As she had promised, Eliza was back the week after.

And the week after that and the week after that and the week after that.

Three months' worth of weeks went by, during which she met up with Rowan every Friday night. While they often spent time with Julian, they spent as much time as they could alone together. Rowan showed her everything he knew she would love - the view from the guard towers, a stone arch painted with a thousand stars, a late-night music performance.

And all the while, she asked him questions about other things she noticed. Why some people seemed to have no homes, while some homes seemed empty. Why some people didn't expect money in exhange for food, while others expected too much. Why clothes were so tattered for people whose spirits were so high. Why some people searched for herbs that would bring them a high in the first place.

"Where are we going tonight?" she asked him one evening, only a few minutes after she found him in the alley.

"I was thinking - I mean, if you'd like - I'd maybe like to take you dancing?"

Moments later, she was dancing with him in an underground tavern. The music was bright and brought an energy to her soul that simply couldn't be replicated by music she ever heard in upper Holn.

After, they went for a walk along the outer wall of the city, looking out at a field of violet flowers and vast mountains.

"I'm tired of Upper Holn, Rowan." Eliza muttered, looking out at the glowing flowers. "It's like, aside from art, there's nothing for me there."

"Trust me, Eliza, ther's nothing for you here either."

"There's you, you're not nothing, love."

"What did you call me?" Rowan stopped walking and let go of her hand. He wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly, but if he had...

Eliza's eyes widened. "Nothing! It's nothing, nothing at all." Eliza lied, refusing to look at him as she felt her face burn. "It's too soon - I mean - Skies above, I don't know what I was thinking, I'm so sorry," she hid her face behind her hands.

Rowan looked down at Eliza, unable to hold back a smile as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You don't have to say it again, I understand. But hey, if it helps, I love you too."

The pair locked eyes, before bursting into giggles, oblivious to the world around them.

"Really?"

"I think so? Yeah. Yeah I do. I love you, Eliza."

Eliza's face broke into a smile as she jumped into his arms, feeling like she was where she belonged.

They didn't see time go by until Rowan pointed out she should go home, still exchanging kisses.

"I- I can stay tonight. I want to stay tonight. With you."

"Eliza, I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I have friends who I can say I was staying over with."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me."

Rowan's eyes caught Eliza's. "Skies help me" he prayed before pulling her closer, hoping Julian wouldn't be home too soon.

---------------------

Eliza didn't expect her sister to already be up, or for her to be waiting at her own window.

"Eliza Margaret Anani, where in the world you?" Teresa teased, giving her a knowing side-eye. "Who are theyyyy?"

"They're nobody, I just went for a walk."

"Oh come on Eli, you just took that excuse from me. Is it Jeremy? I saw you talking at the last Keeper event, he's cute. Or maybe River?"

Eliza rolled her eyes and made sure her door was closed.

"Fine. Fine I'll tell you just so you stop trying to pair me up with other Keepers." She exhaled deeply. "His name is Rowan, he's from Outer Holn-"

"He's from OUTER?"

"Shut up! Father will hear you."

"How long have you beengoing out at night?"

"Ah... about three months?"

"And have you two..."

"... I'm not telling."

"You DID!" Teresa squealed as quietly as she could.

"You tell anyone you're dead to me."

"Eliza is in loooooove!"

"And Teresa is going to wake everyone up!"

Teresa giggled and sat on her sister's bed. "Soooo tell me everything. Is he cute? Oh, is he dangerous? Did he whisk you away into the night and call you beautiful and ask when he could see you again?"

"Ugh I should introduce you to Julian..."

"There's TWO OF THEM?!"

"What?! No! No he's Rowan's friend."

"Well, tell me everything then."

---------------------

"Teresa... I need to tell you something..."

"I- Oh, Eliza, are you okay?"

Eliza found it almost impossible to form the words. But she knew enough about symptoms to be sure she wasn't wrong. 

"I-... I think I might be with child."