“Maybe more,” agreed Caeden softly. He took her hand in his, squeezing it, his heart a stone in his chest. “I worry about the man I’d be without you, Ell. I’d fight El Himself, break His plan and burn the world if I thought that it could bring you back.” Ell smiled slightly. “No, you wouldn’t. You aspire to be better than that,” she said, brushing back a strand of his hair affectionately. “Besides. You’d know it’s not what I’d want.” Caeden looked away, emotion choking him. “‘Be the man I aspire to be,’” he murmured eventually. “A friend of mine said that to me, once.” Ell leaned in, putting
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