Page 42 of Vengeance Becomes Her

He huffed in irritation. “We need to be on the same page, otherwise this isn’t going to end well foreither of us.”

“I’ll agree to this, we travel together, we have each other’s backs, and we find Silas. What happens between us from there is up to you. I will take his life, whether you want me to or not. That’s notup for debate.”

His jaw ticked as he maintained eye contact. He could look as stern as he wanted to, she would not back down. “That’s not fair.”

She only shrugged.

“We’ll find him together. I’ll agree to that, that’s all.”

“Fine.”

They briefly discussed arrangements but neither of them were any happier by the end of it. Rhiannon was just as determined not to compromise as Tristain was to refuse to admit the best course of action was to kill Silas. It didn’t matter, though. Nothing would stand in her way, not even him.

Jade found her lying under one of the slowly changing trees, admiring their red and gold leaves that appeared every autumn. It was a balm for her irritation after the conversation she and Tristain had. Jade set down her painting supplies beside the blanket and laid down next to Rhiannon without a word, their heads touchingjust slightly.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just going to miss this place, that’s all.” She avoided Jade’s eye contact. She didn’t want to see her delicate smile fall.

Jade wouldn’t allow it, gently turning her face toward her. “How soon will you leave?”

Rhiannon swallowed back the emotion that tried to claw up her throat. “Probably within the next few days. I need to make some arrangements, I don’t have anything for snow or cold weather. I need to pack too.” She sighed.

“So soon?” Sadness reduced Jade’s voice to a whisper.

Rhiannon reached out for her sister’s hand, holding it tightly. “Every day I stay here, the more likely it is that he hurts someone else, if he hasn’t already. Not to mention, it’ll be snowing soon and I’d rather not risk freezing to death in addition to all the other danger I’ll be facing.”

Jade’s lips twisted into a grimace. “I know I can’t convince you to stay. But couldn’t you wait until after the snow to go after him. He likely won’t be able to travel far in the weather. He’ll probably hunker down andbide his time.”

“That means he’s going to be setting his sights on another victim. If I leave soon, there could be hope in finding him before he gets his claws into her.”

She turned to her sister, shifting on her side. She propped herself on her elbow, brushing back Jade’s straight jet-black hair. The tears that began to well in her eyes didn’t melt Rhiannon’s resolve, but they would make every step away from home that much more difficult.

“I’m sorry it has to be this way. But there’s no other choice for me. I won’t be able to live with myself if I sit back and do nothing while he destroys the lives of other women. Think of their families. I lived, but the others haven’t been so lucky. What if the next victims aren’t either? Please try to understand why I have to do this.”

“I do, but that doesn’t make the risk of losing you any easier to grapple with.” Her lips trembled and a few tears began to escape from her hazel eyes. “I always thought that if one of us ever left, it would be for a new life with someone who loved us. Notthis.” She brushed the tears away with her long fingers.

“I know. But I will do everything in my power to come back to you and mother. And then think of all the adventures I’ll have to share with you. And you can tell me all about your latest love—I’m hoping it’s Nima.” She tried for a playful smile but it was a pathetic thing. She knew there was a significant chance she wouldn’t be back. That it was unlikely she’d see her sister settle down happily like she’d always yearned for. Before she could devolve into tears, Tristain approached, interrupting them.

“Jade.” He nodded in greeting. “Rhiannon, can we talk? We have arrangements to make.”

She squeezed her sister’s hand once more before standing. “I’ll come find you later,” she shouted back over her shoulder.

Rhiannon followed him as they walked through the garden toward the tree line that sat at the back of the property.

“As you know, the entire reason I came here was because I was searching for signs of more of Silas’ victims.”

She nodded.

“We’ll continue that journey, traveling north. It’s the only route that makes sense for him to go. We’ll stop through the main towns along the way. I’m confident this trail will lead us to him.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“There have been rumors of women becoming very ill under mysterious circumstances. We’ll need to keep moving as quickly as possible depending on what we find. We need to get to him before he leaves Larindia, which he’ll undoubtedly do once he passes through Wispombra. Things will become much more complicated if that happens. Maridrona and Ivisalla are a far distance to travel in search of him and who knows how many others he could harm in that time.”

Rhiannon nodded, deep in thought. She’d never traveled north and let alone across the ocean.

“It could very well be that they’re all dead. You’re the only one who’s survived so far.”

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