River’s blood ran cold.
“All while no permanent Lord was appointed…”
“Exactly. The instability made it easier to control. And the worst part? Thas and Lord Peter may be at the center of it. We don’t have enough proof yet to arrest them—but it’s coming together.”
River swallowed hard.
“They almost destroyed you, Heiko.”
“They tried,” he said, looking down at her. “But they failed. And now, they’ll regret ever thinking they could finish the job.”
They sat in silence for a long moment, birds chirping softly above them, the trees whispering secrets only they could understand.
He kissed her forehead gently.
“This time, River… I’m not letting go.”
“You better not,” she said with a soft smile. “I just got you back.”
--
The forest stood in silence.
Their lips met again in a clash of br
