came from falling asleep too close to a fireplace she was never allowed to enjoy. She blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the sunlight pooling at the edge of the curtains. For a second she had no idea where she was. Then it rushed back, last night, the nightmare, the tremor in her hands, Elric.
Her gaze swept the bed. An empty space. No Elric.
She breathed out a soft laugh. He said he would stay. And he did. And, funny enough, she hadn't fallen back into another nightmare after that. Maybe there was something to be said about the way his presence filled a room, like a guardian protecting her.
