#Chapter 209 – Reasons to Lie

Damon The longer I stayed, the harder it became to leave. Silver Glen was small, a handful of streets and smoke curling from thatched roofs, but somehow there was nowhere I could stand where I didn’t see Lila. Or hear her. Every morning, she walked through the square with baskets of herbs, her laugh carried on the wind. Every night the apothecary windows glowed until long after the village slept. The light reminded me of how she used to fall asleep in my study, ink on her fingers, head bent over a book. Now she laughed with him instead. Kael stood beside her at the apothecary counter, passing her jars of oil and dried roots. Their movements were wordless, familiar. He leaned close to murmur something, and she smiled faintly, that small secret curve of her mouth that undid me. I told myself to look away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The twins darted between them, two streaks of color and laughter in the snow. The girl, Auren, tugged at Kael’s coat until he