the whole time.
“I hope I haven’t caused problems with you and … ” He looked at her questioningly.
“My brother, Jordan. He brought you here.” Cassandra blinked back tears and stared at the fire. Apparently Niko hadn’t heard everything and she would never tell him the horrible things Jordan had said. She wouldn’t make him sound like a monster. After all, he’d saved Niko’s life. She shook her head. “He’s just upset. Our father—” Her breath hitched. “He died the other day.”
There. She said it. Aloud. Although she had seen him as an Angel, understood he hadn’t died like other people did, like Mother had, it really was the proper explanation. He was no longer here, on Earth with them. He was in Heaven with Mother now. For all intents and purposes, he was dead. The tears spilled. She missed him so much.
Niko moved to get up, but she held her hand out and shook her head.
“I’m okay,” she said. “You need to stay in bed.”
She wiped the tears from her face and they sat in silence for a long time, both staring at the fire.
“My father died many years ago, when I was a child,” Niko finally said.
Cassandra looked at him, her heart squeezing for him, although it had been so long ago and her own pain was so fresh.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“He never saw me become a soldier. He’d always told me I’d be a strong warrior … ” His voice trailed off as he seemed to lose himself in the past.
“You still have other family?” Cassandra asked, hoping the thought would cheer him. She was rewarded with a heart-stopping smile and he told her all about his mother and sisters, his nieces and nephews. His special fondness for the children came clear in his voice.
“And you?”
Cassandra shook her head. “Only Jordan. He’s my twin brother.”
“Your mother?”
“She died many years ago. It’s only been Father, Jordan and me. And now … ”
“Just you and Jordan,” Niko finished for her. But she didn’t know if she could even believe that. She felt as though it might just be herself now. She shook her head.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know if he’ll come back.”
“Of course he’ll come back. He wouldn’t leave you here alone. Would he? What kind of brother would do that?”
Cassandra wanted to defend Jordan, to say he was a good brother and would return to take care of her, but it would be too close to a lie. She lifted her chin.
“He has his own life to live, as do I. I don’t need him to take care of me.”
Niko eyed her for a moment, then lay down. He didn’t say all women needed a man to take care of them, as she’d expected, as Jordan had always told her. Was he different than Jordan, having grown up with a mother who’d raised her children on her own? Or was he just too ill to argue with her?
Cassandra knew she could take care of herself. She didn’t worry about that part of being alone. Her heart hurt from Jordan’s absence because he was all she had. They shared a long life of memories and now he was the only person in the whole world with whom she had any ties. Where was he?
***
The days and nights passed. Niko grew stronger. Jordan never came back.
Niko would soon be ready to return home and the thought of his leaving bothered Cassandra more each time she considered it. She enjoyed his company and although her belly still quivered whenever he looked at her with those olive-green eyes, she became accustomed to it. In fact, she liked these new feelings he gave her. Though they’d known each other for only a few days, she knew him better than she’d ever known anyone outside of her own family. She would miss him terribly. In fact, her chest already tightened with longing when he went off simply to collect firewood or water, and her heart skipped with pleasure when he returned.
Then the days turned into weeks and the weather began to change, bringing a chill to the air and making the nights longer. Niko should have
“I hope I haven’t caused problems with you and … ” He looked at her questioningly.
“My brother, Jordan. He brought you here.” Cassandra blinked back tears and stared at the fire. Apparently Niko hadn’t heard everything and she would never tell him the horrible things Jordan had said. She wouldn’t make him sound like a monster. After all, he’d saved Niko’s life. She shook her head. “He’s just upset. Our father—” Her breath hitched. “He died the other day.”
There. She said it. Aloud. Although she had seen him as an Angel, understood he hadn’t died like other people did, like Mother had, it really was the proper explanation. He was no longer here, on Earth with them. He was in Heaven with Mother now. For all intents and purposes, he was dead. The tears spilled. She missed him so much.
Niko moved to get up, but she held her hand out and shook her head.
“I’m okay,” she said. “You need to stay in bed.”
She wiped the tears from her face and they sat in silence for a long time, both staring at the fire.
“My father died many years ago, when I was a child,” Niko finally said.
Cassandra looked at him, her heart squeezing for him, although it had been so long ago and her own pain was so fresh.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“He never saw me become a soldier. He’d always told me I’d be a strong warrior … ” His voice trailed off as he seemed to lose himself in the past.
“You still have other family?” Cassandra asked, hoping the thought would cheer him. She was rewarded with a heart-stopping smile and he told her all about his mother and sisters, his nieces and nephews. His special fondness for the children came clear in his voice.
“And you?”
Cassandra shook her head. “Only Jordan. He’s my twin brother.”
“Your mother?”
“She died many years ago. It’s only been Father, Jordan and me. And now … ”
“Just you and Jordan,” Niko finished for her. But she didn’t know if she could even believe that. She felt as though it might just be herself now. She shook her head.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know if he’ll come back.”
“Of course he’ll come back. He wouldn’t leave you here alone. Would he? What kind of brother would do that?”
Cassandra wanted to defend Jordan, to say he was a good brother and would return to take care of her, but it would be too close to a lie. She lifted her chin.
“He has his own life to live, as do I. I don’t need him to take care of me.”
Niko eyed her for a moment, then lay down. He didn’t say all women needed a man to take care of them, as she’d expected, as Jordan had always told her. Was he different than Jordan, having grown up with a mother who’d raised her children on her own? Or was he just too ill to argue with her?
Cassandra knew she could take care of herself. She didn’t worry about that part of being alone. Her heart hurt from Jordan’s absence because he was all she had. They shared a long life of memories and now he was the only person in the whole world with whom she had any ties. Where was he?
***
The days and nights passed. Niko grew stronger. Jordan never came back.
Niko would soon be ready to return home and the thought of his leaving bothered Cassandra more each time she considered it. She enjoyed his company and although her belly still quivered whenever he looked at her with those olive-green eyes, she became accustomed to it. In fact, she liked these new feelings he gave her. Though they’d known each other for only a few days, she knew him better than she’d ever known anyone outside of her own family. She would miss him terribly. In fact, her chest already tightened with longing when he went off simply to collect firewood or water, and her heart skipped with pleasure when he returned.
Then the days turned into weeks and the weather began to change, bringing a chill to the air and making the nights longer. Niko should have