Chapter 10

I was a bit surprised that there were people I already knew coming to see us on the pier in Humford. Ylva ... and Liv. I remembered that I had contacted them, but since they didn’t come to Valley with Hakon, I had thought that they preferred to stay in Aston. For a moment, I wondered if something had happened or maybe they would be the contacts here. Whatever, without doubt I would hear the reason soon.

While hugging, Ylva felt - almost - normal, hugging Liv was almost as awkward as it could be. After all, I had first almost caused her death by breaking a big bone in her leg and then I had had to reveal my ability to use magic to Ylva when I had done my best to cure her. I was almost surprised that there had been no knife entering my back while hugging Liv and, when I pulled away, she took a hold of my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

“You know, while helping and healing my leg, you also healed the pain I’d had in my stomach.”

I kept my gaze in those brown eyes that were so dark they seemed almost black. It was clear that there was a whole lot of inner strength in Liv and I was quite able to understand that Ylva was so fascinated by her.

“I find it hard to believe that you could remember anything about what happened.”

Liv kept her gaze in my eyes and the look on her face didn’t change. “It was like I saw it from outside by body, but after talking with Ylva, I know that it was what really happened - so, thank you for saving my life. Even if I’d like to hit you hard since breaking that bone really hurt.”

“Back then I did not have a feeling that you two would just have ruffled my hair. I didn’t have much choice. But what are you two doing here, in Humford?”

First it looked like Liv would have liked to smile, but my question made her frown. Before Liv could answer, Ylva stepped closer. “Stian, Liv knows. I mean that she knows about me - and you.”

I lifted my eyebrows a bit but kept on looking in Liv’s eyes as I asked, “Yet you are here and still with Ylva?”

Liv shrugged. “She has such a wicked tongue that you almost get addicted to it.”

I lost it. There had been some tension building up when I had seen those two women on the pier waiting for us, but now it all went away when I started laughing. From the corner of my eye, I was able to see how Linnea relaxed while she was standing next us, just far enough not to hear what was being said. However, I kept my laughter short because I remembered Liv’s frown.

“Did something happen in Aston that made you leave?”

“Some nosy people found out about us and started being loud about that. It would not have been fair to the people in the business to make them protect us again.”