AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you for the treat,” I said to Andra. “Can we impose on your hospitality for a night longer?”
“Of course,” Andra said. “Stay as long as you need, child. My home is open to you while you work through this.”
I nodded and looked at Liv, gesturing for her to come with me. She turned to Andra.
“Thank you,” she said and hugged the older woman. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Andra said with a smile, and they held onto each other a while longer before Andra finally let go and Liv turned to follow me. We left the beach house, and I walked to the dune buggy. I’d gotten the keys from Norden, and he was okay with us using it.
“Where are we going?” Liv asked.
“Exploring,” I said.
That was only partially true.
Liv climbed into the buggy, and I took off, driving across the beach. The views were breathtaking. The water was impossibly blue, reflecting a perfect sky, and puffs of clouds hung above us like thought bubbles. Palm trees and beach plants grew lush everywhere, and the island looked like something from a storybook.
“I can imagine living here,” Liv said. “Andra might be isolated, hiding from the world, but she lives in paradise.”
I nodded.
“Is everything okay?” Liv asked.
Nothing was okay right now, but I wasn’t going to scare her before it was necessary. I just wanted her to be ready.
“Everything is fine.”
We reached a river mouth where the river flowed from the mountain in the middle of the island. The area was beautiful, with tall palm trees and rocks that blocked off the area so that it was completely secluded.
“Come with me,” I said.
Liv climbed out of the buggy and followed me. I walked to the river’s edge.
“What is it?” Liv asked, looking around.
“We’re going to train,” I said.
Liv frowned. “What?”
“We’re going to train. I want to teach you how to fight properly, how to defend yourself.”
“Are you kidding me?” Liv asked, incredulous. “Don’t you ever stop?”
“This is serious, Liv,” I said.
“You’re always on me about training, fighting, protecting myself. I’ve only just learned about my power, and you want to push me to use it again? After what happened last time—”
“It won’t be the same as last time,” I said. I didn’t know this for a fact, but I was pretty sure she wasn’t going to react the same way as she had before, now that the spell had been lifted.
“I don’t care,” Liv said. “I’m not doing this. We’re on an island, alone, where it’s perfectly safe. No one’s going to find us here, and I’m not going to have to defend myself.”
“We’re not going to stay here forever,” I said.
“Then let me enjoy my peace while it lasts!” she protested. “Stop pushing me!”
“I’m doing it to protect you,” I said. I was getting frustrated with her.
She didn’t want me to help her, and all I wanted to do was keep her safe. Damn it, if something happened to her…
