Chapter 26

• Emilia’s POV
• Francesca was still crying and hiccuping in my arms when Alaric stepped in, closing the door behind him so quietly that I wouldn’t have known that he was in already in here had I not been facing the door.
• He looked torn, his whole demeanor downcast as he took a step forward and paused, as if contemplating turning around and going out. But he didn’t do that. Instead he took another step forward. And another, until he was standing in front of me, and then fell to his knees. He put his hand on Francesca’s arm, and she raised her head. On seeing that it was him, she brushed him away and buries her face in my chest.