Chapter 165: Gift Of Choice

LUMINA I was folding the last of Ollie's hospital gowns that he had worn during our long stay in the hospital into our overnight bag when I noticed Xenois had gone completely still across the room, which was odd because I had no idea what would make him stop.   He'd been packing Riley's few belongings, that he had brought alongside the ride to Zade's territory-- a worn stuffed rabbit that had somehow survived his time with Sophia, his tablet, a couple of books the nurses had given him -- but now he was just standing there, staring at nothing with that troubled expression on his face that made me realize that something was wrong somewhere.   The sound of our boys' laughter echoed from the hallway, where they were running back and forth in the private corridor Zade had arranged for us. It was the first time I'd heard Riley laugh with such pure joy, and the sound made my heart both soar and break at the same time. Six years of his childhood had been stolen from us, but at least now we cou