Page 31 of Legacy Ascended

Then she goes through the pockets of the pants I came back in, because she is Sophia, and lines everything up on the nightstand. A hair tie. A folded receipt from before any of it. And a heavy gold ring with a wolf over four mountains on the face of it.

"What's this?"

"Frances gave it to me."

She looks at it for a second and doesn't touch it.

"Does anybody official know you have it?"

"No, I’m keeping it in my room. I don’t have the energy to explain it."

"I’m sorry Jess, let’s get you in bed. Sling on, sling off?"

"Off. She said upright only."

"Okay." She hangs it on the bedpost where I'll see it, kisses the side of my head, and goes.

Torres comes in with a glass of water and sets it where my right hand can reach. Then he cups my jaw and kisses me hard, keeping the rest of his body clear of my injuries, until I have a fistful of his shirt again.

"Mm." He rests his forehead against mine. "That's what I needed."

"Luke."

"Yeah." Luke is straightening the blanket at the foot of the bed with one hand while reading the back of Bergström's discharge sheet.

"Put it down."

He puts it down.

"Sit here and stop arranging things."

He sits on the edge of the bed. His breath leaves him slowly, and he covers my hand with his.

"Curtains open," I tell Soren.

He opens them, pulls the chair around, and puts his feet up on the trunk.

Ander stops in the doorway on his way out.

"Eleven o'clock tomorrow," he says. "I'll be somewhere close if you need me."

"Ander, come here."

He comes as far as the end of the bed. I hold out my good hand. He takes it, his thumb brushing across my knuckles as the new bond warms beneath my ribs. Neither of us says anything about it.

"Goodnight, Jessica."

"Goodnight."

Jon is last. He pauses in the doorway.

"There's a panel meeting in the morning about my role," he says. "It's not a bad thing."

"I know."

His hand closes around the doorframe. His sleeves are pushed up, and even exhausted, I notice the flex of his forearm.

Apparently being shot doesn’t dull Jon’s effect on me.