I'm in it for the long haul, he'd said, but even as she lay against Lex in the dark comfort of their sleeping quarters Ayra wondered just how long this haul would be at this point. Even as they continued to press on, things seemed to just get worse and worse. Cuan and Ethlin were dead, the children were in Isaac, Edain was on her way there with only a few guards, Freege iand/i Velthomer were still waiting to face them the next morning...everyone tried to seem hopeful, but Ayra wondered how much longer there would be any point to it.
She hated feeling so vulnerable, even the day her brother said to take Shannan and flee Isaac during Grandbell's invasion she hadn't felt so afraid. But back then, everything had seemed so much brighter; Sigurd's forceful idealism, their determination to get to the bottom of everything, the peaceful days spent in Evans.
No one could pinpoint exactly where everything had gone wrong, but it had.
Ayra stole a glance at Lex's sleeping face, dim moonlight playing across his features in the dark of the room. Sighing, she pulled closer to him and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep. It's always darkest before the dawn, Edain had told her just before she left, so things had to get better, right?
No matter what happens, Lex, she thought, you better keep your promise to me or else!