The way that Legend processed their conversation was lost upon Aiesha, who did not take note of how surprised she was by her connection; they were family, there was no undoing that. She had married in to it, and as the only possible mother present to the young woman, there was a certain dependency brewing. If she were to leave now it would certainly damage whatever was left of Aiesha's trust in the universe—and so no, she would not let anything happen to them.

We're gonna keep our family together. Damn right.

The girl took more comfort in knowing Legend had her back. She was aware of the tumult inside of her now, had caught her here in the dark—somehow knowing the feeling that Aiesha harbored, that sensation that told her to run for the hills, or at the very least to be alone and to hide.

Aiesha swarms even closer, coveting the warmth of the woman's body and the safety it represented. I wasn't going to run away. But she couldn't be certain she was telling the truth. It hadn't occurred to her that it might be an option until Legend gave her support—!

Blinking away the last of her tears, and now thoroughly exhausted, Aiesha's eye drew up to the small dark face beside her: Do you promise? See what's out there one day. There has to be more than sand and sadness in this place.