Page 142 of Riv's Sanctuary

Confused, he almost resisted but he was too caught up in the memory of the feel of her lips against his.

La-rehn.

Vaguely, he felt Grot’s huge frame pushing against him as La-rehn pulled him toward her and out of the street.

Pushing herself into a space between two stalls, she turned and pulled him closer.

“Shh,” she whispered. “Don’t move. Don’t look. Don’t turn around.”

For a moment, he was confused but then it all came crashing back like the tail end of a storm.

The female Tasqal.

The one that had removed his tail.

The one that had wanted to use him.

Riv stiffened.

“Shh.” La-rehn took his face between her hands. “It’s okay. Don’t look. She’ll pass by and you can forget all about the bitch afterward.”

His chest was beginning to heave and he couldn’t stop it.

It was the first time since leaving the mines that he’d seen that specific Tasqal. The first time in so many orbits.

He’d imagined seeing the female again, what it would be like. He’d never imagined it would be like this.

Debilitating.

All the memories of back then were coming crashing in all once.

It was hard to keep focused.

The only thing that was keeping him sane was the soft hands against his face, and when he looked down, there she was, whispering affirmations to him as she held him with her brown-eyed gaze.

He’d been such a fool.

How did he ever imagine she was like anyone in his past?

Phek him.

He’d wasted so much time.

The thought made an ache develop within him, one different from the pain of his past that he was experiencing.

“La-rehn,” he repeated.

“I’m here, Riv. I’ve got you.”

His throat clogged up on hearing that and he became barely aware of the procession passing them by.

She had him.

Of all the things to say, those were the words that she chose…and they were exactly the ones he needed to hear.

He’d opened up to her about his past…shown her that big patch that made him vulnerable.

And now he realized something.