Where Tongues Fail

Karnali's knees ache against the damp floorboards, the wet anchal pooling cold around her thighs. She looks up at Ron's face—his jaw tight, his eyes fixed on her mouth—and realizes he hasn't blinked since she pulled away. The rain drums harder, and she hears only his breathing, ragged and shallow. 'Tell me,' she whispers, her voice cracking. 'Tell me what you want me to know.'