He freezes midway into reaching the bed. Then he takes a breath, and keeps moving. When he speaks, his voice has regained that careful, brittle steadiness.

"Elias knows that there's a chance I won't come home every time I leave."

He doesn't look up, focusing instead on the silken fabric draping over his hands. He hasn't felt anything this fine and soft since Avalir - and even then he wasn't usually the one wearing it.