He loosened his hold and met her gaze. To her horror, Liv felt tears fill her eyes. She fought them, not wanting him to see her cry.
“Tell me, Livvy.”
She couldn’t resist him when he softened like this. She would just tell him the truth. She was afraid of falling in love with him. No, the truth was that she was afraid she’d already fallen in love with him. No, the real truth was that she was fully in love with him. She loved this man, probably always had. It was scary, but she felt helpless to resist it any longer.
“Rise, I…you see, the reason I’m afraid of this…” She gestured with one hand, pointing at Rise and then back at herself. “…I don’t know when I first realized it, but…”
Liv! I need you! Livvy, are you close?”
In an instant, all thoughts of the current conversation evaporated as the sound of Val’s pleas filled Liv’s head.
“But, what, princess?”
Livvy! Come! Now!
“We have to go!”
Without resistance, Liv pulled free of Rise’s embrace and began walking toward the horse. “We have to go!”
“I don’t understand. We were in the middle of a conversation. Is this another ploy to avoid outright rejection? Are you just trying to distract me until you get what you want?”
Liv stopped and faced Rise once more. “I think I love you, you big dolt, but right now, Val needs us to help her. Now, help me get on this horse, and let’s go.”
20
Liv’s words played over and over in Rise’s head.
She’d said she thought she loved him. Him? How was that even possible?
What was lovable about him? Nothing! He was scarred inside and out, and he lived only for revenge.
Yet, as they navigated the sloshy, muddy land around them as quickly as they could, he realized that he wanted to believe her.
He wanted her to love him. For far too long, he’d only wanted one thing. He’d wanted Grawl to die at his hands.
After years of pushing toward that goal alone, now Rise was questioning what would he live for once that was done. What would drive him once Grawl was dead?
Liv lifted her hand and pointed for him to turn toward their right. “We need to go that way!”
Rise didn’t question. He simply turned Nick in the direction she pointed and took off. Fortunately, the terrain changed, became drier, and became easier to race across. The swampy land gave way to tall stalks of grass and a few crops of trees. In the distance, Rise saw a castle lifting into the horizon.
Still some ways away, they heard voices carrying on the wind. Rise steered Nick into the nearest copse of trees and dropped to the ground. Liv followed him. They stayed hidden as a band of people walked up what Rise now saw was a road of sorts. As they neared, he listened to their conversation.
“I don’t know why we’ve been sent out here, Fleer. Why do you keep asking me?”
The one Rise assumed was Fleer answered, “I just don’t understand. Are we looking for something or someone? Why did Lord Thrait make us leave the celebration?”
Liv’s thoughts pushed into Rise’s head.Wonder what they’re celebrating?
Rise hoped her thoughts didn’t automatically broadcast to everyone in the area, and as he watched the group of people, he was relieved to see that no one seemed to react.
“Wonder why the old man decided to marry again. I thought he killed his last three wives.” This was a statement spoken by a misshapen, short creature with teeth that jutted upward from his bottom lip. He was a Vetork from the Fier region of Umbraland. They were known as fierce warriors without consciences. They often fought for whoever paid the highest. Why was one here?
As Rise watched, three more crested the road, and he realized this group of beings were an advance guard of sorts.
“Don’t really know. I just heard that she’s quite a beauty and one of Grawl’s daughters.”
Rise felt Liv tense beside him.
