Liam Vale's Arc

Chapter 6 of 7

Violet Reign stopped at the gate. She turned back to face him. Her purple hair caught the morning light, and the small padlock at her throat swung once, then stilled. This was the woman who had watched Liam confess his love to the herb-seller for a week, then offered him her own love instead. Now he had chased her down and asked for a chance. "You mean it?" she said. Her voice was flat. She did not step closer. "I do," Liam said. But the word felt wrong in his mouth. He heard it echo, the same easy yes he had given three women with three matching flowers. He looked at the rose lying in the dirt between them. He had picked it, then dropped it, because handing it over would be the old trick again. Now he was doing the trick anyway. Just with words instead of petals. "No," Liam said. Violet's jaw tightened. "No what." "No, I don't mean it. Not the way you deserve." His chest hurt. "I called you back because you were leaving, and I couldn't stand to lose the safe thing. That's not love. That's me grabbing a rope so I don't have to swim." She stared. The basset hound lifted its head from the warm stone, watched them, and lay back down. "You chase me one breath, throw me away the next," she said. "Which is it?" "The throwing away is the honest part." Liam swallowed. "You told me she doesn't know how lucky she is. Maybe. But I'd be the fool who took the easy hand and never learned to hold the hard one. I can't do that to you. And I can't do it to her." Violet's fingers found the padlock at her throat. She turned it over once. "You keep things locked so people can't take them," she said, quiet. "I understand that better than you think." "Then you understand why I have to let you walk." For a long moment she said nothing. Then something in her face eased. Not warmth. Respect, maybe. "You're a strange man, Liam Vale." She almost smiled. "The old you would've married me by noon and forgotten my name by supper." "The old me," Liam agreed. She pushed the gate open with her hip. "Come and get me then."