Father glances at me and shrugs apologetically. “It was a good business opportunity, what with us housing so many sea faring travelers. We would have told you, but we just didn’t want to put you in an awkward situation on account of your being a guard.”
Talyria whips her gaze to me, and I straighten. Skyhold, I forgot she wasn’t aware of that fact.
My ears are ringing, I’m not sure what to say or do. My family are smugglers. My father, my kid sister, and from the lack of surprise on my cousin’s face, I’d say she probably isn’t innocent either.
And all this time I thought my father would die of shame to know that I was a thief now, but he had been a smuggler the whole time!
I swallow hard, but nothing goes down. Father climbs into the hole and helps Vera down. Mika looks like she is going to step down after them, but then she races toward me and wraps her arms around me. “Be safe, Victor!” she says and then she turns and jumps into my father’s arms. He begins pulling the boards over top of them, and in a second, my family is down below our feet, buried like a secret.
Chapter Thirteen
Talyria
This man had saved my life. And to top it off he was handsome.Andasking me to marry him.
I could work with this. I offer him what I hope is a flirtatious smile. It’s been a while since I’ve had to do this, being imprisoned for twenty years doesn’t leave one with many opportunities to flirt.
And before that, my husband and I were at odds and had been since he learned that I was running a criminal empire on the side. So, I dearly hope my smile looks coy and not like I’m nauseated. “How about we start with getting your real name and go from there?”
“That isn’t a no,” the man says, pointing at me.
“You’re incredibly astute.”
“No, actually I’m Victor,” he replies smoothly.
Poor puns? I’m beginning to see why he is proposing on the road to random women, but there is something about it that is actually endearing. So much so that I find myself holding out my hand. “I am Talyria.”
“A lovely name for a beautiful woman,” he says as he bends over to pick up the knife that he threw at the wolf. I add brave to the list of qualities of this stranger.
I’m not sure that just anyone would have helped me. Not that I needed help, but I enjoyed that he put the effort in.
“Your name is very strong, I hope it proves true.”
The corner of his mouth turns up as he twists the dagger in his hand, he keeps his eyes on it. He doesn’t immediately boast to being strong, so I also addhumbleto my imaginary list. He inhales deeply and looks up at me. “Where are you heading?”
“Isn’t that a bit of a personal question?”
His eyebrows raise. “More personal than asking you to be my wife?”
“Fair enough,” I say with a small chuckle. “Then you won’t mind if I ask you the same.”
“I’m going back home,” he replies as he reaches up, brushing a curl off his forehead.
“And home is…?”
“On the coast, it’s a small town.”
“What a coincidence,” I lie. “I was just heading for the coast.”
Victor is silent for a long moment as he bends over, wiping his blade off on the grass to clean the blood off, but then he leaps to his feet after he has sheathed his dagger and is all smiles. “Well, then I think we’re both in luck. You should come with me.”
“I should?”
“Well, these are dangerous woods. Don’t you know, there are wolves about?” He leans toward me and winks. “I could use the protection, and you could probably use the company.”
I decide to cross humble off my list, but hey. Handsome, strong, brave, good natured… he seems to have many good qualities. So, I find myself nodding.
Who knows? Having a guy with those qualities willing to marry me could come in very handy.
