A Girl in Black and White (Alyria 2)

His deep, thoughtful voice worked its way into my chest.

“What?”

“Truce. For good. Symbia is yours for now, but in your best interest, I suggest you don’t make a home here.”

My brows pulled together, uncertainty rushing me. “Mine? Are you leaving?”

“Yea.”

A heavy pressure settled on my lungs. “And what lucky place is expecting you?”

He ran his tongue across his teeth in the same unsure move I remembered his brother had done. “Elian.”

“Elian?” I choked out the word. “What’s in Elian?”

He never replied, but there was a suspicious light in his eyes that told me it might not be what was in Elian at all. But what was not.

So he was leaving because I wouldn’t? Why couldn’t we just coexist?

A feeling of panic twisted and bent in my stomach, making me almost nauseous, and the only word I wanted to say was ‘No.’ It was so strong on the tip of my tongue, an automatic reaction to something I couldn’t understand. But I held it back, my feelings spinning in turmoil. “Tired of me already?” I asked with a fake smile, my voice sounding off to my own ears. “When are you leaving?”

“Tonight.”

I nodded like I completely understood, but inside, an unnerving feeling was needling its way into my chest. I was going to be honest with myself about him for the first time because this panic squeezing my lungs gave me no choice.

I knew exactly how this would play out: he would leave, and I would be left here, trying to come up with more reasons I hated him just so that I could pen his name. These unnerving feelings I had toward him wouldn’t go away, and I’d be searching through men trying to find one whose hands took away my thoughts instead of making them spin with an excuse to leave.

I understood how this would play out. But I would never admit it, and I didn’t know how to fix it either.

“The captain?” I said, remembering the man he spoke to in The Three Cups. “You’ve had this planned? So why even try to make me leave?”

He shook his head. “I’ve decided to move my trip up a couple of months.”

Because of last night . . . because of me. I should have just told him the truth. Stepped on my pride and been honest with him. My chest tightened. What was wrong with me that I couldn’t be okay with this? I had the strongest plea on the tip of my tongue to ask him to stay, as if I had that kind of sway with him.

“What are you going to do in Elian?”

“I imagine what any other does in Elian.”

I swallowed, my throat thick. “What about Titan and your duty there?” What about me? the thought floated through my mind. My eyes almost widened at this visceral reaction that seemed to be waging without my consent. Confusion wedged deep into my chest.

He shook his head, some amusement crossing his face. “You think I should be in control of Titan after last night?”

“Rather you than your brother.”

“He won’t bother you again,” he assured as if he sensed my unease but was misjudging it on the topic of his brother.

“I stabbed him.”

He laughed quietly. “Yea. He deserved it, and he knows it.”

I wondered if Weston knew his brother wanted the seal open, but I didn’t ask. He’d made his decision to leave, and I didn’t want him to feel like he had to stay to protect me. I could handle myself.

He walked towards me, running his calloused palm to my nape, skimming his thumb across my cheek.

I licked my lips nervously, my heartbeats colliding with each other. I could feel his heavy gaze on me, but I wasn’t brave enough to look him in the eye. What if he saw everything I could never say?

“I’d tell you to stay safe,” he said soft and rough. “But I think you can do a better job than I ever could.”