Chapter 71

When her family had been wiped out in the wars, she had fled the Supernatural Mountains, making her way to Paris, where she learned to hide herself from her people. Tears shimmered unexpectedly in her dark eyes, the memory of that time still raw. She blinked them away and followed Bert along the winding trail.

“I wasn’t just anyone, Miah. I was your best friend. But you always held a part of yourself away from me. No matter how hard I tried, I never could get close to you.” She hated that whiney note in his voice and that made her feel guiltier than ever. He had every reason to feel bad about what had happened between them. She had thought about spending her remaining years with him. She ducked her head, her long hair falling in a cascade around her face.

“I didn’t mean to lead you on, Bert. I hope you believe that. I tried to be honest with you, but there were times when I seriously thought about becoming involved with you. Because I was considering a relationship with you, I must