Aspen’s POV
“Oh look, Aspen, a hawk!” Helio exclaimed, pointing out the carriage window. It was the seventeenth time he’d excitedly pointed at something outside of the carriage window in the last thirty minutes.
I knew. I’d been counting.
“It’s lovely,” I said quietly, barely glancing. My stomach was a writhing mass of nervous knots. We were going to see my family in a scant two days. I wasn’t ready for it. I wasn’t sure I ever would be.
Helio finally gave up on attempting to distract me and turned in my direction, grasping one of my hands and bringing it to his lips. “Aspen, my love, you’re so pale. More than usual. Are you really so frightened?”
I swallowed and nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
Helio clucked his tongue and kissed my nose. “It will go how it goes. I’ve no doubt
