Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 417

Talia’s POV

Arya’s eyes went from me to Henry and back again, and I watched her arrive at entirely the wrong conclusion.

“Are you betraying Alpha Nolan?”

“Arya, let's take a breath.”

“No.” She shook her head hard, answering herself before I could get a word in. “No. You wouldn’t do that. Not you.” Her eyes cut to Henry. “It’s him, then. He’s the one who wants you.”

“That is not what is going on here.”

“You don’t have to cover for him,” Arya said, her voice cracking. “I’m not stupid. I just saw him hugging you right now.”

“You don’t have context. Give me thirty seconds to explain,” Henry said, stepping toward Arya.

“I don’t have thirty seconds," Arya said as she was backing out of the doorway. “Enjoy your conversation.” She was gone down the corridor before either of us had moved.

Henry got out the door first. I went after them with one hand under my belly, silently cursing as I couldn't run as fast as I wanted. When it became obvious I wasn’t going to catch her, I stopped in the middle of the hallway, bent forward, and yelped in pain.

“Luna!”

It worked immediately. Arya was back at my side before Henry had finished turning around.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Henry asked.

“My stomach," I groaned, keeping my hand pressed low on my stomach. “Give me a moment.”

“Get out of the way,” Arya snapped at Henry, steering me toward the bench along the wall with more strength than she probably meant to use. “Should I get the healer? I’m getting the healer.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I said as I leaned back. “It’s passed. Funny how quickly it passed once you stopped running.”

Arya stared at me. She first looked confused and then outraged. "You lied to me!"

“I did.”

“You’re pregnant! You can't fake something like that. You almost gave me a heart attack!"

“You wouldn’t stand still long enough for the truth, so I found something you would stop for," I explained and then, I patted the bench next to me. “Sit. Please.”

Arya hesitated only for a second and then sat, arms crossed, glaring at me.

“I went to Henry’s room this morning,” I said, “because I wanted to know how he actually feels about you. That’s the entire reason. And what I found out is that he wants to be with you, and he was hoping I might help him with that.”

Henry’s head came up. “I didn’t…”

I gave him a look. He closed his mouth and let me keep going.

“Then why was he holding you?” Arya said.

“It was a simple hug, Arya. He hugged me because I told him something he needed to hear about the woman he’s trying to court, and he was grateful. That was it,” I explained.

“I find that hard to believe,” Arya said.

“Do you even want me?” Arya asked.

“Of course. I want more time with you, so you can decide who I am from knowing me instead of from what your brother says about me,” Henry answered. “And whatever you decide at the end of it, I'll accept. I won’t push you, and I won’t hold it against you.”

Arya went red from her collarbone to her hairline.

“Fine,” she said, to the floor. “That’s reasonable.”

I sighed in relief. I thought this conversation would be more difficult. Thank the Goddess it wasn't. My stomach growled and then I said, “Excellent. Now that's settled. I’m starving, and both of you are coming to lunch.”

The dining hall was loud and half full when we walked in, and the greetings started before we’d cleared the doorway. Two warriors called out to Arya from separate tables. Someone shouted a question at her about whether afternoon drills were still happening. A boy no older than nine darted past, pushed a folded piece of paper into her hand without stopping, and disappeared into the crowd.

“What was that?” I asked.

“He’s been drawing me for a week," Arya said as she unfolded the paper, looked at it, and tucked it into her pocket without showing either of us. “He's getting better. I'm sure he'll be a great artist when he's older."

Henry watched the whole thing with a faint smile. “He looks up to you."

“Well, I'm a big deal. I’m Bloodmoon’s first female deputy chief warrior,” Arya said, chin up, thoroughly pleased with herself. “Everyone likes me.”

"I see that," Henry chuckled.

We had just reached a table, and I was lowering myself into a chair when a shadow crossed the seat between Henry and Arya, and Geoffrey dropped into it like it had been saved for him.

“You don’t mind, do you?”