Chapter 40

After a long moment, Livia let out a sigh. Rhye could hear the longing in her breath, could almost feel the weight of being alone pressing down on her shoulders. Her expression cleared faster than he expected.

Rhye wanted to cheer but contained it, in case it startled Livia and she changed her mind about trusting him.

"I don’t know why." She turned back to the bookcase, staring blindly at the spines. "I don’t know why any of this is happening."

That last was said softly to herself, but he heard.

"Any of this," he repeated, taking another step closer, but only one. She still felt like a wild animal, skittish and wary. "What else has been happening?"

Livia glanced at him with a hint of fear in her eyes, then walked to the couch, curling herself into the corner, intentionally positioned so she could see the door.

Looking at her made his chest hurt. She looked so fucking tiny there, so small and vulnerable he almost couldn’t stand it. He knew he’d have to le