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the tears off my cheek with the frayed corners of the quilt. “At least I know Micah will be with me and his mom.”
    Trouble clouded Griff’s face. “Cadence…you probably shouldn’t show Micah any favoritism while you’re at the palace.”
    “But why?”
    “Because you don’t want anything to hurt your chances with Kellan.” He drew in a deep breath. “Men’s egos get bruised very easily. You don’t want a guy like Kellan feeling slighted by someone of Micah’s station.”
    I groaned. “Griff, please.”
    “I’m just trying to tell you the way it is. It’s not like you have a lot of experience with guys.”
    “Yeah, well, what do you actually know about women? You never go out on dates.”
    Griff ducked his head. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care for someone.”
    My eyes widened. “Griffin O’Bryant, are you telling me there’s someone you’re interested in?”
    “Maybe.”
    I threw the covers off the bed. It sent my summons falling to the floor. “Who is she?”
    His face flushed. “I-I, it’s, I—”
    I stifled a laugh. “She must be someone special if she renders you this speechless.”
    Griff turned away from me. “Can we talk about something else?” Pain replaced the embarrassment in his voice. I couldn’t help wondering if there was some obstacle with this girl. Maybe she was one of the upper-class—an advisor’s daughter, who would be shunned for dating someone like Griff. My heart ached for him.
    “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
    He bobbed his head in acknowledgement. “You better start getting ready. It’ll be time to leave in just a little while.” Then, he closed the door behind him.
    I sighed. As I gazed around the shabby bedroom, my stomach twisted in knots. I couldn’t bear the thoughts of leaving. Deep down, I hoped it was only for a few days, but anxiety still reverberated through me like ripples on a pond. The dream reader within me deciphered it meant something looming on the horizon. I shuddered and chose to ignore it.
    ***
    After I had showered and groomed to the best of my ability with the substandard plumbing we possessed, I dressed and came out for a late breakfast. Griff had taken pity on me and cooked breakfast. Of course, he didn’t burn any of it because he could put my abilities to shame with everything he did.
    I slid into the rickety chair across from him. Neither one of us spoke as he started spooning up oatmeal. “Don’t,” I murmured.
    “What?”
    “I don’t think I can eat anything.”
    He shook his head. “You need to eat something. I imagine it’s going to be a long day before dinner.”
    I grudgingly spooned in a few bites of oatmeal. It felt like sawdust going down my throat. After I took a swig of orange juice, I got up and took my plate to the sink. When I turned around, Griff was waiting on me. I fell into his arms and started sobbing again.
    “You’re going to mess up your face,” he murmured into my hair.
    As I sniffed back my sobs, I said, “Maybe Kellan will think I’m just another emotionally weak female and like me more?”
    His chest heaved in a sigh. “Fine, I won’t fight you anymore. Just cry if you want to.”
    I hiccupped. “Thanks, Griff.”
    He patted my head just like our father used to do. “Lean on them, Cadence. They’re with us, you know?”
    Deep down, I did know. I could feel them from time to time, especially in dark times. It was like they gave me strength to go on. “I will,” I whispered.
    I don’t know how long I stayed wrapped in Griff’s arms. His embrace was familiar and comforting—all the things I would miss in the next few days. He used the same soap and aftershave that our father had used, so it was even more bittersweet.
    He pulled away and cupped my chin. “No matter what happens, you’re going to be all right. You’re too full of strength--or maybe, it’s piss and vinegar--to let anything bad happen.”
    I couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll see.”
    “So, just go and