Novel Jumper

Chapter Eight

"Ready to get going?" he asked, a grin still present on his face.

Lilia nodded, not trusting herself to speak. As Connor led the way out of the inn room, she stared at the sticky wooden floor, trying and failing to remember any place in Star of Winter where it had mentioned Connor changing in front of Theresa.

*

When the bartender saw Connor and Lilia descending the stairs, he hurried over and placed a hand on Lilia's shoulder, looking at her with large, worried eyes.

"Are you okay, girl? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Lilia knew who and what he was referring to instantly, but was still startled into silence at this stranger's unexpected kindness. It was a good thing, too, because she had completely forgotten she was supposed to be mute until Connor spoke for her: "She's fine. Thank you so much for...taking care of him."

The bartender nodded grimly. "That we did. We're even now, son."

Once they were outside, Lilia leaned forward and whispered in Connor's ear, "Did they kill him?"

"What answer do you want to hear?" Connor asked carefully. The words and their phrasing alone answered her question.

Lilia wished she could act noble and be angry at the man's death, even after what he had tried to do to her, but she simply couldn't summon any pity for him. In fact, a dark voice inside her head cheered at his premature demise. The kinder part of her justified this by pointing out, At least he can't hurt any other girls.

Realizing that Connor was still waiting for an answer, she replied decisively, "Actually, I don't care what happened to him. Dead or not, he's nothing to me."

"Well said," Connor said, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Lilia smiled, pleased at his approval. She adjusted the strap of her duffel bag and found that there was a slight spring to her step as she and Connor walked through the town, soon exiting its other side.

At the top of the hill opposite the one they had arrived on, Connor stopped and turned to look down at the little town in the basin. He stared at it, as if trying to memorize every detail.

"Connor?" Lilia asked uncertainly.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever see this place again," Connor said in the sort of offhanded way that made Lilia think he cared a lot more than he was letting on. "Could be destroyed by the time I come back here."

"Are you coming back here?" Lilia asked, surprised. Surely the rebellion wouldn't operate in this war-torn area once it was destroyed by Prince Luca's men, and as Connor had said himself, they usually traveled by the woods anyway. He could easily return to his house via the forest or one of Azca's portals.

"Good point," Connor said after a moment. With a final surveying glance over the village, he turned back to the road and began walking once more. Lilia followed him, wondering if that had been the right thing to say. In any case, it was too late to take it back now and at least Connor was moving forward.

They walked a short ways in silence before Connor said, "I should probably contact the rebellion. Try to tell them what happened."

Lilia thought of the cunning and well-connected leaders of the rebellion. "I'm sure they already know."

"True, but they can't know where or where I'm going."

"Azca wouldn't have contacted them?"

"He has to 'help' the king. He's got his hands full. Besides, it would be dangerous for a man of his stature to contact them. If he's seen, he's dead. Or more likely tortured for information."