No, she said.
And he believed her, because he could not bear to doubt another as he would now doubt Flora.
Slowly, with infinite care, he folded the letter. Each crease was pressed flat once more and he kept his eyes on the paper rather than the woman sitting across from him. The actions may not have made anything better, but it helped to focus his control. As he slid it back into its envelope he finally looked up to meet Sohalia's eyes. His gaze was not calm so much as glacial, but he drew in a deep breath and then pressed his hands flat to the table, the letter beneath them.
"Three days." It was a statement, not a question, but the thunder of his voice had quieted again. "Sohalia, I am not--" He cut the words off abruptly. Drew in another breath through his nose and breathed out slowly before speaking again. "Were there other letters?"
And he believed her, because he could not bear to doubt another as he would now doubt Flora.
Slowly, with infinite care, he folded the letter. Each crease was pressed flat once more and he kept his eyes on the paper rather than the woman sitting across from him. The actions may not have made anything better, but it helped to focus his control. As he slid it back into its envelope he finally looked up to meet Sohalia's eyes. His gaze was not calm so much as glacial, but he drew in a deep breath and then pressed his hands flat to the table, the letter beneath them.
"Three days." It was a statement, not a question, but the thunder of his voice had quieted again. "Sohalia, I am not--" He cut the words off abruptly. Drew in another breath through his nose and breathed out slowly before speaking again. "Were there other letters?"
