My eyebrows raise at the term. “An…an alliance?”
Auden nods, steady and sure. “Can I trust you?”
“Can I trust you!?” My eyes flash wide. “Auden if you’re offering me some kind of deal to get me to stay -“
He nods. “I am doing that.”
“Auden, no!” I shake my head, vehement. “I am not living in this -“
“Stop running, Everleigh!” He snaps, tossing out a hand out to the dark landscape. “God, all you do is run!”
I swallow hard, my lip trembling. Because he…doesn’t know just how right he is.
“Where would you even go!?” He continues, apparently too angry to notice my reaction. My anger rises to meet his.
“Back!” I shout, working around the tightness in my throat and gesturing too, tossing my hand East, towards the sea. “Back to my cottage! To my life! Which was very good, by the way, befo
