(Astrid POV)
After I finished telling Kael what I knew about the night that Stephanie died, we sat silently for over an hour. We each were processing the weight of my words. For me, it was the weight of re-living the memories. For him, it was the weight of hearing the story for the first time.
I was not sure what Kael was thinking and whether he believed me, but the longer that we sat there in silence, the more I wondered if he might.
Eventually, I felt Kael begin to rub circles on my back again. This time, I did not brush his hand away. This time, given that I was no longer actively re-living the memory of my almost rape, I felt comforted by the gesture.
