#Chapter 174: Small Comforts

Agnes I floated back to consciousness slowly, like surfacing from deep water. The first thing I became aware of was the softness beneath me—a bed, not the cold cave floor. The second was a small, warm body curled against my side, and a tiny hand resting on my stomach. Thea. I opened my eyes, blinking against the light filtering through the curtains. How long had I been asleep? The last thing I remembered was the cave, the bones, Elijah’s arms around me as darkness pulled me away. As I stirred, Thea sat up beside me, watching me. She reached out, her fingers touching my cheek with a gentleness that made my heart ache. “Daddy said you were really sad,” she whispered. “He said you had to sleep for a while. I stayed with you so you wouldn’t be alone.” My throat tightened painfully. I could only imagine what Elijah had told her—hopefully nothing about the bones we’d found. She was too young to understand, too innocent to bear that burden. “Thank you