Talon looked at me.
“You two go ahead,” I said. “You can teach me another time.”
“Why don’t you want to go?” she asked, her eyebrows raised.
I knew Talon didn’t want to look like the asshole, not when he’d already hurt their relationship when he’d refused to help her save me. I knew exactly how it felt to watch your child lose their trust in you, and I didn’t want that for him. “It’s been a long time since I was human and around lots of people. I think it might be too much for me.” A cheap cop-out, but probably the right answer to make Lily abandon the line of questioning.
“Okay,” she finally said. “Let’s go.” She gave me a kiss goodbye and then walked out with her father.
I watched them go and stepped into the evening air, seeing the sunset over the cliffs. It was the first time I’d been outside the house in weeks, and I immediately noticed the smell of the flowers, the olive trees, felt the breeze across my skin.
Everything was more vivid now that I was alive. Sights and smells, the brilliance of colors. I didn’t realize how much I’d lost after living with those limitations for so long. I decided totake a walk through the courtyard, to walk past the cemetery where Lily’s ancestors were buried, to enjoy the view of the castle as a potential home someday, rather than an inanimate landmark.
If she could forgive me.
I felt a stare on the side of my face and turned to see who’d spotted me.
Viper.
He was still here?
A silent staredown ensued between us. I didn’t care that he was still in the Southern Isles. I just didn’t understand why. Lily and I hadn’t left our villa that entire time, so he knew exactly what we’d been doing.
Everyone knew.
He was the one who made the move toward me first. I was content to remain on my own, but if he wanted a conversation, that was fine.
He stopped before me, dressed casually like he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
I didn’t speak first, unsure how to converse with him without it sounding like an interrogation. After what he’d done for the kingdom, he could loiter as long as he wanted.
“I just returned to the Southern Isles this morning,” he said, even though I hadn’t asked.
“Why?”
“Talon asked me to return. Said he had a gift for me.”
“A gift that he couldn’t bring to you?”
He smirked slightly. “I had the same thought, but I didn’t want to sound like an ass.”
“What is it?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. He hasn’t given it to me. Said he needs more time and didn’t anticipate I would arrive so quickly.”
“Your ships must be remarkable to cross the sea so quickly.”
“It’s the sail system. We have pulleys and sails that catch the wind in unfavorable directions and then lead it to the sails that are pointing in the direction that we want.”
“Impressive.”
“Yes, they’re my design.”
“You’re a sailor.”
“No,” he said. “I just like to make instruments of war as effective as possible.”
This was the most pleasant conversation the two of us had ever shared. He seemed to have dropped his animosity toward me. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for Lily and the Southern Isles. If it doesn’t work out between us, you’re worthy of her. I know you would care for her with the same intensity.”
