Jake had wanted to give Lyra a few more days to rest, but once the elders heard she was out of the hospital, they demanded a meeting immediately. He felt awful waking her up and helping her get dressed. She hadn’t slept well, shifting around all night, never quite able to get comfortable with her cast.
She had also landed a couple of solid blows to his stomach and back while tossing in her sleep. He hadn’t realized just how hard a cast could be until he had one smacking into his ribs. He was pretty sure he had some bruises.
But he kept that detail to himself as he gently combed out her hair and helped her with her shoes.
“You know I can do most of this myself,” Lyra sighed when he insisted on tying her laces. “It’s just a broken arm.”
He smiled, looking up at her. “I know. But I like t
