Chapter 90

All that flashes through my mind is that he's touching me with the same hands that he touched her with.

"Don't shut me out, Alora," He murmurs.

I let go of the doorknob but don't turn away from the door. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You haven't spoken to me since...since..." He stumbles over his words as I turn around. He can't meet my eyes, but his hands find my wrists. He holds onto them tightly. Out of comfort or to restrain me--I don't know.

"Say it," I growl, "Say it, Hendrick! We haven't spoken since...."

"Since your parents died..." His grasp on me softens, but not enough to let me break free. "Alora...I'm sorry... want to take it all away for you- the pain, the death."

"You just want to take it away, so you don't have to feel it," I hiss, spitting at the spot on his chest where his heart is supposed to be. "You don't want to feel this way anymore."

"I don't."

"I don't either! But there's nothing you can do about that--but you didn't have to make it worse!" I try