AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER39
Lark
Brilliant sunshine madethe quaint Justice townhouses sparkle. I stood by the town well, shivering to the bone, and peered far down into the well’s bottom. The water hadn’t frozen down there, but it would be bitterly cold.
Ellyn was one of the most capable people I knew. She’d see Razak coming. If he thought her an easy target, he’d be in for a shock. That’s if he was truly going to Love, or just throwing us off his trail.
“Don’t do it,” Draven called, gingerly navigating across the icy street.
“Don’t do what?”
He lurched, slipped on some ice, caught himself, and stumbled all the way to the well, then clung to its wall and peered down into its gloom.
“Do you think I mean to jump?” I asked.
“Do you?” He caught my frown and fumbled. “Arin feared you might…”
I laughed. “Then he does care? Be at ease, warlord, I’m not going to fling myself down a well. Besides, that would be a ridiculous way to die.”
“I don’t know what to think with you,” he grumbled.
“I just needed a little air. Sometimes it feels as though Razak’s hands are still around my throat.”
“I dare not imagine.”
Arin had sent him out in some foolish attempt to placate me, no doubt. “You can go back,” I said. “You’ve done your part.”
“Lark, if you keep pushing Arin away, one of these days, he’ll believe it.”
“I think that ship has sailed. I cannot be what he wants me to be. I won’t put him in further danger. And don’t you prefer it this way? You can have him back, or have your fickle affections moved to Noemi?”
The warlord glowered. “You’re a real bitch sometimes.”
“Here’s a thought. Maybe you should shove me down the well and tell Arin I jumped? Kill two birds with one stone? Arin will grieve in your arms, and I’m out of your lives for good—”
The backhanded slap came out of nowhere, not least because I hadn’t been looking for it. Fire raced up my face. I gasped, more stunned than hurt. “By Dallin, you tease.”
He shook out his hand. “Are you done with this childish kareelshit? You need to go back in there and apologize to Arin for being a dick so we can all get on with the business of stopping Razak.”
“I’m fairly certain he did not instruct you to hit me. Although, he does have form—”
“He should have. Because it’s the only fucking language you know. So fucking listen, Lark. Arin loves you, and if you fuck that up like you seem desperate to, you will break his heart and yours. If it takes a slap for these words to find a way inside that complicated head of yours, so be it. You’re hurting and afraid; we all are. Do you know how to get through that? With friends, Lark. With Arin.”
I blinked at the warlord. I’d underestimated him, on occasion. Like now. He appeared to be here, fighting for Arin and I, when his easiest option was to let us fall apart.
“At least you have someone,” he snapped, hammering his point home. “My son is alone in some awful Pain workhouse. He probably doesn’t even know I exist. But I’d do anything for him.Anything. I miss him with my every breath. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, and if you let Arin go now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your days.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it? How many days do I have left with Razak determined to come for me? If he catches Arin, he will rip his passion out, his fire, hisheart, and I can’t—I will not—see that happen. Not even for love.”
“Then live those days, Lark. If you let him steal your heart now, he’s already won. And I know you don’t want him winning anything.”
I pressed my cold hand to my burning face. “I forget sometimes, how you’re not as dim as you pretend to be.”
He laughed, showed me his middle finger, and stomped back across the street.
“Blue looks terrible on you!” I called.
He disappeared inside the inn, leaving me alone with thoughts that swayed from Arin to Razak to Ellyn.
