Starside novel · Chapter 24 of 24

Chapter 24: Starside

Tilda heard us coming across the tent field before anyone said a word.

"You breathe differently," she said from her cot, with the linen still over her eyes.

"You're not about to cry. You're about to say something stupid and brave."

"I came to keep a promise," I said.

"I told you not to make that one."

"I made it anyway."

I knelt beside her and took the linen off.

Her eyes were open and clouded white, and they looked at nothing.

Dain stood at the tent flap with his arms folded and let me do it.

I put my palms over her eyes and let the gold come, slowly, the way I had let it into him.

It was the gentlest thing I had ever done with that fire.

Tilda made a small sound, and her fingers closed hard on my wrist.

"It tickles," she said. "Is it supposed to tickle?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? You're doing it!"

"I'm doing it for the first time. Hold still."

She held still, and the heat went out of my hands.

I took them away.

Tilda blinked.

She blinked again, and her eyes filled, and she looked at my face.

"Your hair is awful," she said. "Who cut it?"

"I did. With a knife."

"You should be ashamed."

Then she was crying and laughing at once, and I had her in my arms.

She talked nonstop into my shoulder about how green my eyes were and how long Dain's scar was.

"You look rubbish too, Warden."

"Thank you," said Dain.

The Pool stood open to anyone who wanted it after that.

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