Page 113 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
“Bella?” Alicia mumbled. “She’s so nice.”
I closed my eyes, smiling at her as I smoothed her hair away from her face. “Yes, she is. She’s left you in my care tonight, Allie.”
“Allie. Heehee. That’s my name.” She loosened her grip on my sleeve only for her fingers to fall to my hand. “The author was stupid.”
What author?
Was she still on her book kick?
“What author?” I asked. “What are you reading that’s got you so het up?”
“The Second Life of Lillia,” she said, tugging on my hand. “Lie down.”
“Will you get under the covers?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Let me take that hair ornament out first.” I raised her head and pulled out the diamond adornment before tucking her in.
I shrugged off my jacket and shoes, then lay down next to her. “What’s your book about, Allie?”
“You.” She snuggled in closer to me, gripping my shirt once again. “And how you hate Alicia and love Lillia. You’re so mean to Alicia. You shouldn’t have married her if you didn’t like her.”
I really had no idea what she was talking about, but the fact she was referring to herself in third person made my heart ache.
“I have no idea who Lillia is,” I replied honestly, wrapping my arms around her and holding her close. “You’re thinking too much.”
“Of course, you don’t know.” She pressed her face into my chest and rested one arm over my waist. “You haven’t met her yet, silly.”
Was it better to play along with whatever story she’d concocted inside her head?
“That makes sense, then,” I replied. “Do you know her?”
“No, but you’ll meet her soon. At the autumn ball. And you’ll fall in love with her.” She yawned. “That’s why I can’t marry you.”
I stilled.What?How could she predict such a thing? Did she have some powers of premonition? It wasn’t entirely uncommon in those with divine power—was she subconsciously accessing hers?
“Is that so?” I settled on asking.
“Yes. I don’t want to die.”
“Would you die if you married me?”
“Yes. Because you won’t love me, but I’ll love you, so I’ll die.” She yawned, then prodded my side. “You’ll let me go, right? When you fall in love with her?”
I clenched my jaw.
Fall in love with who? The mysterious Lillia she was talking about?
Impossible.
The drunken, rambling woman in my arms had me making a mental list of nobles to hurt merely because they ran their insolent tongues.
How could she think I’d fall in love with someone else? That I’d let her go?
I would die before I considered something so foolish.
“That won’t happen,” I said, kissing her hair. “Don’t worry yourself thinking of such things.”
