The silence between their words was terrifying. For a few long moments, Faolain tried to make peace with the thought that she might have done irreparable damage.

Then suddenly there was no more space between them. Faolain was tucked gently into the curve of Rivaini’s body as though she had never been absent. Her eyes fluttered closed as relief washed over her in a great wave. Things were not broken beyond repair — maybe they weren’t even broken at all. Everything would be alright.

Tears welled behind Faolain’s closed lids and leaked out beneath the dark lashes. She wasn’t sure why she was crying, but in a strange way it felt nice. It was something she had not experienced since falling down that hole and living in numbness, with the occasional break for mania. She pushed harder into Rivaini’s touch, pressing her own lips to her red lover’s shoulder. “I should have known,” she said softly, a small chuckle following the words. “I forgot a lot of things down there.” She heaved a sigh, fighting off the tears. The emotions were settling, and she was gradually creeping toward a feeling of normality once again. “It’s good to be back.”