Avalanche by Anna Velfman

Author:Anna Velfman [Velfman, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anna Velfman

20

Thaw - Hemil

Soft, near-silent footsteps padded into the kitchen. Why was he even here? He should be in Eight-Nine-Two, helping his father. Why had he come? She stood, putting the chair between him and her.

The table was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen. What was it made from? Pine perhaps? There was no pine around the First City. They must have imported it from another province. Blood pounded between her ears in time with her treacherous heart.

Words spilt from her lips before he could say anything. ‘I read your letters – all of them. The palace hid them from me, but I bartered to get them back. I would have written if I’d known, but I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.’ Her fingers clasped together to prevent fidgeting. ‘Mika is safe – I’m looking after her. She’ll be absolutely fine. You have my vow and I’m so sorry I—’

Long fingers fell over hers where she clutched the edge of the table. He pinched the glove from her hand and his palm rasped over her skin, weather-worn and familiar.

‘Lanna,’ he said in the same tone he would use when he was about to kiss her.

She forced her lips together, biting the inside of her cheek, willing the wobble in her limbs to still.

‘Lanna, look at me.’

Her throat narrowed and her pulse sped up to thunder in her ears. She wanted to pull away but couldn’t; instead, she lifted her head.

He was the same height as her, face paler than she remembered it, chin and jawline stronger, nose still a little overlarge, cheekbones high, eyes warm and looking at her with such tenderness. Why was he staring at her like that? They weren’t for each other anymore.

His hair had grown long and hung about his shoulders. It suited him. It was wet with rain and undulating with the moisture – black shot through with deep brown. She had the mad urge to curl some around her finger. Instead, she pulled her hands away and clenched them in front of her.

He had no such reserve. His fingers played with the ringlets around her face then dropped to brush against the metalwork behind her ear. Lanna’s breath hitched, and he pulled away.

‘Did that hurt?’

She gave a slight shake of her head. No, it hadn’t hurt, but it had sent a warm jolt right down her spine.

‘Hemil,’ she breathed. ‘By the ancestors, what are you doing here?’

His lips curved into a slim smile. ‘Like your brother, Lanna, I’m here for you.’

Here for her? No, he couldn’t mean— that was a lie. She was shaking her head before he’d even finished speaking. ‘You can’t be here for me – that’s not possible.’

A small frown creased between his eyebrows. Her fingers tingled to smooth his brows so they would separate again. Ancestors, those soft eyes and that open expression gave her nowhere to run. Lanna took a shaky breath, wishing that Lucas was there to help her.

‘I suppose you’re part of the rebellion too?’ she said, her voice sounding watery to her own ears.

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