Chapter 19 - 18 - Noble From the Fotress
Riven opened his eyes with a groan.
The first thing he saw was the sky, veiled in green leaves swaying gently in the wind. The midday breeze carried a stifling warmth, brushing against his sweat-drenched skin. He lay on the grass and his neck... aching.
With a scowl, he raised a hand and rubbed the tender skin on his throat. Just moments ago, someone had choked him until he passed out.
And the culprit...
His eyes shifted sideways. Beneath the shadow of a large tree, the woman sat, her back resting against the trunk, unmoving like a living statue. Her long, red hair swayed softly in the wind. Her gaze was distant, eyes fixed on something far beyond reach—as though her mind had drifted away into some unknown place.
Riven furrowed his brow.
’Is she thinking about what happened last night?’
He groaned and sat up with effort. "Gods... Do you choke everyone who saves your life?!" he snapped, his voice loud and furious.
The woman didn’t respond at first. She slowly turned her head toward him, her expression blank. But something was different this time—subtle, like the shadow of an old wound that never truly healed.
"No one’s ever treated me kindly," she whispered. "Let alone helped me... or saved me. Everyone just wants me dead."
Riven fell silent.