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“Well, I’ve finished up here,” he said when he let go. “In all honesty, I was here for peace and quiet. My orders have been completed, and I don’t start my new job until tomorrow.”

“Let’s go home,” she said.

He nodded.

Together, they headed out of the workshop and along the cobbled path. At the end, Damir wandered towards the Orlov house, and Natasha waited outside.

When Adelina reached her, Natasha smiled—a bag in her arms. “I didn’t think it was right to follow you to your father’s shop, so I asked your mother for some clothes and the directions to the bathhouse.”

“Thank you,” Adelina said, accepting the bag. “Truly.”

∞∞∞

Later that evening, Velinka lit several candles and placed them on the dining room table.

Portraits of Tihana, along with a handful of her belongings, were positioned next to them.

Adelina sat beside Damir, a glass of vodka in hand.

His parents arrived a little earlier with a steaming dish of stew for the family.

Mirelle took it upon herself to care for the Orlovs, which Adelina appreciated endlessly .

“Thank you again for the dinner,” Velinka said, clutching a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

“Of course.” Mirelle stretched her hand across the table and squeezed Velinka’s. “Anything I can do to help you in this difficult time. Now Adelina and Damir are home, you can heal, as a whole family.”

Velinka nodded. “I’ve been thinking about what we should do for Tihana’s send off.”

Adelina traded glances with Damir and wondered whether their conversation earlier in the morning made it any easier for her mother to come to terms with it.

“I don’t want to burn an oak boat—there is no point as her body will not be in it,” Velinka said.

“Instead, I would like to cover the mirrors and stop the clocks. Her death was not peaceful, and she will be stuck in the living plane for a much longer time than she would’ve if she’d died of natural causes.

Forty days until her soul reaches the afterlife, and there’s no way to be sure it will apply to her but observing the traditions might bring us some comfort. ”

Rising, Adelina made her way around the house, draping fabric over each of the mirrors, and stopping the hands on each clock. When she was done, she returned to the table and shared a drink with her family.

“It is time to say goodbye,” she said as Damir drew her close. “And pray to the gods she finds her peace.”

“To Tihana.” Daro raised his glass. “May she slumber eternally in the arms of gods.”

∞∞ ∞

Damir and Adelina retired to her old bedroom. Several lit candles provided a warm, orange glow. She stared at the fresh bedding.

“It’s so strange being here.” She rubbed her arms to rid herself of the chill spreading across her, despite the warmer temperatures of the beginning of summer, and the candlelight. “It’s like this place is haunted.”

“I know.” He drew the curtains, then turned back the sheets. “It’s better than being at the palace, though. We should get some sleep.”

He was right. It definitely was better than being in the palace. She was glad she wasn’t Natasha, who’d retired to her sister’s old room downstairs. The house was suffocating enough, let alone being in a space with Tihana’s things.

Making her way over to the wardrobe, she plucked out a nightgown, then stripped out of her shirt and breeches.

“Beautiful,” he whispered as he lifted a hand to trace a faint line along her collarbone.

She leaned into his touch, its warmth a welcome relief from the iciness the absence of her sister’s presence gave her.

Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her neck, planting kisses down the length of her throat.

His arms enveloped her, holding her close against his chest. Her cheeks flamed as his mouth wandered back to her lips.

She welcomed his tongue, which brushed against hers as his hands hooked under her buttocks.

He lifted her off the floor, and she wrapped her legs around him.

Carrying her to the bed, their kiss grew deeper, hungrier, desperate for the need to be joined. They’d gone without intimacy for so long, and to have it again when their hearts ached with loss—it was exactly what she needed to separate her mind from the turmoil of emotions she’d been wrapped up in.

He laid her on the bed, her naked body pressed to his. With her heart pounding, she fumbled for the hem of his shirt. Tossing it over his head, he pressed his mouth to hers, resting one arm above her head, and the other travelling across her breast to her stomach.

The sensation of his touch sent a bolt of warmth through her core, and she closed her eyes, relishing in the relief it gave her.

Slipping out of his breeches, he brought himself back up to her, his mouth finding hers. Their lips touched, and their breaths collided.

As he thrusted into her, a light groan escaped his lips. Her hands trailed up his arms until they found their home on his shoulder blades.

“Gods, I love you,” he whispered against her neck..

She wrapped her legs around him, holding onto him as he built up speed with each stroke. When they met their crescendo, her whole body trembled. Beads of sweat lined his head, and she was pretty sure one landed on her when he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, but she didn’t care.

As he rolled onto his side, she smiled at him lazily .

Lifting her hand, she stroked the dark hair out of his eyes. She pushed up onto her elbows and kissed him. “I love you, too.”

∞∞∞

Adelina awoke to Damir’s soft, even breathing. Turning on her side, she smiled at him. Sleeping on his stomach, one arm hooked under the pillow, he seemed peaceful.

She pressed a kiss to his forehead, then slipped out of bed. She’d seen her face again—Tihana’s—in her dream. It happened almost every night, and she’d grown not to mind. She’d rather see her face in her sleep than forget her altogether.

Drawing her nightgown over her head, she padded over to the windowsill.

She peeled back the curtain a fraction, then sat on the ledge.

She let the curtain fall back into place, allowing Damir to sleep undisturbed by the bright light of a full moon.

Leaning against the wall, she glanced across the moonlit roofs and gleaming cobbled paths.

A low rumbling made her frown. Tilting her chin, she tried to place the sound but couldn’t quite put her finger on what was causing it. The rumble deepened, shaking the building, rattling the vase, brushes, and bottles in the bedroom.

Yanking the curtain back, she scanned the bedroom, as if she needed visual proof of what was happening. Before she could move, the vibration sent the vase hurtling off the cabinet, where it crashed on the floorboards .

Damir jolted upright, his eyes wide and alert. “What in the—”

“Something’s wrong.” She was on her feet, moving over to him in quick strides.

Flinging back the covers, he got out of bed and threw his clothes on—his gaze darting from one wobbling item to the next. Downstairs, a piece of furniture fell, hitting the floor with a loud thud.

Without a knock, her mother burst into her bedroom. “Are you all right?”

“The vase.” Adelina’s gaze shifted from the broken china back to her mother. “I don’t know what’s going on.”

The tremor intensified, sending Adelina hurtling into the bedframe. Damir almost lost his balance completely, toppling into the chest of drawers. Velinka fell into the door frame, her bedraggled hair flailing into her face.

When the first wave subsided, they scrambled to their feet as Daro made his way into the doorway. “We should get under furniture in case this earthquake intensifies. Adelina, Damir, get under the bed and stay there until I say it’s safe to come out.”

“Earthquake?” Adelina’s mouth dropped open. “We don’t get earthquakes here.”

Damir grabbed her hand and urged her to the bed. He planted a kiss on her head before helping her underneath.

Adelina’s hands pressed against the floorboards—her gaze remaining fixed to his bare feet as he made his way around to the other side of the bedroom.

The door slammed closed, indicating her parents were doing the same thing .

Dropping to his stomach, Damir scooted under the bed, his hand slithering between the frame and the back of her neck. “Keep your head down.”

“The candles!” She gripped his wrist, unable to fight her rising panic.

“Don’t worry.” He rolled out and climbed to his feet.

“Damir, hurry, ” was all she could say before a second wave rippled through the house, sounding as if the quake would tear the walls off.

A loud thundering rang from outside as something collapsed—she couldn’t tell what.

A few tense and dreadfully long moments later, he returned to his safe position under the frame. Her heart launched itself into her throat and stayed there.

“I’ve blown out the flames,” he said, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze.

From her limited line of sight, she watched as dust rained onto the floor. A portrait positioned on her bedside table rattled, then fell. It landed a few inches away from her, its sudden plummet making her jump.

The roaring sound of the earthquake tearing its way through the village was deafening. She clamped her hands over her ears, squeezed her eyes shut, and focused every ounce of her attention on Damir’s soft fingers on her arm.

Peeling back her fingers, she glanced at him.

“ Breathe, ” he mouthed.

She nodded, swallowing the urge to scream or run.

She’d been through worse, and she’d get through this.

A wave of dread flooded her core despite her best efforts.

Aramoor never experienced earthquakes. In fact, she didn’t think one had ever been recorded in Temauten’s history.

For Saintlandsther and Toichrist, she wasn’t sure.