Sorina looked over the clothes Lauretti had left for us while I watched her. I'd convinced her this wasn't a dream, but it still wasn't real to her...or me, really.

I'd like to say we made love, but it was simple sex, like we had to hurry before the real world found us. Now she was taking her time looking through my clothes and hers, but without putting anything on. She looked at a sparkly shawl that was part of what the women there wore, except that Allie continued wearing hers as a sash, hoping her fashion statement would catch on. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched, not wanting to hurry things up, even though I knew more than an hour had gone by.

Sorina held up a corner of the shawl as she came to me, showing a beaded starburst pattern.

"If I cut this off and sew it to a ribbon or some cloth, will you wear it on your vest?"

"Yes," I said, knowing it would make her happy. "And what did I just agree to?"

She smiled. "That you like me and will carry my favor. That I'm yours, at least for now."

"You are that," I agreed. "And I'm yours."

She flipped the shawl over my head, and I slipped off the bed as she pulled me close. This seemed almost ceremonial as she snuggled against me.

"You're all I have. Papa would've been at Floresca. Mama died a long time ago, and Stefan needs you, too. You treat him like a real person, not the stuttering idiot people think he is. You kept all of us, even though Lord Boian said it was only until we got to Suata. Even then, you should have sent me home because of what I did. Even though Stefan couldn't say a message like a page should."

There were no tears now. There had been earlier...both her and me. Now she clung to me. I knew her father was probably dead, though we hadn't talked about it. It was the same with Adrian and Mara's dad...and mom. There were a few survivors, and Mara's little sister was one of those back there. But now Adrian was dead. I pulled Sorina tighter. I didn't know what would happen next, but I'd do my best to keep her and all of them safe.