"What are you doing?" I asked, watching as Ember moved the furniture around the tent.

"Well," he said. "What were your plans for tonight?" he asked.

I stared at him. "Work?" I guessed.

"Last night, you held my hand. Was that your plan for tonight?"

I nodded.

"Well, all you need to heal is skin contact, yes?"

I nodded again.

"Well, last night you were horribly uncomfortable on the floor, yes?" I opened my mouth, but Ember interrupted me. "I shouldn't have given you an opportunity to lie. I know you were uncomfortable. If you sit on this chair," he said, gesturing to the chair at the foot of the bed, "we can lash our ankles together. You can sit comfortably this way."

"Will you be comfortable?" I asked skeptically.

He nodded. "Should be."

I bit my lip. Jack and Sam had already left. "What if last night was a fluke?" I asked nervously.

"Well, then, I was right," Ember said, glancing my way to see my reaction.

"You were not right," I returned. "I was."

"Well, now it's time to test your theory," he said with a sense of finality. "Unless you are not comfortable with this. I can have Jack brought in and have you back on the first carriage home."

Your home, I corrected him internally. "No, I'm fine," I said.

"You should sit first," he said, gesturing toward the chair. I grabbed the book on military history and sat down.

"Are you enjoying that book?"

"No," I said honestly. "I am reading to stay awake, but this one puts me to sleep."

Ember smiled as he slid under his covers. "Me, too. That is why I brought the book," he noted, glancing down at me, and grabbing a leather strap from a table. He pushed the covers off to expose his ankle. "Set yours next to mine."

I took a deep breath and complied, sliding my ankle next to his. Ember chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"Your ankle is so much smaller than mine," he noted. He glanced up at me, amusement dancing in the fire behind his brown eyes. "It's funny."

"It's not my fault you have huge ankles."

He laughed and slid the leather band under our ankles and tied them together. "Comfortable?" he asked.

I nodded. Ember pulled the blanket over our feet and adjusted so he was covered.

I flipped open my book, paying attention to his chest and head for any healing needs. Nothing yet. A chill had set in the tent and Ember sat up. "Are you cold?" he asked. "Remember your oath," he warned.

I bit my lip and nodded. He took one of them off him and tossed it my way.

"Thank you," I said softly, setting it over me. I began reading and then glanced up. Ember hadn't lay back down yet. He was studying me. Obviously, he had a question, but I could see the debate in his eyes of whether he wanted to ask. "What?"

"Why are you here?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Working?" I guessed again.

"No. Why did you want to serve in the army? Why not stay with Romina and Amarilla? "

I swallowed. "It's complicated." We sat in silence. Anthony. I was here for Anthony. The more I thought about it, the most I was settled with my decision to keep Ember in the dark about him. After all, if he found out that I lost my little brother, how would he ever trust me with Romina again? I pushed those thoughts from my mind and glanced at Ember. "Why aren't you married? I would imagine you have women fawning over you. You and Noble both."

Ember sighed and tapped his chest.

"The magestone?"

He nodded. "I wanted to wait until after the battles were settling down. Then, I got this blasted magestone lodged in my chest. I couldn't settle down with a family knowing I only had a few years. It wouldn't be fair to my wife."

"That's honorable," I admitted. He nodded, receiving the compliment as I intended it. "You stopped Jack when he was going to give details about how that magestone ended up in your chest," I noted casually, playing with the page in between my fingers.

He sighed. "You noticed?" I nodded. "I am the heir of the Strapos responsibility. The king of the south knew this and drew my company of soldiers to a remote part of the battle. He stepped out, intending to end me himself. He plunged a sword in my chest and I turned half his face to ash. He died, and I ended up with my magestone shoved into my chest. A well-meaning Slate healed the stone inside."

"You killed their king?" I asked, astonished.

"He was a strong king. But he had no honor. His tactics directly affronted agreements we had in place. His attempt on my life would have led to all-out war unless one of us died and couldn't live to tell the tale. He was the one to go." His tone was solemn.

We sat in silence. "Is that what the nightmares are about?" I asked. I knew I was prying.

"No," he admitted. "The nightmares are far more sinister."

I nodded and turned back my book. Page 16. The First Longitudinal War. Ember lay down and pulled the blankets around him.

"Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight," I returned softly.