“I heard you,' he said softly. 'When I was- gone.'

I began to tense at the lingering terror that had driven me from sleep these past few nights- the terror I doubted I'd soon recover from. 'Those minutes,' I said once he began making long, soothing strokes down my thigh. 'Rhys... I never want to feel that again.'

'Now you know how I felt Under the Mountain.'

I craned my neck to look up at him. 'Never lie to me again. Not about that.'

'But about other things?'

I pinched his arm hard enough that he laughed and batted away my hand. 'I couldn't let all you ladies take the credit for saving us. Some male had to claim a bit of glory so you don't trample us until the end of time with your bragging.'

I punched his arm this time.

But he wrapped his arm around my waist and squeezed, breathing me in. 'I heard you, even in death. It made me look back. Made me stay- a little longer.'

Before going to that place I had once tried to describe to the Carver.

'When it's time to go there,' I said quietly, 'we go together.'

'It's a bargain,' he said, and kissed me gently.

I murmured back onto his lips, 'Yes, it is.”