Page 69 of Lucie
“So I gave her lessons. Every day, she challenged me. Asked me all sorts of questions. She never stopped being spunky and sassy, and very demanding. But then she showed me a side of her I’donly suspected was there. She was lonely and still afraid.”
“Afraid of what? That she’d fall back into Blood hands?”
Renkenshrugged. “She wouldn’t tell me, even after I questioned her about it.”
“And that’s when you fell in love with her,” Lucien finished for him.
The grin widened, and the man’s expression softened. “Yeah. I did. What I didn’t know at the time was that she’d already fallenin love with me. She later told me she’d been wanting to approach me, but she needed to screw up her courage first. Her asking me to give her sword lessons was twofold. So she could learn, and be with me.”
A pale blue light appeared and disappeared from below. It lasted a fraction of a second, but Lucien knewPaassometimes flashed it to let her husband know where she was. Out here where voicescould carry for miles, signals were used exclusively for communication.
“GuessPaasis getting ready for her shift,”Renkenremarked, voicing what Lucien was thinking.
“Looks like it.Garet, do you ever wonder why your kids chose not to be part of the military? You and Echo, and Cole andPaas. You’re part of this army, but your kids aren’t.”
“I did at first. After Shala told us she wantedto apprentice withMartiff, and learn how to sew and make clothes, I went and spoke with Cole about her decision, since his son and daughter also chose not to join the battle lord’s ranks. He told me he andPaashad come to the conclusion that, in a way, they were happy thatNevoandValenanever took up the sword, although both their kids have been skilled in using it, for their own protection,just in case, you know. That way, whenever he andPaashad to leave the compound to accompany the battle lord, they were assured their kids were left in safety. It was one less thing for them to worry about.”
Renkeneyed him again. “I’ve seenYulenandAttywatching over you like two protective hawks. Right now,Yulen’snearly worried out of his mind, even though you’d never know it just bylooking at him. He’s terrified he’s going to lose Atty. Igottasay this, even though you don’t want to hear it, but if she dies, I don’t think he’s going to make it, either. Your parents are connected, like their souls are tied together. I’ve witnessed stuff happen between them that defies all explanation. Yougottabe prepared for it, Lucien. You understand me? For your sake, your father’s,and for all the rest of us who’ll be under your leadership if something should happen to the both of them.”
A figure climbed the rock steps, up to the catwalk where the two men were located.Paascame over to join them. “Luc, your father is needing you over in the main hall.”
Lucien felt his heart speed up, when he realized there hadn’t been any sense of urgency or dread in her tone. Withoutreplying, he hurried down to the ground.
