The Knight's Deception

Chapter 36

Lily trembled, her magic squirming underneath her skin as she met those blue eyes again. It didn’t matter that Richard also sat at the table, ignoring her question; Liam was all she saw. Too many emotions ran through her--surprise, dread, nostalgia, relief, joy--but one burned brighter than the rest. Anger.

She took a step towards Liam until an obnoxious voice assaulted her ears. “Ah, Lily, it’s about time.”

"I suppose my last rejection wasn’t enough.” She rested her hands on her hips as she turned to Richard. He walked towards her, not stopping until he was close enough for her to see the whites of his eyes, his breath mixing with hers. Though she was thoroughly repulsed by the man, she would not be intimidated into stepping back. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You never gave me a reason.” He whispered in a way that might have been meant to be seductive but merely caused Lily’s skin to crawl. “I think I’ll retire to my chambers now. Feel free to join me.” His eyes glittered like an insect’s before he disappeared from the room.

Lily watched him go before sitting across from Liam, glaring at him before noticing the empty chair between herself and the twins. “Where’s Basil?”

"He wasn’t feeling well.” Ambrosia answered, but Lily detected the lie hidden underneath the seeress’s words.

"I’m sure he wasn’t.” She muttered under her breath, piling her own plate high with food.

"He didn’t eat.” Acacia whispered, almost forlornly.

"Neither did Richard.” Violet said, spite coloring her lilting words.

"I’m sure the servants will bring them something.” Ambrosia soothed.

"I’m sure they will.” The twins replied.

"How did your patrol go?” Sage interrupted.

Lily shrugged, tearing off pieces of a sweet roll and stuffing them into her mouth. “It was like you said. Pirates along our border with Anura. We took care of it.” She hesitated. "One escaped. I’d let the other patrols know.”

"Did he have magic?” Acacia asked.

"Yeah. It was like lightning.”

"Lightning?” Violet mused. “Never heard that one before.”

"You’re not hurt?” Sage asked.

"No.” She glared at Liam. “Why are you here?”

"I...” He hesitated, his eyes flicking around to her siblings as if expecting them to come to his aid. “I wanted to see you again.”

Lily blinked at him. She had expected some biting remark, maybe something like Richard would say, but never anything so open and honest. “Well, you’ve seen me.” She made a dismissive gesture and saw him tense, pain flashing across his face.

Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn’t his next words. “I still love you.”

"That’s your problem.” Lily picked at what had looked like a tasty piece of meat, but she wouldn’t be able to stomach it now. How could she eat with their damaged love out in the open as it was? The broken pieces glittered mockingly in the fading sun, and even though she wanted to reach across the table and put together every shattered fragment, she knew the pain would be too much.

The scars on her wrists, scars Liam had placed there with his iron shackles, reminded her everyday of why she should never have fallen for him. Maybe she would have waited for him before, but it was too late now. It was too late, and Lily couldn’t bear it. She stood up, drawing all eyes on her. “I should check on Basil.”