Book 2. Liam - The library 2

Book 2. Liam - The library 2
Liam marveled at the tiny life growing inside her and moving beneath his palm. It brought him comfort to know that, despite everything, life kept going.
“Your husband must be overjoyed that he’ll soon become a father. I still remember the day I learned my wife was pregnant…” His voice trailed off as every memory of Rosalyn had become tainted.
A soul-crushing sob escaped her lips. “You’re wed?”
“You are as well,” he pointed out.
She shook her head. “I am not.”
The baby kicked again as Liam tried to make sense of what she had said.
“Oh,” he breathed, finally understanding that the moment the baby was born, the child would be considered a bastard.
“He tricked me,” she whispered so softly he barely heard her. Tears shone in her eyes. “He made promises to me and broke every single one of them. If I had only known…” She placed her hand over his. “What’s done is done, and no matter how much I regret the past, I can’t undo it. And… for what it’s worth, I already love my baby.”
Even though she remained vague, he could still guess what she meant—the father of her child had abandoned her after getting her pregnant.
“A man like that wasn’t worthy of you in the first place. You and your baby are going to be just fine,” Liam assured Kara. Even the baby stilled at the mention of his father, but Liam continued to keep his palm against her stomach. “While there’s only so much I can do for you, know that you are always under my protection.”
A tear slipped down her cheek before Liam caught it with his thumb.
“He’s not worth it,” he murmured softly.
“That’s not why I’m sad.”
“Oh?” Liam breathed.
Kara nibbled on her bottom lip. “You are too good to me. But… won’t your wife have anything to say about me? Won’t she object to…” She fell silent for a moment, searching for the right words. “Our newfound friendship.”
It hadn’t dawned on Liam until then how much he needed a friend.
Mina’s disappearance hurt like nothing else, and he missed seeing her, talking to her, and spending time with her. While it felt like a betrayal, since Mina had been his only true friend for so long, he needed someone to talk to, someone who would listen to him and stand by his side. Maybe Kara could be that person.
“Don’t worry about my wife,” Liam said, trying to ease her concerns about Rosalyn. “She… our union has been a farce, and each of us discreetly spends time with whomever we choose.”
“So… you don’t love her?” There was hope in her voice.
A bitter laugh escaped Liam. “Gods! No!” he denied at once. 
“Then… we are friends?”
Her small hesitation made Liam wonder if she was afraid of offending him somehow.
“You don’t have to be so guarded with your words around me,” he told her.
“But I do,” she protested. “I grew up in a small village, and I’m afraid my manners aren’t as polished as yours—a city boy’s.” 
Liam laughed at that. “I like that—city boy.”
A grin spread across Kara’s face, her grey eyes shining with amusement. Bathed in the moonlight, she looked like a fey, or some other ethereal creature. It made Liam want to protect her even more.
He would make sure her baby wouldn’t be a bastard. Somehow, he would find a way to give the child a family name.
“About Ivy and Essy,” she said, steering the conversation back to the reason she was truly there. “Can you help me get them out?”
Liam pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Not without putting all of us at risk, and I can’t let anything happen to you.”
His words crushed her.
“Can you at least promise me they’re safe?” she pleaded.
“I’m sorry, Kara,” he said softly, which only seemed to upset her more. “I’ll do everything I can to keep them safe, but with the Order controlling so much of the palace and the demons terrorizing those still loyal to the crown, I’m afraid there’s very little I can do for them right now.”
“There has to be a way to help them,” she insisted. “If not you, then someone else.” Her eyes suddenly widened. “Aksel! I forgot all about him.”
Liam blinked. “Who?”
“He is… he came here with the same purpose as me, but we got separated after I entered the palace,” she explained. “We have to find him.”
Liam dragged a palm down his face. “This Aksel deserves a good scolding for allowing a pregnant woman to come to such a dangerous place.”
A sheepish smile appeared on her lips. “I followed him here.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re trouble.”
“Oh, no!” she denied quickly. “I try to stay out of trouble as much as I can, so it’s not my fault that trouble follows me wherever I go.”
For a moment, Liam forgot all about the Order, the Necromancer, and the state of his kingdom and chuckled softly. It had been a long while since someone had made him laugh, and Kara was surprisingly easy to be around.
He took her hand. “Come on—let’s find Aksel and get you both out of here,” he said as he led her out of the library.
When they reached the door, Liam opened it carefully and peeked into the hallway, first to the left, then to the right. Once he was certain no one was around, they stepped outside and began searching for Aksel.
They were nearing the throne room when Kara suddenly pulled Liam behind a large marble column, her palm pressed firmly over his mouth.
Moments later, the voices of two men echoed down the hallway. The hairs on Liam’s arms stood on end.
“He’s in the dungeons,” one of the men said.
“Good,” the other replied, sounding quite pleased. “Make sure you find out why he was snooping around here when he was supposed to be finding where the bastards are hiding.”
The first man sounded almost eager. “I will do my best.”
A few moments later, the voices faded as the two men disappeared down the hallway.
Liam gently removed Kara’s hand from his mouth. “That was close,” he murmured. “One of those men was the Necromancer, but I didn’t recognize the other voice.”
“That,” Kara said, her voice cracking, “was my brother.” A shiver ran along her body. “And I think Aksel is in the dungeons and my brother is going to torture him until he reveals what he was doing here tonight.”
Dread washed over him. Her brother was a servant of the Necromancer? He didn’t think she was one as well, and if that was the case… 
“I have to get you out of here,” he said urgently.
“Come with me,” she pleaded.
“Where?”
“Into the sewers.”

I hope to get another chapter ready in 2-3 days.