The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 274

“There were never any ‘old days’, Zane.”

“Aw, c’mon. You know that’s not true.” He turned toward me, holding the artifact up to his face. It was a small, glimmering stone with a hole in the center. I could see his eye through it as he looked at me. “We used to be friends. And honestly, at the banquet, I felt closer to you than I have in ages. Sometimes, I think if Bianca weren’t in the picture, we could all be friends. You, me, Liora. Mia, too.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, even if a small part of me knew he was right. Zane hopped down, dropping to a crouch in front of me, and handed me the artifact. It was smooth and cool in my palm. I couldn’t help but want to do the same thing he’d done, and I lifted it, peering through the hole.

The forest narrowed to that small opening, and I took a moment to look around, admiring the way the snow-dusted ground seemed almost brighter through the stone.

That was when I spotted her. Bianca. Crouching amongst the underbrush not far from us.

“Bianca?” I lowered the stone and pocketed it.

She shot to her feet as I approached and quickly put something she was clutching into her pocket before I could see what it was. “Callum!”

“What are you doing here? You’re not a part of today’s test,” I said. “You could get in trouble if you’re caught out here.”

“Oh, I… I must have wandered into the testing zone by accident.” She smiled sheepishly. “I was out collecting herbs for a project. My bad. Good luck with the exam!”

She turned and fled after that, faster than I’d seen her run in a while. I stared after her, confused. I wasn’t sure if I had ever seen her so flustered. And what did she hide in her pocket? I looked around, but I saw only the broken branches of a small shrub, like she’d picked off all the flowers.

“See what I mean?” Zane asked, coming to stand beside me. “It’s like she’s always… up to something.”

I didn’t respond, but deep down, I agreed. Bianca’s behavior was growing stranger and stranger as of late.

It would keep her safe.

But when she met my eyes across the crowded room, I couldn’t help but feel my wolf whine deep in my throat. I knew I was hurting her by keeping my distance. I could sense it. I was hurting myself, too, more than I wanted to admit.

If only circumstances had been different.

Just as Zane said…

“Sometimes, I think if Bianca weren’t in the picture, we could all be friends…”

Or maybe more.