Page 64 of Lies That Bind
“You up for a walk?” I glanced at the other ladies, indicating I wanted privacy, and she nodded.
“Absolutely.” She grabbed her cane and hefted herself out of bed as Ariyel popped up from where she had been lying on the floor and looked up at me.
“You can come too,” I told her creature, who stuck her snout into my hand to thank me. Again, I was taken aback by the affection from her creature. It meant that in Tetra’s mind, we were as good of friends as I thought we were. Sisters, even. It was a relief when I felt I could only trust a handful of people right now.
We went out back and into the woods on a walking path. I was dead tired, hungry, and knew I had a full day ahead of me, but I also needed my best friend to know what had just happened.
I quickly brought her up to speed on Maxim proposing marriage and then the threat to my sisters and the bows.
“They’re okay,” I pressed when the color drained from her face.
“I just got back from them, but…” I then told her about Elaine’s plan to move them to some undisclosed location in the country and Liana’s plan to get Valor a creature early.
Her mouth popped open a little at that. “It’s scary because it’s never been done before that early, but honestly, Aisling, it might be the only way to keep them safe.”
“I know.” I kicked at some moss on a rock.
“If you asked, my mother would go with the girls as a tutor. She could also help mother them. I worry Valor doesn’t have anyone soft around now that you’re gone.”
“Hey!” I punched her arm. “I’m not soft.” It was a sweet offer, though. One I would seriously consider.
She grinned, but then her face took on a serious expression. “You were soft compared to your father, Aisling.”
I squirmed at that. She wasn’t wrong, but it felt wrong to speak ill of the dead. Why was everyone coming down on my father? Elaine, Caruso, Kohen! Let the man rest in peace.
“He was a widower, a ruler of the country… he did the best he could.” Had my mother stayed alive, things might have been different.
Tetra nodded. “I’m just saying, my mom loves your sisters, and if you need someone to help make them feel safe emotionally, I know she would jump at the offer.”
Maybe that’s what half the problem was. The girls felt like they had no family. Elaine left them to help me. I left them to help the country. They needed a mother figure.
“You know what, T? I’m going to ask her. Thank you.”
She gave me a small smile and nodded. “Now, tell me more about Kohen.”
I bristled. “What do you mean?”
She gave me thatdon’t start with melook, and I burst out laughing.
“Do you think it’s obvious to everyone else?”
Tetra shrugged. “Only to me. Or those of us who know you so well. I see the glances you steal across the room. Aisling, you love him.”
Hearing her say it cemented it for me. I couldn’t help the stupid, goofy grin that graced my face at that moment. “I do.”
Tetra was smiling, too, now. “Good for you!” She shook my shoulders. “This is what our youth is for, having forbidden romances with sworn enemies. I live for this.”
I raised one eyebrow. “Are you also having a forbidden romance?”
Was her romance with Dev forbidden just because he was Imbrian?
She grinned. “Well, not so forbidden as frowned upon.”
That felt wrong. How had we allowed it to come to this division between our peoples? It was so totally wrong, but Imbrians and Amerseans were encouraged to date within their own people only. Had my father started that? Or did it naturally come about within our culture because of the war?
“I should change that,” I said.
“Change what?” Tetra asked.
