At last, she stirs, and her eyes flutter open with a start.
I press my knife to her throat as she looks at me with unnerving precision. She snarls, and I position the blade at her chest.
"Easy," I say. "Don't move too fast, or you'll hurt yourself."
She snarls, but eases back. Her eyes frantically scan the house—the open door, the scattered wood visible at the back of her home.
"What have you done? Where is the troll?" she rages.
I consider answering her questions, then bite my lip. I could kill her. Leave her sons orphaned, as so many humans have been wretched away from their parents and families.
She watches me with the same hatred I feel. It melds and sears together within me.
"You killed Eneko," she says at last, her brow softening.
“Yes, I did,” I say.
She lets out a bitter laugh. “Let me guess, I’m next.”
My throat aches.
Her eyes close, cutting me off from the conduit of pure agony. “Very well. What does it matter? My husband is dead."
In that moment, I know I can't be like the giants. I had been so sure I was always willing to do what was necessary for my family. For my future. But I’ve changed.
"Enough mourning,” I hiss. “We both know you were married to a devil. You need to take your sons and leave Zlosa."
Hibsej’s eyes blink open.
“Eneko gave us food and a house. What will we do now?" Her chest moves quickly.
I think of how I felt the day the twins were born. How lonely and awful I felt looking down at the two wrinkly infants in my arms. The path ahead for me had been murky, riddled with mistakes, shame, and pain.
"You will do what you must," I say to her, removing the knife.
For a second, she looks like she might kill me. Then her anger and ire drain from her, seemingly all at once.
She shoves me off her, and I fall back onto my stinging cuts. The chill shocks me.
Hibsej stands tall.
"Urdort. Relmos," she calls and charges into her house.
I clamber to my feet and approach. My face burns from the cold as she grabs and packs what she can.
Ra'Sa stands in the sitting room, watching her as well.
It doesn't take long for her to drag the two boys out. Relmos holds a large sack, and she carries Urdort in her arms.
She sneers at my mate, but then she looks at me and her face softens.
I almost expect her to say something, but her mouth remains shut.
Ra'Sa growls at her, and she hurries away into the woods.
I watch her go. The emotion that greets me is… relief—relief like water after days without drinking. Relief like night after a day of burning heat.
Ra'Sa comes to my side and folds me into his arms.