Page 91 of A Girl and HER Prince
Livvy was already tugging Venice away through the foliage, past rocky granite boulders to keep them from getting shot. “Deedee!” she screamed. “Can you hear us? Get away from here!”
There was no answering cry. Their friend was far from earshot.
Achilles had probably arranged for that too, but he didn’t need to do that; her death should mean nothing to him, just like the ones he’d grown up with, and yet… he’d spared Venice earlier.
His uncle’s casual threat against Achilles’s mother rang through Venice’s ears. If the duke was entangled in this against his will, why had he gone at Venice with everything he had at the cavern?
Venice didn’t know what to believe—he only knew that he had to figure out a way to keep Livvy safe—from his uncle, from his friends, from himself. He’d find a place to hide her while he led these men away. Trees? Caves? Ruins? They should go back to the aquadu—
He rammed into a stone shrine in the edge of the forest, his stomach smashing into the altar before he planted into the ground, groaning in abject pain.
That had done it. His stitches had been tearing and he’d been bleeding through, but now his whole stomach felt like it had been ripped apart.
Instantly, Livvy was on her knees beside him. Her hands were on him, but her eyes were on the ruins. There was a crack in the altar that led to a dark opening below. He wasn’t sure what that was—the furnace meant to burn whatever offering that the Greeks had brought?
“Get in there.” Livvy pushed at him.
“No!” It came out a moan. He couldn’t even talk he was in so much agony.
“I’ll get in there with you too,” she whispered into his ear, “but first I have to cover our tracks. I’ll be right back!”
He was worthless as a man—he’d finally found the woman he loved, and when it came down to it, he couldn’t protect her. “Luvvy?” Her beautiful eyes locked with his. “How about you run out of here instead? Don’t come back for me.”
Her mouth parted in astonishment, and he knew she’d reject the idea.
“Please,” he pled with her. “Please.”
Her lips firmed into a stubborn, trembling line. “Get in there, Aeneas,” she said, “and hide andthenI’ll run, okay?”
Is that all it would take? He’d just need to crawl into a worthless hole to make her go? As soon as she was out of sight, he’d struggle his way out and stop their pursuers from getting to her too. He still needed to catch his breath, but he nodded and began the painful process, climbing hand over fist like he was going down the fishbowl. How had he thought he could ever rappel to take that dive? Sneaking under this sacrificial altar was taking everything he had.
She leaned down, taking his elbow to help him the rest of the way inside. This was so pointless. They were wasting time when she could leave here to be safe. She stopped the cloud of his misfiring thoughts with a kiss that left him wanting more… and more and more.
Impossible. He’d never survive this, and that’s when he found himself returning the passion of her farewell—knowing they’d never see each other again.
As soon as she left, he’d give himself up to the Myrdons. It might be the only thing that kept her alive. It was all he cared about.
Livvy drew back from him, leaving him burning for more of her sweetness. “Go,” he whispered.
Reaching into the bag near her legs, she took out the rope.
What was she doing?
“Luvvy?” His voice came out a croak.
She ripped out the flashlight and settled the rest of the supplies into his stomach. “Use the bag to stop the bleeding,” she said. Before the hazy molecules of his brain could comprehend what she was about, her hands landed against the table top on the altar. Leaning down heavily against the crumbling stone, she snapped the rest from its decomposing foundation and let it fall.
The table top tumbled down to close off the hole where Venice hid, along with the rest of the debris that came down to block out the light.
“I love you, Aeneas!”
“Livvy!” he shouted. What had his woman done? There was no way he could get out on his own. He listened to something else scraping up behind it. “Lavinia?” he shouted.
She didn’t answer byanyof her names.
He let out a breath of dismay. She’d taken that rope! He’d talked about that stupid radio in that underwater cavern. He never meant for her to go after it!
He shoved at the thick altar with his elbow, realizing she’d done something to secure it so that it wasn’t going anywhere. “Livvy, don’t go! Stay here.” His arms were at an awkward angle, and he was fast losing his strength to do anything about it. He listened to her bracelet jingling as she ran away.
