"Well, a few more details would help," Petar said, coming a little closer. Then he recognised her. "You're the girl who was here with Lyall, aren't you?"
She nodded.
He smiled. "Well, what are you looking for then? Romance? Adventure? Or perhaps there is some subject you would like to learn more about?"
Brianna tilted her head to one side, considering. "Romance and adventure? Do you have anything like that?"
He laughed. "Of course I do."
He brought book after book from the shelves, piling them onto a desk in the middle of the room and leaving Brianna to look through them.
She'd had no idea these sorts of books existed. They made her books at home look like they were written for children.
She left the store with three novels and promised to return when she had finished those to get some more.
Now she had a new way to pass the time. Each lunch break she found a quiet spot to read, and at night, she burnt several candles, unable to put the book down until her heroine found herself safe at last, usually in the strong capable arms of her prince. If she had an afternoon off, her feet, more often than not, took her to the shade of the trees overlooking the harbour, to read and daydream.
It was on one such day, a week after Lyall had left, that she glanced up from her story to see his boat pull into the harbour. For a few moments, she stared at it in disbelief, then she threw her precious book onto the grass, the heroine's plight forgotten and flew down the hill. She fought her way through the crowd of workers unloading a cargo ship, arriving just as he was tying his boat up at the dock.
Not even stopping to think, she threw herself into his arms as soon as he turned around. "Lyall!" she exclaimed happily.
"Brianna?" he asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
It was only then that she realised he might not have missed her as much as she'd missed him. She tried to pull back, but his arms tightened around her waist, holding her close. He bent and kissed her. The noise and the crowd faded into the background, and her doubts were banished. He felt the same way.
She could have gone on kissing him all day.
Except suddenly, she became aware of the whistles and catcalls all around her, and Lyall pulled back to look up. She glanced around sheepishly, but saw nothing but amusement in the faces around her. Lyall kept his arms around her. "Let's get out of here."
They walked hand in hand back up the hill where Brianna retrieved her book.
"I thought you said you weren't coming back?" she asked, not looking at him.
"I couldn't stay away," he said softly, coming up behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders.
Her thoughts were jumbled, the guilt for how she was feeling at war with how much she wanted to turn around and resume kissing him. "Perhaps it would have been better if you could have."
"You don't mean that, Brianna. Do you?" There was a hint of uncertainty in his last words that tore at her heart.
"I don't know. I don't know what I think, anymore."
"Did you miss me?"
"Of course I did."
"Then aren't you glad I'm back?"
She sighed. "Yes. But I don't know what to do now."
"Because of this man back in your village?"
"Yes. No. I don't know."
How could she explain? It wasn't Terion that stopped her, but Mianna. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to tell him about Mia.
She'd seen the reaction from visitors to her village many times. When boys found out she was one of a twin, that was all they could see. The idea of two wives was so exciting that she began to doubt that it was really her they were interested in.
"Brianna?" he said softly and turned her to face him.
She looked up at him uncertainly. His nearness tugged at her, and she could almost feel the current passing between them. It would be so easy to just sink into his arms and forget it all.
"Do you love him, this man back home?"
"No."
He hesitated, then took a deep breath and asked, "How do you feel about me?"
How could she even begin to describe it? Surely the way she felt about him was crazy, after only knowing each other for a week.
"I barely know you," she said helplessly.
"And I barely know you. But I do know that when I left here, I couldn't stop thinking about you. All I wanted to do was come back for you."
"Really?"
"I'm here aren't I?"
He had come back for her, not for any other reason. She stared up into his eyes, knowing she should push him away, should not get involved. But her heart insisted that it was too late, she already felt far too much.
Mianna and Terion, that was why she was doing this. She needed to remember that they deserved the chance to be happy.
But that thought just stirred up resentment. Didn't she deserve to be happy too? She hadn't come here expecting to find Lyall, but she had. Should she ignore her own chance at happiness? Was it right that she let go of the happiness she felt in his presence just because of a stupid, ancient law? She bit her lip, fighting a war within herself.
Lyall held out his arms, and the war disappeared. Somehow, she melted into them, resting her head against his chest, feeling happier than she had in months. She couldn't see any way this could work, but she owed it to herself to at least find out if she loved him.
He held her for a moment, gently stroking her hair, his lips kissing the top of her head.
"Come with me, Brianna," he asked out of the blue.
"Come with you? Where?" She raised her head to look up at him, uncertain. She knew so little about him. He could be from anywhere.
"Does it matter where we go? This city doesn't have anything to hold you, does it?"
He had a point. Bymere, itself, meant nothing to her. And since she wasn't planning on going back to her village, it really didn't matter where she was. But going away with him was a commitment. A commitment she wasn't free to give.
"I ca … "
He put a finger on her lips. "Don't answer me now. Think on it. Please?"
"My answer will be the same, Lyall. I'm sorry." Her voice choked on the words, but she forced them out. She wouldn't hide the truth from him.
"Why?"
"Because I can't."
"Do you plan on going back?"
"I … no. I don't think so," Brianna wavered.
"Then come with me. I'm not going to ask for anything you can't give. I just want a chance to show you my home."
"I … ." Brianna started to speak, but Lyall again put a finger on her lips.
"Think on it. That's all I'm asking. Please?"
Brianna opened her mouth again, but the protest refused to be voiced. She looked into Lyall's eyes, so hopeful, and couldn't disappoint him. Not yet. Give him time to get used to the idea first. "I'll think on it, but my answer won't change."
He smiled anyway. "Good."
The choice felt right, even though it should have felt wrong. Brianna refused to examine what that meant.
Taking her hand, Lyall began to walk back towards the city. "I suppose I'd better go get a room, I might be here for a while."
Brianna laughed softly. "What if I just refuse to give you an answer, just to keep you here?"
"Sounds good to me," Lyall replied promptly. "Because it means you want me to stay."
Brianna laughed, even though her heart turned over at his words. "You just keep believing that."
"I intend to," Lyall responded just as swiftly. "Please don't burst my bubble."
The light teasing eased the ache in her heart a little. Surely there must be a way to make this work?
They made their way back through the streets, their clasped hands swinging between them but as they crossed the square, Brianna's eyes fell on a cart standing outside a building on the opposite side of the square. She recognised the horses immediately, she'd mucked out their stall often enough at home.
Panic rose in her chest. Was her mother here somewhere? It was almost a relief to see Blanc and Nilar, two of the older warriors in her village, coming out of the store with their arms full of sacks of flour. Until they turned and saw her.
She hadn't realised that she'd stopped moving until Lyall asked, "What's wrong?"
There was no time to explain. Nilar shouted to Blanc, and both men quickly threw their sacks into the cart. They would be after her in a minute.
Where could she hide? She pulled Lyall down a nearby alleyway, only to come up against a dead end.
Lyall's pressure on her hand stopped her fleeing back out of the alleyway again. "Brianna? What's wrong?"
"Those two men are from my village and they recognised me." Her voice sounded unnaturally high, even to her own ears. "They'll take me home again."
She looked around again, hoping for some miraculous escape to present itself, but none did. It was hopeless. Her deception would be discovered, and she would have no excuse to avoid going back to the village. Back to Mianna and Terion. Tears threatened. "I'm sorry, Lyall."