Page 26 of Blood Weaver
I nodded. “I’m fine. You can both stop the pissing match.”
Ronan scowled. “That isnotwhat was happening.”
“Of course not,” I said sarcastically. “I think I can take myself home from here on out.”
Orion reached for me and took ahold of one arm, while Ronan gripped the other. “Let me escort you home, Leila,” the fae declared.
Ronan pulled me toward him and I stumbled in his direction. “She’s not going anywhere with you!”
Orion tugged on my arm and I lurched toward him. The motion was making me dizzy and my stomach threatened to make its displeasure known. “Enough!” I attempted a shout, but it came out as a hoarse whisper.
“I don’t trust the Crimson Clan,” Orion countered.
“You—” Ronan attempted to yell, but he was cut off by a shrill cry.
“Neither of you will be taking her home!” Selene yelled from down the street.
I sagged in relief at the sight of her. “Oh, thank the gods,” I mumbled as I ripped myself free and stumbled toward my friend. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?”
She gave me a tight smile. “No, you haven’t. Why would you do this to yourself?” she whispered the last part.
I shrugged and fell into her arms with a sigh. “I was … in a mood.”
“You can’t risk falling into these moods, Leila,” she chided.
I nodded in agreement but kept quiet. She didn’t know about my conversation with Caelan earlier today, and she didn’t know that Ronan had already blown my cover. I needed a break. A moment where I was free from all my troubles.
“I’mtaking her home. And neither of you better follow,” Selene said sternly. “She’s had enough of you both.” With more force than necessary, Selene dragged me down the street toward my clinic, leaving the others behind.
9
Selene eased me down on the cot downstairs in my clinic and started to pace. “Something is wrong. You wouldn’t be this reckless, otherwise.”
I nodded. “You’re right … somethingiswrong.”
“Well?”
I sighed. “Ronan knows I’m the lost princess.”
Selene’s eyes widened in shock. “Excuse me? What did you say?”
“You heard me.” I laid down on the cot to stop the world from spinning. There was nothing left in my stomach for me to vomit. Now all I felt was discomfort.
“Impossible!” she shouted as she continued to pace. “If he knew, he would have taken you straight to the Grasslands.”
I rubbed my temples and shrugged. “I thought so too, but he has something up his sleeve. I just don’t know what it is yet.”
Selene dropped to her knees beside the cot and tugged on my sleeve. “Let’s get out of here, Leila. The Central Plains are vast, and we can hide in the mountains. Let’s justgo.”
I sighed, then sat up and pulled Selene onto the narrow cot to sit beside me. “Do you really think Madam Rose would let you leave? She’ll send bounty hunters after you. You know I’m right.”
“So?” she said. “That just means we’ll both be on the run. We’re better together than separated.”
I reached for her hand and held it tightly. “I would love to, but it’s useless. Ronan and his men know what I look like now. He’ll hunt me down until he finds me, and so will Madam Rose. The idea of going on the run seems novel from where you sit now, but trust me when I tell you it’s not. I’ve been doing it for ten years.”
She shot to her feet. “Well we can’t just sit around and wait until they capture you! We have to do something!”
“Wedon’t have to do anything, Selene. This is my problem. I’ll handle it.”
