Page 124 of The Sundered Realms

She rolled her eyes, not actually slowing down as she pointed an accusing finger at Vhannor. “That was your whole plan? For me to speak my mind honestly and hope someone’s mind could be changed who would let us out, rather than our having to break out?”

“‘Whole’ is not quite the word,” he said evasively, which she took to mean it was voiding close to it.

And then she’d gone off on sympathizing with Jadrhun—that’s why he’d been getting frustrated. “Vhannor! Why didn’t you stop me?!”

“Because I can’t expect people to make good decisions if they don’t have all the information.”

Liris glared at him. “Are you an imposter?”

His glance back at her was full of dark humor. “Maybe I’m coming around to the idea that if you had more information, you’d be more likely to make decisions that don’t give me heart attacks.”

She fought back a smile. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

Wryly, Vhannor said, “I don’t.”

Ha.

Then he continued more quietly, “You’re always going to leap. I just have to hope that I can be a source of safety for you that doesn’t smother you. So that you’ll remember—and want—to come back.”

Her throat tightened. “I will,” she whispered.

Vhannor smiled at her fleetingly, clearly not believing her. Like he wanted to, but didn’t quite.

Liris didn’t know how to explain the bone-deep sense of certainty she’d had with him this whole adventure that she could count on him no matter what; the sense of certainty when he stopped her that he was only doing so to enable her to do more when it mattered. Not to trap her; never to limit her.

“Be quiet for a minute, if you wouldn’t mind,” the priest said idly, like they hadn’t just been privy to an extremely private exchange. Liris flushed slightly, even though Vhannor had started it. They came to a stop just inside a back exit to the cave. “I need to concentrate on this patch of spells, and then you’ll be all set. Your belongings are over there.”

So they were. Liris tried to occupy herself throwing her cloak back on first, something in her easing at its return. She pursed her lips against the need to erupt at Vhannor how badly she wanted to come back to him after every adventure, during every adventure, when he poked her.

She glanced down, saw that he was holding something that hadn’t been in his pack, that somehow the rebels who’d searched them hadn’t managed to take off of him.

He pressed it into her hand.

It was a small disc: metal. Maybe that was why they hadn’t taken it from him—it was difficult to engrave.

It was engraved, though, and abruptly Liris remembered their conversation so soon after they’d met—gods, only weeks ago?—how he’d explained love tokens to her. A common gift. One she’d promised not to scorn.

This was no spell, though, nor a cheap trinket. Her breath caught.

In as many languages as the small, simple circle could hold, it read, Love and adventure, together forever.

Liris couldn’t make out Vhannor’s expression, backlit as he was against the waning light outside. The tears blurring her vision didn’t help matters. She wasn’t sure whether to curse or thank him for waiting until a moment she wasn’t supposed to say anything to hand it to her.

He’d kept it with him the whole time.

“That’s it,” the priest announced, handing them each their spell pads and, miraculously, their skimmers. Liris clutched hers convulsively, a lifeline. “You’re free to go.”

No.

“Wait,” Liris said more firmly.

Vhannor was already moving, tossing her pack to her. “We should put as much distance between us and here as we can before someone notices we’re not where we should be.”

“The last time I waited to talk to you about our feelings I learned there’s no sense waiting for a hypothetical ‘right’ time, and I should never assume it can wait.”

Vhannor didn’t pretend not to remember what she was talking about—firestorm, provoking a Forgotten priest, memorable stuff—but he didn’t stop moving. “I’m not sure that’s exactly the right lesson to take from that.”

Liris planted her feet. “Vhannor. I want to stand by you all my days, I mean to have as many as I can seize, and you clearly still doubt me. So right now, would you feel more secure about me if we got married?”

---