They stood at the edge of the metro station entrance. The glow from the sign flickered over them in the early evening light. Zephany tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat.
I will try not to cry, she thought, but her voice wavered ever so slightly.
Kendrick took a step closer, as if he could protect her from her own doubts. He reached out and gently touched her arm. You are stronger than you think, he would say, but he did not speak it. Instead he offered her a warm smile.
Zephany inhaled slowly. I needed today more than I realized, she repeated, quiet and even. The words felt strange on her tongue. She was used to commanding the room, raising hell, flipping the script. Now she stumbled through simple sentences like a schoolgirl asking permission. She tugged her scarf a little tighter.
