Owen's words hung in the air as Gabby tried to absorb his story. She could almost imagine it as he spoke and now he told her that Domenic was dead- her only family in the world, and gone. Just like that. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, and she took a careful breath as she nodded, looking down to her lap. "I see."
Her voice was soft- much softer than she wanted it to be- and unsteady. She didn't trust herself to say anything more at the moment and she smoothed down a fold of her skirt, willing herself not to begin crying. Crying could wait for later, after all. She was sure Owen didn't need to see it; he had enough troubles to think about without worrying about her as well.
"Did you see them kill him? Maybe- maybe they changed their minds. He can be very persuasive sometimes, and he's smart-" She broke off, knowing it was useless. She had tried to remain optimistic, telling herself that she would have known if he was dead; she felt it in her heart that she would have, and yet- Owen wouldn't lie to her. Gabby knew that he wouldn't.
Okay. She was strong. They would make it back to Greenville, and she'd find a healer for Owen so that he could be healthy when he reported to the royal family. "You have no need to apologize, Owen. Thank- thank you for telling me. But we'll still walk back together- if there are still men like that out here, we'll be safer together as two than we would alone. We'll find you a healer when we return, as well, and everything- we'll sort it all out."