Chapter 246: Parole

“No,” Liv said, shaking her head. The sudden motion made her sick to her stomach, and acutely aware of the headache she’d been ignoring constantly for days now. “That is not at all what your mother intended. And as far as Triss is concerned, I have an idea for how to help her. More than one, in fact.”

Matthew reached out with his good arm to catch Liv by the shoulder and steady her. “Are you alright?”

“I’ve been away from a rift too long,” Liv admitted. “Which is another reason I couldn’t do what you’re asking me to, even if I wanted to.”

“You mentioned it had been getting worse,” her brother said. “I'd hoped with the shipments of food from Al’Fenthia, that would help a bit.”

“Maybe a little?” Liv guessed. “It's hard to tell. If there’d been someone else to take charge here, I would have left already, but I needed to wait for you.”

Matthew held her in place, and stared into her eyes for a long moment before nodding. “I’m here now, Liv. Go do what you need to do. I can handle things here until you get back.”

“Wren says your friend Thurston Falkenrath is on his way, along with his father,” Liv told him. “He knows the dowager queen worshipped Ractia. You’re going to have to -”

“I said I can handle it,” Matthew said. “You go and recover. I’ll just tell everyone you needed rest after your fight against an archmage. But get back as soon as you can. And think about what I said.”

Liv nodded. “Alright.” She put a hand over his, then turned away and headed for the ladder. Kaija went first, as if the older woman was afraid Liv would tumble off, like a child. Indeed, Liv had to pause halfway down, close her eyes, and focus on her breathing, but she made it to the bottom without falling. Before she could walk away, though, Matthew called down to her.

“My mother tried to be the sword and shield of the north, all by herself, for twenty-five years. And it killed her, Liv.” Matthew’s voice cracked at the end.

Liv turned around, and looked back up at the wall. She met her adopted brother’s eyes, despite the height difference.

“I don’t want to do that. I don’t think I can do that,” Matthew continued, lowering his voice. “I’m not her, and I’m not like you. And if Triss and I ever do have a child, I don’t want to force it on them, either.”

“No one will dare come at us again while I’m here,” Liv told him. She could hear the whispers: Archmagia. Lady of Winter.

“Exactly,” Matthew said. “I’m not the one who broke an army, Liv.”

“I’ll come back tomorrow morning,” Liv said, turned and began walking toward the wall. Kaija and Ghveris fell in at her sides, and she knew Wren would be watching them from overhead.

“You’ve got a tether?” Kaija asked, keeping her voice low, and Liv nodded.

“I just want to find Rose first,” she admitted.

☙

They found Rosamund repairing the wall. Days of bombardment had left the structure in need of far more care and attention than Liv’s lover had been able to give it during the battle. Broken merlons, chunks of rock sheared off and fallen to the ground below, cracks in the foundations. There was enough that needed setting right, it would take a team from the mason’s guild weeks of work. Perhaps months.

Liv had lent her the gold bracelet and rings again, so that Rose could work for longer at a stretch. As they approached, she was standing with her arms outstretched, fingers spread, a chunk of unworked granite floating between her palms. Liv paused to watch as Rose lowered the rock onto the broken stump of a merlon atop the wall. With a whispered incantation, the granite seemed to melt and flow, settling into a regular, uniform shape, fused to the wall where it would replace the missing piece.

“Looks just as even and straight as if you’d been doing it your whole life,” Liv remarked.

“I like it,” Rose admitted. When she turned to Liv, her smile was open and genuine. “I’ve gotten a bit sick of killing people, but I like the idea of building things, instead of always just breaking them. I’d like to make something people will look at in a hundred years.”

“You will.” Liv didn’t realize she’d reached beneath her helm and started rubbing her temples until Rose stepped forward and reached out for her arm.

“It’s getting worse?”

Liv nodded. “I’m going to stay the night at Bald Peak,” she said. “Come along with me?”

“I’d like to,” Rose said. “Only, Arjun says I should take a break. You know I’ve never been as good at handling rifts as the rest of you - well, the rest of them. You’re something else altogether.”

“I understand.” Liv tried not to let her disappointment show, but Rose must have caught it. The disadvantages of having someone who knew you so well.

“Forget it,” Rose said. “I’ll come along anyway. One night won’t hurt me.”

“No,” Liv said. “You stay here. I don’t want you hurting yourself for me.”

And so when she went, it was with only Ghveris, Wren, and Kaija, who’d attached themselves to her like a personal guard. The four of them, and one more - someone who couldn’t choose whether to stay or go, and so Liv made the choice for him.
Howe looked across the room, and met Liv’s eyes without flinching.

“Matthew,” Liv growled, and couldn’t help her hands curling into fists.