Page 52 of Grounded (Convergence #1)

Passing the everwell fountain in the center of town, Liria smiled at the people who had stopped to fill their bottles.

Everwells were common enough. Kept separate from the town's main water supply—they were a backup in case of emergency, but also a place where visitors and locals alike could get a quick drink.

Copper cups hung from hooks around the white marble base of the fountain.

Dubar had no everwells. Nor did it have any breathforges like the one she passed next.

The tall convergence was set to purify, turning what might have been briny air into a fresh breeze.

If it got too warm, the breathforges would also cool the air, or the opposite in cold weather.

All the trappings of civility were there despite the village's age.

Liria had missed them more than she realized.

She paused at the window of a toy store. Inside, a little girl hugged a daydream doll, her eyes rounded as she watched the tiny Aethari flying around her. The holograms were triggered by her grip on the doll's waist. A memory surfaced as Liria watched her, Thax's voice filling her mind.

“If we had children, it would be indisputable. A little girl with bright blue eyes like yours.”

With a soft sob, Liria turned away from the window. The dream of a family with Thax had always been just that—a dream. The races couldn't interbreed. Why had they ever thought they could overcome that? Love makes you dumb, that's why.

Liria headed past shops with less interest after that.

There was only one thing that could snap her out of this melancholy.

Her goal was a shop at the end of the stretch.

Just beyond it was a cliff with a viewing ledge, and Liria thought she might sit there a while after she made her purchase.

As she walked, more memories rose, but these were happy ones.

In her mind, Liria heard her mother calling her and Lena.

Felt the warmth of her sister's hand in hers.

Saw Lena smile. Their mother would point out everything she thought was pretty in the shops.

Sometimes, she'd take them inside and buy them trinkets.

More often, they just looked and then . .

. Ah, there it was—the little cafe that sold both hot and cold beverages, packages of food you could eat while walking, and little gifts for the people who vacationed in Thennis.

It was one of those places that both the locals and visitors adored, and Liria was relieved to see that it was still there.

Liria went up to the counter and ordered the drink of her childhood—hot pear cider with spun honey on top.

The woman at the counter smiled at her as if she knew it was more about the memory than the drink.

After the cider press whirred to life and poured the warmed, amber liquid into a waxed paper cup, the woman placed the cup under a frother, and threads of honey spun out, becoming a golden cloud that floated atop the cider.

She added a tiny cookie to the cloud and handed Liria the cup. It was a whole experience.

Beaming at the concoction, Liria carried it out of the store and left the shopping district for the viewing ledge.

She found a bench facing the water, sat down, and sipped the cider through the honey, melting the cloud.

It was even better than she remembered. Popping the cookie into her mouth, Liria tried to concentrate on the view.

But even there, before the serene beauty of the sea, with a taste of the past to warm her, Liria's thoughts turned to Thax.

That speech she'd given Aga was one Liria wanted to believe and sometimes did.

More and more lately, she didn't. Instead, she found herself slipping down into misery with Thaxvarien.

It was so hard to keep both of them afloat when all he wanted to do was drown.

He was dragging her down. Even worse, Thax knew he was doing it and that was yet another poison for him to swallow.

Oh, what terrible, morose thoughts inspired by such a beautiful view. But this couldn't last, could it? Nothing lasted forever, not even pain. And he had finally shown some emotion. That had to be a good sign.

“Dear convergence, I've never seen someone look as if they're on the verge of weeping while holding a hot cider. You even have honey fluff on that thing. How can you weep in the face of honey fluff?”

It was a man's voice. Liria looked up and to the left to find the source.

He was tall, handsome, and had green eyes.

Fuck. Why did they have to be green? Liria looked away, but not before she noted that the rest of him was as different from Thax as he could get.

Brunette, sleekly built, and smiling. The smiling bit was the hardest to take.

“Oh, damn. I've offended you. I'm so sorry.”

“No, it's . . .” Liria looked over at him again. “I'm having a rough month.” She snorted a little laugh. “Yeah, that's it.”

“May I help? I can be very entertaining. My friends often call me a fool.” He frowned as if considering this. “Although that may not be because I'm amusing.”

Liria looked over in surprise. His smile was wider but also sympathetic.

“Thank you, but I'll be all right. I'm just dealing with a terrible situation. It will get better.”

“May I sit down?”

She looked from him to the bench. It finally occurred to her that he was probably trying to flirt with her.

It felt like years since a man had flirted with her.

Another life. But it hadn't been that long, had it?

Liria wanted to feel that thrill again. She looked back at the man.

Nope, couldn't do it. It would be unfair to him and Thax.

“You're welcome to sit, but if you're thinking of more than conversation, I have to warn you that I'm . . . spoken for.” The words made her snort. Spoken for. Yeah, by a silent man who was born to be the Speaker of Icara but now wouldn't even be let into the city.

“I assumed you were.” He sat down. “A woman doesn't look that troubled without a man involved.”

Liria lifted an eyebrow at him.

Gravely, he said, “We are troubling creatures.”

Liria laughed loud enough to shock herself and then clamped a hand over her mouth. “Wow. I haven't laughed like that in a while. Thank you.”

“Now that is truly troubling. You'd better have a sip of that drink. Although it sounds as if you could use an alcoholic version.”

Liria sipped, sighed, and stared at the water. “No, this is perfect. Reminds me of childhood.”

“And adulthood is hard, isn't it?”

“It is. It is so very hard.” Liria held out her hand. “I'm Liria.”

“Braxis. You can call me Brax.”

“Li, for me, if you like.”

“I do like it. Thank you, Li.” He nudged her hand—the one holding the cider. “Go on. Have some more. And then you can tell me all about him.”

“How do you know it's a he? I could be into women.”

He chuckled. “You're not. If it had been about a woman, you'd look angry, not . . . well, forgive me, but you look as if you're in despair.”

Liria's throat constricted.

Brax winced. “I'm so sorry. Did he pass away?”

“No,” Liria whispered. “But he wishes it were otherwise.”

“Oh, fuck.”

Her eyes widened.

“Sorry.” Braxis grimaced. “That just slipped out.”

“No, it was nice to hear. I should say it more.” Liria shook her head. “Fuck. Just . . . fuck!”

“I'm a total stranger. You can say anything to me and then never see me again. You wanna give it a try?”

“You ever serve at a fortress, Braxis?”

His eyes went wide. “No. Have you?”

“Yes. That's where I met my betrothed.”

“At a fortress? Not in the pit, I hope.”

“No, although that's where he first caught my interest.”

“Wow.”

“I was a security chief. He was a private.”

“So you outranked him. That's sexy.”

“Is it?”

He shrugged. “I don't really know. Sounded good.”

Liria chuckled. This man seemed to be sent from Source to lighten her spirits.

“So what happened? Was he injured?” Braxis asked.

“Yes. Badly.”

“Oh, no. Is he all right?”

“His body has healed, but his mind still suffers.”

“Fucking Nethren.” Braxis shook his head. “Why don't they just stay where they belong?”

“Good question,” Liria murmured, her thoughts returning to that underground city. They had everything they needed down there. Why risk their lives trying to come to the surface?

“So, the two of you left the service?”

“Yes. He was released, and I was excused to take care of him.”

“Shit, he must have really been bad off.”

“You could say that.” Liria looked up toward the rising tip of the peninsula where the house perched.

“You . . . you're not the new owners of that big palace, are you?”

Liria looked back at Braxis. “Yeah. His father bought the property for us. I could never have afforded it.”

“Damn! I've always wanted to see inside that house.”

Liria grinned. “Me too. I used to come here with my family when I was a child. I always wondered about that place. Now, I live there. It's so strange.”

“Is it as gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside?”

“It is.” Before Liria could stop herself, she said, “Would you like to see it?”

“Fuck, yeah, I would!” He cleared his throat. “Sorry. I mean, I would very much like to see it.”

Liria laughed and stood up. “It could use some fresh, positive energy. Come on. I'll take you up.”

“Whoa, now. Don't get ahead of yourself.” Brax winked at her.

“Excuse me?”

“You need to finish your cider first, Chief. That is a drink that should not be wasted.”

Felling lighter than she had in days, Liria saluted him with her cup. “You're absolutely right. And I deserve this time to myself.”