Page 118 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

“Maude,” Herrick said, his voice barely restraining the exasperation in it.

“There’s nothing else to tell. I killed them, and I would do it again,” she said flatly.

“There has to be more to it than that; I know it.”

“I think you’re saying that there has to be more tomethan this.” Maude let out a cynical laugh. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there isn’t, Herrick.”

“Don’t put words in my mouth,” Herrick said, annoyed. “You spoke with one of the raiders before you snapped. What did he tell you?”

“Nothing of importance,” Maude said, extending her hand in front of her to assess her nail beds.

She felt Herrick move to stand in front of her before his hand shot out to grasp her chin, forcing her to look at him.

“Don’t do that,” he whispered, golden eyes pleading with her.

“Do what?” Maude asked, trying to avoid his eye.

“Don’t lie to me. I know you better than that; I told you this.”

She shook his hand off. He released her face but did not move further.

“I’m not lying,” Maude said, looking up at the sky again. “The raider said Helvig paid them to bring me back to Logi. Nothing important, like I said.”

Herrick eyed her. “Bullshit.”

“Excuse me?” Maude tore her eyes from the stars to look at Herrick.

“You wouldn’t lose your control like that over your father still hunting you,” he said, moving closer to her again. “You would be pissed, but you wouldn’t have obliterated them all at once like that.”

“Stop,” Maude growled, hands fisting at her sides.

“I think they threatened more than your capture,” he continued, ignoring her rise in anger. “I think they threatened your friends. Me.”

“I said stop.”

“I think you’re trying to hide that you care about us; your argument before we got to the roof tells me that.”

“Don't be ridiculous, Herrick,” Maude replied.

Herrick stepped into Maude’s space now. He reached up and twisted a long strand of her loose hair, which was still damp from when Liv and Eydis had cleaned her up.

“And let’s not forget what you said to me when I brought you back to the temple.”

Maude froze, her breathing becoming shallow.

“You said they were going to kill me,” he whispered, his cool breath skating across her skin and giving her the relief she had been seeking from the night air.

“Yes,” she said, attempting to keep her voice even. “So I stopped them. I became a bigger evil to stop them from harming you. Is that what you want to hear from me?”

Maude tried to get off the barrier.

“Wait,” he said, moving to stand between her knees, stopping her from moving further. “Don’t go.”

Herrick put his hands on her thighs, boxing her into his body. The only alternative would be to go over the railing, which seemed to be the best way to escape whatever Herrick was about to say.

“I know why you did what you did,” he said, leaning in slightly. “I would have done the same thing if they had threatened you that way. But you took that option from me,minn eldr, when you booted me out of the fight and put the burden on yourself.”

Herrick lowered his forehead to hers. Maude tried to breathe evenly.

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