sunburn and fever dreams

Chip frowned, leaning into Carasson's touch. He was quiet, listening. And when the other man finished speaking, there was silence. Long, drawn-out. The kind of silence where one was thinking, considering. The man before him looked desperate—

After another moment, he spoke: Then consider this as step one, to earning my forgiveness in full. You'll stay as my First. He reached to find Cara's hands, fingers twining through his.

You belong here, with this clan. I picked you, so long ago, for a reason. Your skills. Your mind. He'd never chosen Carasson solely because he'd loved him. He'd been very practical in his decisions.