Lora sought out his eyes, still radiating anger behind the striking ice blue hue. It seemed she was still looking for missing pieces even after she had the most important one figured out. Eyden’s past was a tough puzzle to put together, but she wanted to get there.
The next breath he took was shaky, as if Eyden just now fully took in the painful memory Jaspen had brought up. His eyes left hers as he tilted his head to the spotless sky.
“Elyssa’s parents…they died crossing the border.”
* * *
The day passed without any more arguments. They all stayed quiet as they passed by the ruined remains of Cinnite and other smaller cities.
The silence gave Lora too much time to think. Hearing how Elyssa’s parents had perished rattled her. She didn’t know the details, but assumed they must have thought they’d found a way to cross safely. And it failed. Of course. As it would now.
Eyden thought he finally found a way, through Lora. A way to achieve what their parents had wanted for them. A safer life beyond the border, in Lora’s world.
Lora knew she was giving him the kind of false hope she’d never want. The kind that lifts you up just to drop you off a cliff.
Nevermind that Elyssa had no interest in crossing. Lora could understand why she’d be hesitant. Still, Eyden was right. It was all about options. Elyssa’s parents wanted them to have this opportunity. And Elyssa might refuse now, but from what Lora had learned about Liraen, maybe she would change her mind soon enough.
The lie that had kept Lora’s mission going was pulling at her heart. Would she lose Eyden if she came clean now? Would whatever trust they had gathered crumble into dust? Would she lose the friendship she’d started to build with Elyssa?
And would they abandon her before her own mission was complete? She still couldn’t say for sure. But if she kept this secret until the very last moment, Lora knew she’d definitely lose Eyden. It would be a betrayal he’d be unable to overcome.
And then that would be it. The end of their story. She’d be back in her world and no one would ever know of her time in Liraen. It had been the perfect plan, hadn’t it? Except now she wasn’t all that sure she wanted it to end.
Looking at his side profile, Lora studied Eyden’s features. The striking eyes. The slight curve of his lips. The messy, dark curls, kissed by the sun. She didn’t want their story to end this soon. There was more she wanted to learn about him. More she wanted him to know about her. Most of all, she wanted more of this warm feeling that got under her skin every time she looked at him.
Lora had never quite felt it like this. She had been in one serious relationship before, but it hadn’t felt the same. The thought of never seeing him again felt as if it could drown her. One look was all it took and she was drowning in a different sense, while the flames beneath her skin kept burning as bright as ever. She knew they hadn’t known each other for long, but she couldn’t deny the crush building between them. Was it so wrong to want to keep exploring it, even if only for a little while longer?
Eyden turned his head and found her staring at him. A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.
What words could possibly describe how much she hated keeping this lie to herself? Even if she found the words, this was not a conversation to be held in front of an audience, especially not Jaspen.
Lora glanced at the tracker in her hand as she pushed back a strand of hair that had escaped her loose braid. “We’re close. Less than an hour away, it seems.”
Eyden held her gaze for a while longer, like he sensed that she wanted to say something else entirely. “Okay, good.” He looked to where the sun was setting ever so slowly. “I think we should stop for today. Better if we don’t have to flee the market in the dark when we’re blind to any dangers lurking around.”
Elyssa, who had been completely obscured from Lora’s vision by Eyden’s taller frame, said, “The area up ahead seems good to stop at. I think that might be a small cave.” She pointed to their right where a stone structure stretched next to them. Some distance away, it appeared there was indeed an opening.
The trees surrounding them provided cover as they veered off track to take a look at the cave. Eyden walked in first, knife in hand. Less than a minute later, he returned, telling them it was unoccupied. Lora and Elyssa joined him.
Jaspen walked in last, taking off his backpack on the way. “I suppose this will do.”
Elyssa’s eyes almost rolled back in her head before Eyden caught her gaze. He put two fingers behind his ear and she nodded, returning the gesture.
Lora wasn’t sure what that was about, but she didn’t have time to get to the bottom of it as he turned towards her. “I’m going to get some firewood,” Eyden said.
“In this heat?” Lora asked. A fire was the last thing they needed. Although the weather had gotten more bearable now. The sweat lining her skin had dried. She unbound her braid, shaking her wavy hair and enjoying the soft breeze.
“It’s warm now, but at night the temperature drops immensely.” Eyden dropped his gaze for a second, feet dusting up sand.
He had handed her the perfect opportunity to talk. “I’ll go with you,” she said before she could change her mind.
When he looked back at her, something in his eyes had shifted. “Do you want to make sure I don’t get lost?” The ghost of a smile lit up his face.
“Sure.” Her stomach was in knots as she thought about how she was about to wipe that smile off his face. She glanced at Elyssa, but she had busied herself setting up the sleeping bags while Jaspen merely watched.
Eyden waited until Lora turned back around before he led the way. Following, Lora untied the jacket hanging around her waist and slipped it on so she could store her phone securely in her pocket.
Both of them walked silently, yet inside she was screaming with fear and dread.
