The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 506

“Trust me.” He wiped at his face. “So do I. But it is. There’s nothing we can do about it now.” He looked at me. “And you and I both know Mia wouldn’t want you to stay angry with Callum. She’d want us all to stick together now, when we need it the most. She’d want you to talk to him.”

I turned my head, looking back in the direction of the car. It wasn’t far; I could still see Shirley’s chipped yellow paint in the darkness, just a few yards away. I supposed, deep in thought and grief, I hadn’t stumbled as deep into the woods as I thought I did.

“Why did he do it?” I asked, looking at Zane again.

“He thought he was helping.” Zane breathed, leaning his head back against the tree. “We both did.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why would a tournament, being placed in combat against Bianca and her bodyguard, help me?”

Zane bit his lip. “I think that’s something you should ask Callum. It’s better if you hear it from him.”

I sighed, passing my hand over my face one last time. Tilting my head back against the tree, I looked up at the light filtering through the canopy. The moon was barely there, just a fingernail hanging in the sky, pale and indifferent.

I rested my head on Zane’s shoulder and sniffled.

“I miss her already,” I whispered.

Zane made a small sound that might have been an attempt at holding back a sob, but I wasn’t sure.

“Thank you,” he said.

I looked up at him.

“Thank you for not caving to my advances last semester.” He licked his lips, looked down at his palms spread open in his lap. “I didn’t know that I could love someone as much as I loved her. Not until you forced us together.”

His lips curved faintly. “I love you too, Liora.” He pulled back, placing his hand over mine, and looked into my eyes. The gaze lingered for a moment, soft and sharing in grief, before we both lowered our hands.

“Please talk to Callum,” he said then. “The last thing any of us need right now is to be fighting.”

I nodded, knowing he was right, and stood. Zane stayed behind, looking up at the moon, as I made my way back over to the car.

Callum was outside the car when I arrived, leaning against the driver’s side door with his arms folded. He looked up when he heard me approaching, pushing away from the car and turning to me.

“Liora—”

“I’m not mad at you,” I said, stopping a couple of feet away from him. “Let’s talk.”