Dragon's Deception by nicolette andrews

Author:nicolette andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: nicolette andrews

17

Humidity rushed in as Liane opened her window, coating her in a thick, sticky heat, and a thin sheen of moisture wet her brow. Three days before the Sun Ceremony, which marked the start of summer, and she was already sweating before sunrise. Any other time she would have escaped her apartment and sought relief outdoors beneath a shady tree, but her self-imposed exile prevented it. The night before, when the family had said goodbye to Mathias, she’d refused to participate. He couldn’t leave until she said goodbye. It was tradition.

A knock at the door disrupted her ruminations. It had to be Mathias. A part of her wished he’d change his mind and stay safely in the palace, but she’d known that was naïve. As a last resort, she’d ordered Luzie and the guards to turn away all visitors. She couldn’t keep him in the palace forever, but she just needed to delay him a few more days, just long enough to prove Heinrich’s guilt. The elves weren’t what they needed to worry about. The danger was much closer to home.

Mathias knocked harder.

“Liane, I know you’re awake,” he said.

She didn’t move and feared breathing would give her position away. If she didn’t acknowledge him, it didn’t count.

Mathias pretended to be brave, and he wanted to help, but rushing into certain death wasn’t helping anyone. She couldn’t let him do it. When he was a kid, he used to come to her to soothe his skinned knees and begged her to watch him practice with his wooden sword. She knew best, and he needed her to protect him from himself.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Growing in urgency, louder and louder. Liane pulled her knees up to her chest. She was doing this for him. The beat sped up as he slammed his fist against the door over and over and over. A few minutes, a couple hours, and he’d give up for today. Delay his trip until he could convince her it was the right thing to do. But she’d never agree. She’d lost someone she’d loved before, and it tore her up inside. She couldn’t lose him too.

Then the knocking stopped.

Liane stared at the door. He wouldn’t leave.

“I’d prefer to say this to your face,” Mathias said, voice muffled, but his sigh was audible. “I wanted you to know I’ve always looked up to you. No one is as strong and stubborn and amazing as you are. I love you, Liane. Take care of yourself.”

A long pause. He was joking. That didn’t count.

“It doesn’t count!” she shouted.

But there was no reply. He hadn’t even asked her before making his decision. She didn’t know the Avatheos had asked him. Why hadn’t their mother stopped him or Father or Aristea? They were all going to stand by while he died? Tears blurred her vision, and she tilted her head up to stem the flow.

“Very funny, Mat.” Knock, please knock again, she begged the door.

But the knocking didn’t resume, and a yawning silence stretched on in its wake.

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