“What now?” I asked Otho, not even bothering to open my eyes.
“It’s me,” a voice I would recognize anywhere replied.
In one breath, I was up and out of the cot, backing away from the blond-haired man I had thought I knew, who was currently occupying the space at the entrance to my tent. Panicked, I scoured the tent for anything that could be used as a weapon.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Leif lifted his hands in the “surrender” motion, but that did nothing to calm my heart, which was in overdrive as I fought my instinct to flee.
Unable to find a weapon, I realized I would need to talk my way out of this. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to apologize.” He took a step forward, but I held up my hands to stop him. They were shaking, a fact that only fed my growing fear.
“Don’t come any closer.” My words were pure malice.
“Runa, please.” His eyes shone, but I wasn’t fooled that easily. Not anymore. Not again.
“You have done nothing but lie to me, give me a single reason I shouldn’t scream right now.” My heart was pounding in my chest. I was prepared to scream. Whether or not anyone would be able to hear me above the downpour was another story, but I didn’t mention that small detail to Leif.
“I told you, I planned to tell you,” he started before pausing mid-sentence and changing his tactic. “I didn’t come here to fight, my heart. I came here to apologize.”
I cocked one of my eyebrows, swallowing the urge to grimace at the name which once would have had me falling at his feet. “How did you follow us anyway?”
“I didn’t.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I knew Otho would bring you back here. I rode through the night and waited until you arrived.”
Otho and I certainly hadn’t considered that. I wished now that he had walked me to my tent.
“I love you Runa. I really do. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner but I?—”
I cut him off. “I don’t believe you.”
“Runa—” He reached for me and I fought off his hold. “I’m your weighted you have to?—”
“You have until I count to three to leave this tent.”
My gaze was immediately drawn to the dripping Otho who had appeared in the doorway, his eyes alight with what could only be described as pure hatred, his jaw hard with anger. He didn’t even seem to notice the waterfall that was flowing from his hair to the dirt at his feet, his hands clenched in fists at his sides.
“I was?—”
“I heard what you were doing. You lost the privilege to talk to Runa when you tried to force yourself on her in Malheim. So there is no reason for you to be here. Leave.”
Though Leif was still standing close to me, just the sound of Otho’s order allowed my shoulders to relax. I knew he wouldn’t allow anyone to harm me.
“You can’t command me away.” Leif shook his head in defiance. “I’m her weighted, we are destined to be together.”
Otho wasn’t fazed by his words, in fact he looked almost amused. “That may be so, but just because she may be your weighted doesn’t mean she has any obligation to you. It also doesn’t give you the right to touch her without her permission. Plus, last I checked, this is Ralheim, you’re from Malheim, and this is war. I won’t hesitate to kill an enemy. In fact, I’ll be so praised for it I might as well do it.”
Otho’s promises made my heart flutter, but at the same time my heart clenched at the thought of Leif being dead. I was so confused.
“But—” Leif triedto argue.
Realizing he wasn’t getting anywhere, Otho turned his attention to me. “Runa, do you want to talk to Leif right now?”
The answer bubbled up immediately. “No.”
“There. It’s settled.” He sneered as he peeled back the tent flap. “Leif, you are excused. And if you so much as blink or breathe in her direction, I will end you.”
Leif grumbled but moved toward the tent flap. “You better watch it, Otho?—”
“No.” Otho’s voice was firm. “Youbetter watch it. Next time I find you here without her permission, I will punch first and ask questions later.”
