Enjoy!


Christine

Chapter 92

The Distance

Something changed three weeks after my father arrived.

Nadir, Reza, my father, Erik, and I were all sitting in Nadir's living room. My father was telling dark Scandinavian stories, of which Reza was taking immense pleasure. But as the night wore on, Reza's ability to stay awake was tested, and he did not win that battle.

He fell asleep, against his father arm.

I watched as Nadir gently moved his arm from under his child's head so that the boy could lay down on his lap. I watched as Nadir pushed hair from Reza's eyes. I watched as Nadir looked at his son with affection.

I wasn't the only one looking.

Erik was too. And so was my father.

Nadir realized this. He blinked at us, and then excused himself. He told us that he would be taking his son to bed.

Strangely, after that, Erik did not meet my gaze.

He asked me if I would like to spend the night here. My father brightened, saying he would love for me to do that. I said yes.

But there was something wrong. This wasn't a suggestion borne of a want for my father and me to be with one another - at least, not completely.

Something in his expression, in his tone, gave me pause. I asked him if he was all right. He said yes, but then left shortly after.


I thought, perhaps, things would be better in the morning. Perhaps he had a headache. Perhaps he was upset from a recent execution, and needed time alone.

But he never returned to bring me back to his chambers.

What made it worse was the sudden change in Nadir's and Ibrahim's demeanors. It wasn't obvious - it was so slight that I barely noticed it - but there was a new, strange distance between them and me, like they were trying to hide something.

I felt fresh worry.

Erik was refusing to come back and see me. I asked Nadir several times where he was, and the answer was always the same: "He merely needs some time to himself."

I didn't believe this.

It was too sudden of a shift.

Had I done something? Said something?

What was going on?