The Rivening

Bad Liar

On the ride back to Ladore, Connie thought repeatedly about hurling herself off the back of the scooter and causing enough injury to make it impossible to lead anyone through the passage. But that outcome felt too uncertain. It might end up causing too much damage like landing on her head, or too little – only painful scrapes and cuts. Or did she just lack the nerve? She reproached herself. No, she would find some way to end this.

Connie recognized the woman driving her scooter as one of the Dahrians who pulled Peter and her out of the passage. She'd seen her frequently in the Squares dining room. Ainsley drove the scooter behind Connie, followed by another scooter with the two men. The one driving looked familiar but the other did not. An Earthside mercenary?

Ainsley pulled up next to Connie, "You've toughened up a bit. Not quite the wimp I remember you being. I'm going to have to watch you closely."

"I was never a wimp. You were a bully. Clearly still are."

"I'm a realist. I understand how the world works. You never did. Findley's little favourite. You and your perfect mother."

"Shut up, Ainsley. Anyway, Findley got rid of me when you all moved in. Remember? Hardly makes me a favourite."

"He talked about you. Loved it when you moved back in with him. Thankfully, he croaked before he managed to change his will."

"You really are a piece of work, Ainsley. And this? What are you doing here? You shot a really, really nice man. What is the matter with you?"

"Oh, stop getting all high and mighty. I hardly hurt the guy. It's stupid how these people live. Such a waste."

"How long have you been in on all this?"

"Let's just say Grayson saw the potential in me early on when he came on the scene. Though I wasn't the confidante of Findley he hoped, he and his father found me useful in other ways."

Connie didn't even want to know what Ainsley was talking about and hoped if she stayed silent that Ainsley would give up and drift back behind her.

No such luck. Ainsley probed, "You like these people, don't you?"

Connie glared at Ainsley. "Stop talking to me."

"I don't trust you. I made a mistake not taking the boy."

"No," Connie yelled and tried, too late, to recover her emotions. "I told you he's a brat. He'll be more trouble than he's worth."

"You never were a good liar." Ainsley turned around to the two men on the scooter. "Go get the boy."

It was late afternoon when Connie arrived at the Squares dining area. It felt like an entirely different place, and she'd only been gone a few days. Where before everyone had been coolly cordial, now they looked at her with open hostility. Except for Rennish, who maintained her controlled, pseudo-motherly attitude toward Connie.

"You shouldn't have run off like that. What we are undertaking here will be good for Dahria, and critical for your Earthside." She reached with her hand to lightly squeeze Connie's shoulder. "I realize I made a mistake not explaining our plans to you right from the beginning. This is an opportunity to be a hero in your own story."

Connie removed Rennish's hand from her shoulder. "Brome was shot. Men have gone to kidnap Quill. This is not a hero story. If you want me to do anything for you, the first thing you'll do is take Quill back to his family."

For the briefest of moments Rennish looked uncomfortable and glanced at Ainsley. She was saved by Grayson and an uncharacteristically sheepish James coming up to greet Connie.