"If you stop being stubborn about warming yourself," she replied tartly (because his fear triggered her own and reassurance was a bit of a trick when she was still afraid), "Yes. Otherwise, there's no point, since you'll freeze to death before it ever becomes an issue."

She knew, of course, that that wasn't going to be answer enough, and even if all of this made her nervous, it wasn't what she wanted to tell him either.

So she backed half a step, enough that she could see him without having to crane her neck up under his chin, reached up to take his face in both hands, and made sure she'd gathered back his full attention. "I promise. On my hope of redemption and of seeing my son again, I promise that I love you and I will not leave you."