“It’s not simply ‘helping.’ We don’t know what happens when you give your power to me. You could lose years every time you ‘help’.”
“And I’d give them gladly if it saved even one day of yours.”
I stared at him and my heart stuttered. Why did he care so much? We were friends—sure. We’d only recently met. What was he hoping to get out of this?
Maybe I didn’t understand men. I’d written them off when I thought I only had months left. I’d resigned myself to dying a virgin and save it for the love of mynextlife—because after this one, I was guaranteed something epic, right?
“Listen, I know you hate me because of Gunner, and I’m sorry,” he said.
“I don’t hate you. You saved my life in that throne room. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
The tension in his face fell, replaced with a tenderness he rarely showed. Did you open the gift I gave you before you left?”
My mind reeled with the sharp turn in conversation. Lucius had given me a gift before I left Neverland. I’d toyed with opening it during those days of solitude after arriving in Hiraeth. But I wanted to hold on to that moment for as long as I could.
“No. I’d been meaning to, but unfortunately, it’s back in my room at Mathenholm.”
He sighed and hung his head.
“I’m sorry. I should have opened it.”
“You don’t have to apologize. It was yours to open when you were ready. I just… I hoped…”
Guilt coiled tight in my stomach. “Can you tell me what it is?”
“Nothing really. Something that was special to me.” He hesitated. “Something I hoped would matter to you too. Eventually.”
“Now you have to tell me.”
“It’s not important right now,” he said, but we both knew that wasn’t true. “It’s just a token. It would’ve explained a lot. But maybe it’s for the best that you didn’t open it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when you gave it to me?”
His jaw flexed. “Because I needed to know you’d open it for the right reason.”
“And what reason is that?”
A smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because you missed me.”
Whatever that gift was, it wasn’t simply a trinket. It was a truth he wasn’t ready to say—or maybe one I wasn’t ready to hear.
“Lucius, I…” The words failed me. There was nothing more to say and we both knew it.
“Why don’t you stop being so obstinate and let me heal you?” He shifted the conversation again. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or not.
“Fine. But you have to promise me one thing.”
“Anything.” His eyes lit up.
“You can only heal me a little. Last time, you looked like death warmed over for days. We need you strong in case Johan’s trackers catch up to us.”
“I looked like death warmed over?” He raised a brow and scratched his chin. “If you could see yourself now, you’d accept my help—no conditions attached.”
“Are you saying Ilooklike death?”
“I didn’t say it. I’m just saying you shouldn’t be putting limitations on my help.”
“Promise—or no deal.”
