Page 212 of The Lands Defying
“You were brave to reveal yourself.” I let her know that,feellike I need her to know that.
“I was a coward, desperate.” She frowns, looking down at the ground. “I have many regrets. Especially now knowing that the Highers and my family kept taking children to replace me.”
“You can’t look at it like that,” I say, scanning the area for danger. We may have secured Eridian and the surrounding areas, but I’m more alert than ever after the attack. “These people in Eridian wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for you, or Josh and the kid.” The last bit comes out on a growl as I mention him. “If you had stayed, you don’t know what would have happened if they had experimented on you with you being an Heir. Or…” I can’t even say more.
We know they wanted to breed Rhea, for her to birth powerful children, and now we know why.
But the thought of it—
A tendril of Rhea’s power wraps itself around my bicep, and I take deep, calming breaths.
“You survived,” I say, my tone lower now. I stop and bring her to a halt, turning her to face me. “You survived, little wolf. Through everything that has happened, through the battles of your mind and your soul, the scars on your body, you survived.” Her eyes take on a sheen. “And I’m so fucking grateful for that,” I say gruffly, clearing my throat but I don’t look away from her.
I let her see me.
See all of me.
She releases a breath and reaches up with her free hand, palming my cheek and dragging her fingers softly along my jaw. We stare at each other, and I feel a gentle warmth at my neck. Her eyes go to it, like she can feel it and she smiles, turning to walk again.
“So many ‘ifs’,” she says, gripping my hand tighter. “For what it’s worth,” she says quietly, peeking at me out of the corner of her eye. “I’m glad I survived too.” I gaze at her, watching as snowflakes float down around her.
Her strength attracts me, her beauty captivates me, but her soul?
That entraps me.
And I let it.
“I guess it is no use to look back on the past. We cannot change it.” She nods to herself, as if she has made some sort of decision.
“We cannot,” I agree. “But if we have done wrong, the least we can do is make up for it, or try to.” I see her look toward me but now I’m the one gazing ahead.
“Maybe we are beginning to, without realizing it,” she says softly.
I clear my throat, running my thumb over her knuckles. “Maybe.”
Sixty One
Rhea
We walk the familiar path to the graveyard. Darius is silent next to me, taking everything in as we eventually come to a stone wall. It goes around in an odd circle, the back of it stopping just before it goes over the cliffside.
The wall comes to my waist at its full height, haphazardly put together over many days, but we wanted to form some sort of protection around the graveyard. Stones are piled up in mismatched patterns. Some tall, some small, some having three towers in one spot. My heart feels heavy when I gaze upon the graves of the dead. Not one single soul here deserved to have their life shortened.
I take the first step through the opening within the walls, snow crunching underneath my boots as the wind picks up due to the higher elevation. “We have space to the left, I will help create graves soon if you want to start.”
I don’t wait to hear his answer as I make my way over to the two graves that sit at the very top. The first two that were placed in here.
The sight of the two stone towers piled high has my throat closing, and uncaring that the snow will soak into my pants and cloak, I go to my knees in front of them.
Runa whines inside of me, feeling what I’m feeling.
“Hi mom,” I place my hand on the first tower. “Dad.” The other on the second.
I close my eyes and try to wrangle my emotions.
After everything that has happened, and what I know now, I want a hug from them more than ever. I want their love and their reassurance that everything will be okay.
I open my eyes when I feel warmth at my side. Darius crouches next to me, looking at the stones. He must realize what they mean because the next words out of his mouth send my heart into a frenzy, the mark on my forearm heating.
