“Yes. He worried I would cause problems, and instead of waiting for that to happen, he thought to dispose of me ahead of time.”
“Oh, my god!” She gripped his hands in her own, as if trying to make sure he was sitting in front of her. “Your mom had to kill him?”
“Yes. She said she’d kill him again to save my life.” He met her gaze, his lips pressed into a thin line. “You understand why Aayi is so important to me, right?”
She nodded. “I thought her name was Keliana?”
His features softened and a smile split his lips. “It is. Aayi is another way of saying mother in our language.”
That made sense. “Okay. So you and your mom are really close then.”
He nodded. “Always. She owns half my heart.”
“Really? Only half,” she joked. “What about the other half?”
“That,” he said, raising a hand to rub his thumb over her lower lip, “part belongs to you.”
“You don’t even know me all that well,” she murmured.
“I know all I need to about you, Liv. I follow my instinct and my animal would never steer me wrong. You are the one. The only one.”
She loved and hated how sure he sounded. She wanted to feel that certain of things. But she didn’t have an animal instinct inside. No, you have common sense and a heart telling you he’s your one.
“I’m glad we got back in time to see your mother,” she told him. With as close as they were, she realized it would break his heart to be far from her if something happened. “We can get to know each other better and you can spend time with her.”
He nodded. “I have to ensure the cabins are supplied with wood and hunt for meat, but I’m able to show you around whenever you want.”
She glanced at the flowers in the area. “I can walk around and it wouldn’t be too dangerous, right?”
“Yes. This area is very flat and the forest isn't as dense as farther out. We’re not going to see the big animals that scared you by the beach.”
“You have to go far to hunt?”
“A little. I can run fast in my animal, so hunting isn’t a big deal. We do eat a lot of meat so hunting is our way of life. It will mean I have to leave often to replenish our meat freezers.”
She understood. It would be selfish of her to expect him to stick around and baby her, not that she needed that, while she got used to being here. She was a grown woman who had traveled the earth. She could learn her way around Aurora too. “Don’t worry. I love walking and will make sure to stick close to the cabin when I hike.”
He grinned, bringing his head down to brush his lips over hers. “I’ll make time to guide you.”
She laughed and cuddled closer to him. “By the time you’re ready to show me around, I’ll have learned everything there is to know about this planet. Then maybe I will be your guide and show you Aurora through my eyes.”
TWENTY-ONE
Liv sighed as she headed into the cabin via the kitchen entrance. Tiana was putting drops from a bottle into a cup of tea. She closed the bottle and shoved it into her pocket.
“Hi,” Liv said, watching the other woman jump at the sound of Liv’s voice. Didn’t shifters have super hearing or something?
Tiana turned, a smile pasted on her face, her eyes frantically glancing around. “I was just making Keliana some tea.”
“What kind of medicine is she taking?”
“Medicine?” Tiana looked at Liv like she was crazy.
Live nodded at the pocket Tiana put the bottle in. “The drops you used in her tea. Antibiotics?”
Tiana smiled. “Yes, medicine.” She turned back to the counter, not saying anything further. That felt a little weird.
“Okay. Do you want me to take it to her?” she offered.
“No!” Tiana said and gripped the cup. “I’ll take it. I need to make sure she gets her afternoon bath if she’s feeling better.”
“If you’re sure. Karel said you worked in the castle before you came here?”
Tiana nodded. “I was in charge of various guest rooms.”
“No wonder you keep this place so spotless,” she smiled. “Were you one of Bella’s assistants?”
Tiana’s lips pursed into a thin line, her gaze turned cold enough to make Liv shiver. “No. I wasn’t good enough for Her Highness. I attend the king’s cousin when she resides in the castle.”
Shit. She’d pissed her off. Guess she didn’t really like Bella. Weird, because Bella was a sweetheart. “Let me take that. You look exhausted.”
Tiana was working too hard. Or she could be really stressed. Taking care of someone on the verge of death was probably straining. Liv would make an effort to help now that she and Karel were there. That morning, Keliana had sat up and looked better than the previous night. She wondered if she had good and bad days.