Chapter 6
Cinder barely slept, waking once during the day to find traces of sunlight peering around the curtains. The other side of the bed was empty, cold, and altogether unwelcoming. Over the last few months he’d grown used to having Io at his side, sometimes even waking up to find Io practically draped over him. He drifted off to sleep, feeling as lonely as he had when first falling into bed earlier that morning. His last thought was simple, that he’d get Ran’imy and fix things before they fell too far apart.
* * * *
An alluring scent tickled Cinder’s nose, drawing him from the master suite in the general direction of a guest bedroom. The air grew warmer, a touch damp, as steam poured out of the bathroom. Stepping around the corner, Cinder discovered Io fresh out of the shower, hair
