Now that Kit was no longer so close to Eli, reality began to rush in and fill in the space. Kit set about correcting her bodice while Eli fixed his trousers and put the used sheath back in the pouch where no one else could find it until he had a chance to discard it. Kit decided it would be a good idea to put some more distance between them, so she moved to the bench across from him, though the area was still tight enough she could reach his hands if she needed to, and she raised the coverings over the windows.

Very little daylight poured in because of...