Oren stayed gone. Jorick glared at the ceiling and Katelina took a shower just for something to do. She thought about the TVs and computers in the lounge, and wished she'd stayed up there. Bad programming was better than nothing.
When she came out of the bathroom she found Jorick stretched on the bed. His posture was stiff, but his expression was more approachable than it had been. Wordlessly, she put away her things in the suitcase and then climbed in bed next to him and laid her head on his chest. He gave a soft sigh and slipped an arm around her. His hand tangled in her wet hair and he stroked her head, his eyes closed. She used his heartbeats to count off the minutes. There were things she wanted to ask, but it just felt good to be close to him, safe in the protection of his arms.
"A
