Sohalia was unaware of Tal's history with trauma, and even if she had known what all he had seen and endured, she likely would have felt just as worthless at the flash of hurt on his face before it was replaced instantly with concern. That just made her feel guilty. That Tal was having to involve himself in her personal affairs had not been her intention. She didn't deserve the kindness that he showed her. Maybe she never had.
Swallowing hard and biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying, she kept her arms wrapped around herself as Tal's face shifted to something grim. He knows, a voice whispered in the back of her mind, panic pressing against the sedatives that she'd taken before her bath. He knows what you did. Fortunately, the plants that Mateo had given her were potent in their effects, and she managed to hold herself together as Tal let her upstairs, casting worried looks over his shoulder as they went.
She tried to protest as Tal filled the tea kettle and rummaged for mugs and tea, but he pressed her gently into her favorite chair and bustled about the kitchen, seemingly content to take care of her. At the notion, her eyes filled again, and she swiped angrily at the tears that threatened, yelping softly when her hand jostled the bruise around her left eye.
Swallowing hard and biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying, she kept her arms wrapped around herself as Tal's face shifted to something grim. He knows, a voice whispered in the back of her mind, panic pressing against the sedatives that she'd taken before her bath. He knows what you did. Fortunately, the plants that Mateo had given her were potent in their effects, and she managed to hold herself together as Tal let her upstairs, casting worried looks over his shoulder as they went.
She tried to protest as Tal filled the tea kettle and rummaged for mugs and tea, but he pressed her gently into her favorite chair and bustled about the kitchen, seemingly content to take care of her. At the notion, her eyes filled again, and she swiped angrily at the tears that threatened, yelping softly when her hand jostled the bruise around her left eye.
