Page 36 of Hooked

“That might work.”

I turned to look at him. “It would only work if I stayed in Dalthia for the rest of my life.”

His head tilted a little. “Would that be so bad?”

I shook my head. “Of course not. Dalthia is lovely, and a far cry better than the marriage and death being offered me by Huckley, but it would be an entirely new life. Without Marilee or Emeline. But…” My shoulders fell as I sighed in defeat. “Leaving here might be the only thing I can do. I just wouldn’t be able to let Marilee help me.” If I ran off to Dalthia, what would stop Huckley from tracking me down there and bringing me back by force? “If I must leave, then it could only be me, going not to Dalthia, but to…I don’t know. Osna? Hemland? I’ve never been outside of Ebrad, but if I decide to leave here and truly run from Huckley, I would have to leave the country, disappear into the night. I’d have to run from everything and everyone.”

“I could help.” The sincerity in his gaze made my eyes burn.

I shook my head. Apparently he didn’t think that everyone included him. “Your loyalty is to Marilee, as it should be. You can’t go running off to protect me.” No matter how much the idea appealed to me.

“I could,” he insisted, moving closer, mischief in his eyes. “We could even ask for some magic help from whatever elves the princess has coaxed into her employ.”

I laughed.

“We could fly away somewhere he’d never find you.”

I smiled, grateful that he wanted to help, but even more grateful that he seemed to know we couldn’t go together. That’s why he was joking about it, because he knew it could never be. “Where would we go?” I asked.

“Anywhere. A hollow tree.” His face was sad and laughing and disappointed all in one. I knew the feeling.

“A hollow tree would not fit us both.”

He shook his head as if my objection was ridiculous. “The tree would only be the entrance. We could make an entire hideaway underground.”

“Ah, of course. And shall we bring your little lost warriors with us as my protectors?”

His gaze softened. “They’d be eager for the job.”

I let myself get lost in his eyes for several moments before taking a shaky breath and pulling myself from his stare.

I picked a few tiny, delicate flowers from the rich earth and twirled them in my fingers.

“My lady?”

I turned back to Falstone, shocked that he’d address me that way. Yes, it was technically my true title, but it wasn’t me. I furrowed my brow at him.

He gave a half smile. “Please don’t try to run on your own.”

I wanted to protest. I wanted to tell him that surely he must know I didn’t have a choice. But if I did that, he’d do all he could to keep me from leaving. I shrugged. “I know I wouldn’t get very far.” It was a lie. I had run before and I could do it again. I’d just lied to Falstone and I hated it.

He studied me for a moment, and I was sure he knew. With all his experience and powers of discernment, he must know it was a lie, but he let it alone.

Instead, he tipped his head back in the direction we had come from. “Do you suppose they’d notice if we snuck back to the swimming hole?”

I almost snorted a laugh. “They do seem occupied, but I don’t imagine they’ll stay that way for long.”

He shrugged. “Another time then.”

I raised my brow at him. “Another time? When do you suppose we would find the time to slip off for a swim at the very edge of Sutton property?”

He leaned in. “Under the cover of night,” he said with a conspiratorial wink.

I just laughed.

This man. This good man. I’d never encountered anyone who could make me smile the way he could.

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