Page 70 of Prince of Tides
“Now, I have to go.”
I whirled on him. “What?”
“The lines are under attack everywhere. We are weakened,” he said strongly. “My peopleneedme out there.”
“I need you here!” I exclaimed. “I just got here. I don’t know anything. And now you’re going to leave me?”
“I don’t like it,” he said, lowering his tone. “I hate it. I don’t want to be anywhere but at your side, Laurie. Forever, if I’m allowed. But I must balance the demands of my heart with the demands of my blood. If my leaving you for a bit ensures that more of my clan lives, then that’s what I have to do. You must understand that.”
“I ‘must’ understand nothing,” I said bitterly, knowing he was right but hating it all the same. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“I know,” he said softly. “But we must trust in fate.”
“You’re certainly counting on a lot from me,” I told him.
“I have faith that fate has pulled us together. You’re the only one I want. I can see it. I’m just waiting on you to know the same.”
“And what if I don’t?” I asked tightly. “I’m not sure what to do.”
“If that were the case, you’d be asking to go home.”
I stared at him. Had he known I was starting to think about doing that?
Rip grew quiet as I didn’t respond. “You were planning on leaving,” he said.
“Thinking about going home,” I admitted. “I’m not someone’s object, Rip. I’m not ‘your mate.’ I’m ‘Laurie Stiller,’ the person. My father raised me not to be possessed by someone but to be cherished and respected by them. He showed me how to be strong and how to lead. I’ll raise this child by myself if I have to. I might like you, but don’t you dare assume that just because I do, I’m going to be your silent arm candy for the rest of my life, expected to sit around and be quiet while the men rule.”
Rip’s brow grew more furrowed with every sentence. I managed to keep my voice even, and I hoped I spoke without sounding like a bitch because that wasn’t my intent. I just needed him to see things from my point of view.
Trumpets sounded from the bay, catching Rip’s attention.
“You’re wrong,” he said softly. “I’m not looking for arm candy, Laurie. I’m looking for aprincess. To stand at myside, not behind me. To rule when I’m not here. Ineeda strong woman like you.”
I stared, taken aback. That wasn’t at all what I had expected. Me, a princess? Of dragons? Hoo boy.
“I have to go,” he said. “I hope you’re here when I come back.”
I grimaced. “I told you I needed one thing, Rip, when it came to this baby. A present father. Are you always going to be rushing off to battle, leaving us?”
“Not having the Trident is making it worse,” he said bluntly. “The enemy knows it, and they are testing us. But even with it in my hands, there will be times that I must go forth and do battle. I willnotsend my people forth to fight while I stay behind. That is not the sign of a good ruler. But when I am here, I will be yours.”
The trumpets sounded again, and his eyes flicked down the hallway.
“Go,” I said. “I … don’t know what I’m going to do. But if I go, you know where to find me.”
Rip wasn’t happy, but he accepted it. He turned to go.
“Rip,” I said, catching his arm.
He looked back, and I rose on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “For luck,” I whispered.
Blue-green eyes stared at me hard, then he nodded once before taking off down the hall in a flash, moving only as a dragon could. I watched him go.
“What the hellamI going to do?” I asked the open air.
“That,” Gisele said, appearing out of nowhere, “is up to you.”
“Maybe,” I said, “I just don’t know if I l—”
