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Love was never her path; it couldn’t be. That only brought pain—made her weak and vulnerable. She had to be strong if she was going to secure peace for the settlements.
Besides, you can’t give a heart away that has already been shattered into a million pieces.
This night with Krieger, she would cherish for the rest of her life—then she would have to let him go. Duty came first. Wasn’t that the best way? Can’t lose anyone else.
He would be better off without her, anyway. She was broken, existing only now for the protection of Everwood. Being close to her long-term—hell, he would cut himself on her sharp edges, and she couldn’t let him do that. She didn’t know how to be with someone. Keeping people at a distance had become a way of life, one she wasn’t sure she could let go of.
This was best for them both. Tonight, she would say goodbye to the first man who had made her feel anything since her mother’s death.
And then she would give her father her answer to the peace treaty, and her life would be changed forever.
Krieger was waiting for her at the stairwell just past the bridge. When she came into view, his gaze trailed over her from head to toe before settling back on her face. And Mother Earth help her, he bit his bottom lip. At the sight, her mouth went dry and her palms began to sweat. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea?
She adjusted the bag she had slung over her shoulder as a cool breeze swept along her path. His clean pine and sunshine scent enveloped her. She inhaled deeply, holding his intense stare. What was going through his head right now?
He pressed off the railing and took a step toward her, the tips of their boots touching as his body heat kissed the exposed skin on her neck.
His deep voice filled the silence. “Ready?”
It started as a quiver under her boots, a feeling that grew a moment later, shaking her to her core. Was her heart pounding so hard? Or had she been mistaken?
Dread settled in her gut as the realization set in that Mother Earth was rearing her ugly head. The floorboards vibrated, and a deep rumble erupted from the ground. Leaves and acorns fell around them—screams and a baby’s cry filled the settlement.
Eva reached for the railing behind Krieger to steady herself, but her foot caught the quaking boards beneath her and she tumbled into him.
Before she knew what was happening, his strong arms were encircling her as he twisted to take the brunt of the fall, landing hard on his back. He rolled them, her body now wedged between the floorboards and his frame. Large hands wrapped around her head, shielding her from the debris falling from the forest above.
As she clutched his shirt, he braced himself above her, careful not to hurt her with his weight. His eyes never left hers as the earth kept trembling around them. Glass shattered as a large branch came crashing into the roof of the dining hall, only feet from them. Wood splinters, glass, and leaves sprayed across the floor.
Krieger raised the edge of his coat to cover her face. “I’ve got you, Angel.”
Warmth filled her chest at his words. How many times had he said that to her now? How many times had he acted upon it—meant it?
Then, as if Mother Earth was done with her tantrum, the shock waves began to ease, only a tremor remaining. Krieger lowered his coat as he observed their surroundings. Her grip loosened on his shirt as he moved to stand. Once upright, he picked up her bag that had tumbled from her shoulder as she fell, then extended a hand to her.
The air was thick with the scent of fresh wood. Fine particles and leaves still floated to the floor beneath their feet. People were moving about now, assessing the damage.
Eva straightened her jacket. “Been a while since we felt a quake up here.”
“But it’s not uncommon?”
She shook her head. “No, unfortunately. But that one seemed... worse. Come, let’s see if anyone needs our help.”
Even now, men were moving to the downed branch and appraising the damage to the building. Overall, it was minor, and they could chop the branch up for usable wood.
They moved through the stairwell to the other floors, but nothing else seemed amiss besides the shaken residents.
As they rounded the bend to the other side of the settlement, Sarah came into view. “Hey, you both okay?”
“We’re good. Did you hear of any injuries or damage?” Eva asked, still surveying the buildings.
Sarah shook her head. “We heard a part of a tree took out a window at the food hall, but some of the men are already on it.”
Eva nodded. “Okay, we saw that, but that’s still good news. Krieger and I will check the ground floor. Sarah, why don’t you check on the rest of the crew?”
Keeping track of the safety of her crew was important, but seeing Derek after what had happened the other day, she just wasn’t ready for that. It would have to be a problem for another day.
Sarah smiled as she looked between Eva and Krieger. “Yeah, no problem. I’m sure everyone is fine. We’ve been through worse.”
