I can hold onto you here or in front of the Bright Queen.

Something fractures. It feels like a physical break, somewhere buried in his chest, but it reverberates outward, fast like a lightning bolt. Essek crumples into that embrace, shoulders hunching, brows pinching together as that wave pushes breath from his lungs. Hands fly to his face, pressing palms to his eyes to stave off tears that are already there.

The sobs that come are harder to hide, soft and halting.