I'm sorry," I choke out.

He's quiet. Tears drip off my chin. He lets out a slow, shaky breath.

"Don't cry," he says. "That's not fair."

I laugh and sob at the same time.

"It's okay," he whispers. His fingers brush at the tears on my cheeks. "Don't cry."

Then he puts his arms around me, wings and all. I curl my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest and breathe in the smell of the river on him. Somewhere in the woods a crow caws. A blackbird answers. And then we're kissing and everything goes away but Tucker.

Autor: Cynthia Hand