Crow’s breath caught in his throat as Penelope suddenly pressed herself against him. Unable to move right away in his surprise, he just stared at her as she buried her head against his chest. His heart raced with a different energy than before, replacing his fear with excitement. Even though he knew she was only getting so close to him because she was terrified, part of him never wanted her to move. He relished the feeling of her arms around him, and her body leaning into his, and in that moment, he realized just how much he had missed her touch. It was warm and comforting, and it brought him back to the time when they had been together two years ago.

The image of their night in the stables when she had first sought comfort in him back then flashed through his mind, and for a moment it felt like they had gone back in time—like they were still together and there was nothing standing between them. Though he knew it wasn’t real, the thought gave him a strange sense of peace, and he broke free from his initial trance enough to wrap his arms around her and hold her against himself, trying to comfort her in the storm.

He lifted one hand up to hold her head against his chest, running his fingers calmingly through her hair. “Don’t be,” he shook his head at her apology. “It’s not your fault.” Glancing up, he saw another bolt of lightning streak across the sky, and he frowned, tensing slightly at the thunder that followed. “We should get to shelter though,” he said, looking down at her again. “I don’t think this storm is going to ease up for a while, and we need to get out of the rain.”

Pulling back from her slightly, he paused for a moment before reaching to take her hand in his. “You can do it,” he offered her a smile. “I’ll be right beside you the whole time, so don’t worry.”