Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,37

and pulled me even closer. I could feel the gentle movement of his thumb brushing across my back.

“You’re awake,” I accused.

“So are you,” he breathed, and pulled back to look down at me. His eyes flickered to my mouth briefly, and I swallowed. Liam reached out and cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing across my lips. He leaned forward, his lips parted.

My breath caught in my chest and I let out a little gasp. It broke the spell.

“Um, you’re drooling,” Liam said, brushing the corner of my mouth and pulling away. My head hit the mattress as his right arm slid out from under my neck.

I was jarred awake by the rejection, and I caught a flicker of his intent. Liam had wanted to kiss me. I saw it clearly in his mind, but then his will hit me.

She is a distraction. You’re stronger than this. Remember your promise. Your mission. Liam moved across the room and grabbed his cloak.

I groaned in embarrassment. I couldn’t keep doing this. It would destroy me being so near Liam. I could easily fall in love with him, and then it would end in heartbreak. I couldn’t have him. I couldn’t ask anyone to tether themselves to me permanently like that. It was no way to live, to constantly be touching me to keep me sane.

Grumpily, I crawled out of bed and saw that I was still fully dressed. I made my way back to my room and Liam called after me. “Meet you downstairs shortly.”

I nodded and quickly changed and gathered my things before heading down. Liam was already waiting for me at a table by a window.

The server, a young girl about my age, brought his drink to him. Her smile faltered when she saw me.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were with someone.” Oh, we hardly ever get any single good-looking guys. I should have known.

“Olivena, meet Aura, my sister.” Liam gave me a sly smile. She looks adorable.

My shoulders hunched as I picked up Liam’s thoughts that must’ve been directed to our server.

Oh, sister, then. Maybe I could convince him to meet me in the back stable. “Oh, how do you do?” Olivena bobbed her head. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Um, whatever,” I said nonchalantly.

“Whatever is coming right up.” Stars above, the sister is dim. Olivena gave Liam a sly wink.

Liam leaned back and sighed. I can’t wait. Maybe I should skip breakfast and head right to the stables.

My head was pounding as I had to witness their flirting and obvious rendezvous they had planned. Liam noticed my balled fists.

“Sorry, I forgot.” He immediately reached his leg across and leaned it against mine and the thoughts muffled, but it was too late.

I stood up, my chair screeching across the wood floor. “I need some air.”

“I’ll go with you.” He moved as if to follow.

“No, I want to be alone.”

Liam sat back down. “But what about—” He pointed to my head.

I spoke through gritted teeth. “I’ll be fine the farther I get from you two lovebirds.”

Liam frowned. “What do you mean, lovebirds?”

“Olive, er, Olivena, or whatever her name is, likes you. She is even willing to take a tumble in the stables with you.”

Liam’s serious face broke into an outburst of laughs. “You’re jealous.”

“No. I just don’t want to hear you two moon for each other in my head anymore.” I stormed out of the inn and marched across the road to an empty field and kept walking. If they were going to meet in the stables, then I wanted to be as far away as possible. Yes, maybe I was jealous. But I didn’t want to be privy to their intimate conversations.

I sat on a hill that faced north. I could see the mountains, and through the mountains—a day’s ride on the other side—was the Marshwam pass. That is where we were going to meet the rest of his troops. I had to figure out what in the world I was going to do. I needed a plan. A way to stay sane surrounded by the troops and what would happen if there were actual fighting, and people dying. I knew I might not come out of this whole. My mind could be permanently damaged or broken into a hundred pieces.

I pulled at the grass angrily and stacked it in a pile. It was better to live saving others than to die never having truly lived. I was doomed to live a shortened life, anyway. So why couldn’t I