The next morning dawned upon a shroud of mist that flowed across fields, calming the world to almost ethereal bliss. Elara crept beneath bedclothes, unwittingly straying to distribute their warmth so they could snuggle upon its borders—instead, to encounter empty sheets and lost scents of him.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes, the cottage dark and quiet save for the crackling fire in the hearth popping and snapping. A crumpled piece of paper on her bedside table had her name in Adrian's neat hand.
She frowned as she picked it up and smoothed it out.
Elara,
I had to walk. To think.
I'll be home soon. I just. I visited a place I'd been too afraid to go to for a long time.
Don't worry, goodness' sake. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.
Yours,
Adrian
Elara's heart cinched up. She knew he was not lying—no doubt of that now—but she also knew the dark shadows he still had.
She rushed to dress, throwing a cloak over her, and stepped out into the foggy morning. Her little garden was legen
