Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
I search her expression, finding only sincerity. She really means it. I lift my hand and she immediately takes it. “Why did you agree to sail with Siobhan? You don’t even like her. You don’t believe in the rebellion.”
“Maeve.” She squeezes my hand. “You just asked a question you already know the answer to.”
My flush deepens. She did it for me. “I guess I do. Are you sure?”
“As sure as I am about anything.” Lizzie gives a wan smile. “Besides, there will be plenty of murder in my future. Keeping you safe as you charge off into danger is a full-time job.”
The way she’s talking . . . I grab her hand. “Lizzie, what about your family heirlooms? Did the Crimson Hag sink?”
“No.” She glares at the cave opening. “It’s still listing like a drunk asshole, but they managed to get the hole patched after we fled. I suspect they’ll make asses of themselves searching the town, but we’ll be long gone by then.”
I desperately want to believe she’s saying what I think she’s saying. That she’s coming with me. That she’s staying. I know what we spoke of before, but that was in the heat of the moment. I might be naive about some things, but even I know that words exchanged when sex is involved don’t necessarily hold the same way in the cold light of dawn. Even as I want to ask her if that’s what she means, I recognize it for the selfish desire it is. I love her and I want her with me. But it goes against every single thing she’s done since coming to Threshold. “But the jewels.”
“Maeve, I am going to say something, and I need you to actually listen to me.” She shifts closer until her knees bump my arm and her face hovers over mine, almost kissably close. “Are you listening?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Fuck. Those. Jewels.” She bites out each word. “I’ve existed two hundred years, but I didn’t actually start living until I met you. I’m not going to retrieve those heirlooms and fuck off to my realm when you’re here—and not just because you’re liable to get yourself killed if I’m not here to watch over you. I love you, Maeve. I’m not leaving you. I’m staying in Threshold. If I have to kill every single fucking Cŵn Annwn to make sure the rebellion succeeds, then I will. Because it means you’ll be safe.” She takes a ragged breath. “Because it means you’ll be happy. And happy is all I want for you.”
The burning in my throat gets worse and I fight to swallow past it. “I love you, too. I want you happy, too.” Even if that means leaving me.
“You make me happy.” She cups my face. “I just want you, Maeve . . . and perhaps a little murder from time to time to keep things interesting.”
“Lizzie!”
“Don’t worry. Rebellions tends to be soaked in blood. I’ll have plenty to keep me busy.” She strokes her fingers over my skin. I suspect she’s tracing my freckles. “We’ll survive it, baby. And go on to live nice, long lives filled with plenty of joy and fucking.”
I don’t know if a person can die from blushing, but I might melt into a puddle right here and now. “But you hate sailing.”
“I like sailing. I hate the water.” She shrugs and eases back. “If you don’t want this, just say so. I’ll respect it, though I will haunt your steps through the coming conflict to ensure you stay alive.”
It’s almost impossible to wrap my mind around. The entire time I’ve known her, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that someday she’d leave and I’d never see her again. Even as I fell in love with her, I knew it would end in heartbreak. To suddenly have the possibility of what I so desperately wanted . . .
“I want you. I want everything you’ve said and more.” I clasp her hand and bring it back to my face. “I want everything.”
“Then you shall have it.” She grins suddenly and swoops down to press a quick kiss to my lips. “Let’s try to sit you up and see how that goes.”
Relatively well, as it turns out. I have a brief dizzy spell, but it passes quickly. It doesn’t take long to convince Lizzie to get moving, likely because she’s concerned Siobhan will sail off without us if we don’t meet the dusk deadline. Without that easy exit from Drash, we could potentially run into problems securing a ship while the crew of the Crimson Hag turns the town upside down.
The less said about the hike to the other side of the island, the better. It’s brutal and exhausting and highlights just how unwell I am after the attack. We find Siobhan’s sailboat exactly where she promised. The ship is larger than I expected, but it’s got a clever design that means only one person can successfully sail it.