“Amari?” Jake said tentatively, “are you alright?” He’d thought the serum would restore her memories of the previous night. Hadn’t realized it might stir up more than that. Didn’t think about the pain it might bring her. He’d been desperate to convince the highborn girl to stay away from her abusive family… and it seemed it had worked. But at what cost?

She shook her head slowly, her hands reaching for her hair, pulling tightly on it. Her eyes wild and wide as tears pooled and trickled down her cheeks, her eyes didn’t leave the floor and she seemed to shy away.

Jake exchanged a long glance with Raff, who stood up. “I’ll fix us some tea,” he said, and moved into the kitchen, pushing the door shut behind him. The half elf bit his lip. He reached out to touch Amari’s shoulder comfortingly, and then hesitated and pulled his hand back.

“What… what happened?” He asked at last. “Did you remember?”

She nodded, and a single haunting sentence left her lips. “I’m nothing but a doll.” She sounded so wounded, so defeated.

“No you’re not,” Jake said, a little more forcefully than he intended. Emotion weighed heavy on his voice. “You’re my friend, Amari. And you’re Raff’s friend. You can have a whole new life, here on Corone. A happy life.” She didn’t move, she barely acknowledged his words. Her tight grip around herself loosened, ever so slightly and a long sigh escaped her lips. Jake reached out a tentative hand and touched her shoulder lightly. “I know it must be scary,” he said, “but you’re safe with me.”

She tensed, but just as quickly as she did, her form loosened and she fell forward, her forehead hitting his shoulder. “I don’t...I don’t…” She failed to continue her sentence and her words fell into silence.

“It’s okay,” Jake said, putting his arms around her and squeezing gently. “You don’t have to say anything. Just breathe.” The kettle whistled sharply from the other room, and then cut out as Raff lifted it off the stove.

Her breathing grew heavy and she shifted awkwardly, leaning further into Jake’s form. The aroma of spiced tea surrounded them as Raff came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with three steaming mugs. Seeing the awkward embrace, he set the tray on the table, picked up his own mug, and ducked back into the kitchen.

Jake rubbed Amari’s back in slow circles, his eyes closed, chin rested on the top of her head. Once he got an idea in his head, the half elf could be as dogged as a dire wolf. And he was determined to see the redhead smile again, the way she’d smiled when he’d been an uninvited guest in her home in Salvar.