English subtitles trailed along the bottom of the screen, but my entire focus was on the face of the red-haired man as he turned to give a withering glare toward the reporter speaking to him.
They were at a bar, and the red-haired man held a glass of some dark-colored alcoholic beverage as the reporter rattled off something.
“I don’t know why they keep interviewing him.” Audrey frowned as she studied the TV with me. “He never provides a substantial take beyond ‘fuck off.’”
“I don’t know why they don’t send him back to the Gravhune,” Liam grumbled. He strode across the room where a drink cart was set up and started pouring himself a glass.
The red-haired man had gold, shimmering irises that made me step toward the TV to get a better look. His pink lips pulled into a clearly condescending smirk as the reporter asked his question and tilted the microphone toward him. Instead of giving the reporter a response, the red-haired man engaged indirect eye contact while tipping his glass up to take another silent drink.
Watching him swallow his drink made my cheeks heat, and I lifted a hand to rub against my chest, attempting to brush the heat away. He was attractive, undoubtedly so, but something about him felt very…off.
My eyes fell to the bottom of the screen, where the English subtitles were, when the reporter tried again.
“…affect your father’s claim that he’s the one destined to unite the realm?”
The red-haired man lifted an eyebrow, taking another quick sip of his drink before resting his now-empty glass on the bar top and standing. He was several inches taller than the reporter, and the visual of him leaning in with clear intimidation toward the poor man made my heart start to drum in my chest. His lips started moving, and I focused on the English subtitles.
“…If the halfling wants to prove herself truly worthy of our realm, making an adversary of my father, guardian of the Fjellenheim Mountains, is an unintelligent way to do so…” Listening to his voice made my skin erupt in goosebumps.
The red-haired man had a very nice voice. Even though he was clearly being rude and condescending toward whoever he was talking about.
“He sounds like a prick. Who is ‘the halfling?’” I asked, pointing at the TV screen.
Audrey slowly raised her hand. “That would be me.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “Oh shit.”
“Yeah…” Audrey rubbed the back of her neck again. “I have a lot to catch you up on. But first, I need the healer to come and clear you.”
I frowned, scanning my body. “I feel fine.”
“That’s great,” Liam interjected after tossing back his drink. He then pulled out what looked like a cellphone from hispocket, tapped on it, and gave the TV another glare as it showed a montage of footage of the attractive red-haired man, before it powered off. “But you’re an undocumented human in Hyvenmere, and we need to ensure the territories don’t get upset with Audrey for healing you and bringing you here.”
I frowned at her. “Why did you bring me here, then?”
Audrey stomped toward me, resting her hands on my shoulders so I would face her. “I don’t think you understand the severity of your head injury. I did not spend the last two years keeping secrets from you, letting you hate me, allowing our friendship to grow apart, just for you to die as soon as you’re exposed to this part of my life for the very first time.” Audrey’s lip quivered. “I love you, Van. You’re my only family.”
A piece of my heart that had hardened over the years, watching Audrey become shadier and shadier, keeping me at arm’s length, thawed at her words.
Perhaps our friendship wasn’t completely ruined.
Maybe there was a way for us to get back to who we used to be, as Audrey and Vanessa.
If this meant Audrey wasn’t keeping secrets from me—even if I still couldn’t comprehend what all her secrets were—I wanted to find a way to nourish the bond between us.
I wrapped her up in a hug, almost letting an emotional tear escape my eye when her arms immediately wrapped around me, too.
“I don’t hate you,” I muttered, squeezing her tighter, encouraging her to do the same to me. “I don’t understand what’s happening, but I love you, too. Don’t worry.” I pulled back, looking her in the eye, noticing the red lining her lids as well. “We’re still good.”
Liam set his glass down on the drink cart, reminding me that he was here, as he gave the two of us a soft smile.
“You can still fuck off, though.”
Audrey snorted and laughed, whereas Liam sighed dramatically with an unimpressed frown at me.
“I don’t want to be enemies, Van.”
“Tough shit, Liam.”
