Awaken by Anya Richards

Author:Anya Richards
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2010-08-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Leaving Ryllio was harder than ever, and Myrina exited the cool quiet of the woods and started up the path to home with dragging, guilt-laden, steps. With the sun almost setting, it was an hour or more past time for her to be back. Mama would be waiting, perhaps worried about her delayed arrival. The yearning to be with Ryllio pulled against her need to care for her ailing mother, becoming a constant tug-of-war in her heart.

After her father’s death, Myrina hadn’t truly understood her mother’s inability to find interest in anything or anyone around her. There had even been moments when her mother’s distracted, distant air had stirred her to anger, making her feel she had lost both parents instead of just one. Now she understood better, as she left part of herself behind in the magical glade. The love she had for her mother was as true and strong as it had ever been, but not strong enough to overcome the pain of parting from Ryllio. Once more she wondered what she could do to free him, who she could ask for advice.

As she approached the cottage, a figure stepped out from alongside it, and Myrina stopped, squinting against the sun to see. It was Jecil, and he came forward, smiling, to meet her in the yard.

Still stung by his earlier hurtful remarks, too weary to be polite, she asked, “What do you want?”

Smile fading, he stopped an arm’s length away. “I came to talk to you, to ask why you treated me the way you did today, to ask for another chance.”

Lifting her hands and letting them fall again, Myrina shook her head. “You have a new life now, and so do I. There is no use in speaking further of this.”

Stepping closer so she was forced to tilt her head back to see his face, he scowled. “I want to speak of it, to know who it is you found to take my place.”

A wave of annoyance swept through her at his petulant tone, and she replied, “Whatever place you had in my life was forfeit when you left Kessit. I never asked you to stay—never expected it—nor did I ask to go with you. What makes you think I was waiting here, hoping you would come back, ready to throw myself at you for the sake of a few days’ pleasure?”

His fair skin flushing with anger, Jecil grabbed her arm, pulled her close against his chest. “I thought you were different, but you’re no better than the other whores in the village, lifting their skirts for whichever man takes their fancy.”

“You only say that because I won’t lift my skirt for you again,” she cried, struggling against the cruel grip of his fingers.

“No,” he replied, lips pulled back in something akin to a snarl. “I say that because I can smell him on you, whoever it is you’ve been swiving in the woods. Is he married? Is that why no one in the village knows who he is?”

“What I do is my business, not yours.

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