Page 139 of Salt Between the Wolves

"What?"

"My home is three days from here."

The statement arrived as though he were discussing the weather.

"You'll be safe there."

Eira stared at him.

"Safe from my father?"

"Probably."

"That's reassuring."

"It wasn't intended to be."

Of course it wasn't.

Leander continued.

"Safe from politics."

That finally caught her attention.

A corner of his mouth lifted.

"Mostly."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Mostly?"

"I'm trying to be honest."

"You're failing."

"Possibly."

The infuriating thing was that he didn't seem remotely concerned by that possibility.

For a moment, neither spoke before Eira asked the obvious question.

"Why?"

Leander's answer came immediately, without sounding rehearsed or dramatic.

"Because while you're on my land, you're my responsibility."

The wind moved between them.

No grand speech followed, nor any attempt to persuade her or argue his case; there was only a simple statement of fact, as though, in his mind, that explanation was entirely sufficient.

Perhaps it was.

Eira looked away first, toward the distant road disappearing west, toward lands she had never seen, and toward another future she had never imagined.

"I'll think about it."