Liam, however, was looking straight ahead, his eyes almost unseeing as he watching. He had no tears, although his eyes were dark and his jaw was set. He held my hand throughout the entire service, and he spoke a eulogy that would break even the hardest of hearts. But it seemed he had resolved to let no one see what he was feeling.
Porsche was buried in a cemetery in the center of the city, “where everyone will see her all the time” Liam had said, with a half smile.
The service at the cemetery was smaller, and more private. I recognized almost everyone surrounding the grave from the funeral, except for a group off to the side. Most of them with flaming red hair as well, they kept to themselves, almost as if they were lurkers. They also didn’t cry, but looked on with stony faces, as the dirt covered her grave.
“Liam,” I said when they had finally disturbed me to the point where I had to say something. He looked up then, as if recovering from a coma.
“Huh?”
“There. Them. Who are they?” I nodded in their direction and he followed my eye line. Finally, for the first time in hours, I saw him react.
“Hm, I was expecting they’d be here.” He said, watching. One of them looked up, and met his eyes, and then whispered to the group. “They’re Shields: the Camerons, the McIntoshes and the De Ritters. I don’t think any of them are the official Shields for their bloodlines, the ones with the most power, but they all carry it. They probably know who the next one is already.”
“And they want to talk to you,” I said, watching as the same one tried to catch Liam’s eye. He sighed, letting go of my hand. His beautiful eyes met mine. They glistened with deep sorrow, and a strange resolve that unnerved me.
“I want you to stay here, Amy.”
“Sure,” I replied, although I was thoroughly confused. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then let go of my hand, heading off.
Watching, the Shields surrounded him immediately. I could see by his body posture he was in no danger, but curiosity was burning through me. What was it that they wanted? And what was Liam planning?