Read Online Rangers of Linwood (The Five Kingdoms Book 1) by LeAnn Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: LeAnn Anderson
Ads: Link
asked.
Well, Ryder certainly had to give the kid credit. She was straightforward and to the point. “What makes you think that?” he asked.
“Do you jest?” Tesni asked. “Ryder, I’ve seen the way you look at her when you think nobody is looking. Most of the other Rangers have seen it. Pretty much everyone except Arya has seen it.”
“And if I am?” Ryder asked. “What of it?”
“Well, if you don’t say something to her, and soon, you may lose her forever,” Tesni said. “Knives just proposed, and she said she’d think about it.”
Ryder shrugged. “That doesn’t mean that she’ll say yes, Tesni.”
“I know that, Ryder, but she looks at you the same way you look at her. Everyone in camp has seen it but you. If she thinks you’re not interested, she will say yes to Knives.”
“What does it matter to you who Arya marries? Do you have a crush on Knives, yourself, child? You should be happy if she says yes to him. You’ve known him for four years, and you love both him and Arya.” Again he shrugged. “Maybe they could adopt you and you would finally have a real family.”
Tesni didn’t understand Ryder’s reaction. In her young mind, she thought he ought to be going after Arya, begging her hand in marriage. “I don’t have a crush on Knives. I just think she ought to be marrying you, Ryder. The only reason she’s even thinking about it is because she thinks you don’t want her.”
Ryder sighed. He had wanted Arya for over a hundred years and had never had the courage to do anything about it. She had always seemed so inaccessible, especially where her heart was concerned. But if what Tesni said was true, his feelings were reciprocated. “And just what do you think I ought to do about it?” he asked.
“I think you should just kiss her,” Tesni said.
“Just kiss her?” Ryder laughed. “Tesni, I think Knives told you too many fairy tales. You don’t just go and kiss a woman.”
“You do if it’s true love,” Tesni muttered, walking off, leaving Ryder to think, very carefully, about what she had said. What if it was true love, and he was just letting it slip through his fingers because of his own stubborn pride? Then again, what if he was wrong? What if Tesni and the others were wrong about what they saw? What would he do, then? Maybe, he decided, it was for the best to just let things be.
Arya didn’t know what to say. By the time she got back to camp, she didn’t even know what to think. She and Knives had gone their separate ways. He had promised to be back in a week’s time for her answer. He had left the ring behind, just in case. But now what?
Tesni came running up and nearly tackled her. “Arya!”
“Oof! What is it, Tesni?”
“You can’t marry Knives, Arya, you just can’t. You’re not right for each other.”
Arya blinked. “Tesni, what makes you think I’m going to marry Alastar?”
Tesni just looked at her. “I saw you both amongst the apple trees. I was there in my favorite spot, and I saw him propose, but you’ve got to say no to him, Arya. If you say yes, you’ll break Ryder’s heart.”
Arya snorted. “Tesni, Ryder and I have known each other for over a hundred years. If he had any interest in me, he would have shown it by now.”
“He hasn’t because he thinks you don’t have any interest in him,” Tesni said.
“Ryder is an open book,” Arya said. “I think I would have noticed if he felt anything more than friendship towards me.”
“He tries to keep it hidden because you’re such an ice queen,” Tesni said.
Arya bristled at the description. “Did he say that?”
“No, but that’s what the others call you. Arya the ice queen. You never let anyone get close to you or see what you’re feeling.”
“I let you get close. Maybe that was a mistake.”
Tesni blinked. She felt her eyes beginning to water. She had been home less than a day, and this was what was happening?
Arya noticed. “Tesni…no…
Well, Ryder certainly had to give the kid credit. She was straightforward and to the point. “What makes you think that?” he asked.
“Do you jest?” Tesni asked. “Ryder, I’ve seen the way you look at her when you think nobody is looking. Most of the other Rangers have seen it. Pretty much everyone except Arya has seen it.”
“And if I am?” Ryder asked. “What of it?”
“Well, if you don’t say something to her, and soon, you may lose her forever,” Tesni said. “Knives just proposed, and she said she’d think about it.”
Ryder shrugged. “That doesn’t mean that she’ll say yes, Tesni.”
“I know that, Ryder, but she looks at you the same way you look at her. Everyone in camp has seen it but you. If she thinks you’re not interested, she will say yes to Knives.”
“What does it matter to you who Arya marries? Do you have a crush on Knives, yourself, child? You should be happy if she says yes to him. You’ve known him for four years, and you love both him and Arya.” Again he shrugged. “Maybe they could adopt you and you would finally have a real family.”
Tesni didn’t understand Ryder’s reaction. In her young mind, she thought he ought to be going after Arya, begging her hand in marriage. “I don’t have a crush on Knives. I just think she ought to be marrying you, Ryder. The only reason she’s even thinking about it is because she thinks you don’t want her.”
Ryder sighed. He had wanted Arya for over a hundred years and had never had the courage to do anything about it. She had always seemed so inaccessible, especially where her heart was concerned. But if what Tesni said was true, his feelings were reciprocated. “And just what do you think I ought to do about it?” he asked.
“I think you should just kiss her,” Tesni said.
“Just kiss her?” Ryder laughed. “Tesni, I think Knives told you too many fairy tales. You don’t just go and kiss a woman.”
“You do if it’s true love,” Tesni muttered, walking off, leaving Ryder to think, very carefully, about what she had said. What if it was true love, and he was just letting it slip through his fingers because of his own stubborn pride? Then again, what if he was wrong? What if Tesni and the others were wrong about what they saw? What would he do, then? Maybe, he decided, it was for the best to just let things be.
Arya didn’t know what to say. By the time she got back to camp, she didn’t even know what to think. She and Knives had gone their separate ways. He had promised to be back in a week’s time for her answer. He had left the ring behind, just in case. But now what?
Tesni came running up and nearly tackled her. “Arya!”
“Oof! What is it, Tesni?”
“You can’t marry Knives, Arya, you just can’t. You’re not right for each other.”
Arya blinked. “Tesni, what makes you think I’m going to marry Alastar?”
Tesni just looked at her. “I saw you both amongst the apple trees. I was there in my favorite spot, and I saw him propose, but you’ve got to say no to him, Arya. If you say yes, you’ll break Ryder’s heart.”
Arya snorted. “Tesni, Ryder and I have known each other for over a hundred years. If he had any interest in me, he would have shown it by now.”
“He hasn’t because he thinks you don’t have any interest in him,” Tesni said.
“Ryder is an open book,” Arya said. “I think I would have noticed if he felt anything more than friendship towards me.”
“He tries to keep it hidden because you’re such an ice queen,” Tesni said.
Arya bristled at the description. “Did he say that?”
“No, but that’s what the others call you. Arya the ice queen. You never let anyone get close to you or see what you’re feeling.”
“I let you get close. Maybe that was a mistake.”
Tesni blinked. She felt her eyes beginning to water. She had been home less than a day, and this was what was happening?
Arya noticed. “Tesni…no…
Similar Books
