The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, Caleb kept his word.
He arranged for one of his men to take me to the place where Riley was held.
Before I left, he said, âDarling, Iâm leaving Rileyâs situation in your hands.
Iâve got to tackle some issues with rebuilding the Thorn Edge Pack.
When you get back, weâll go out for a big meal.
â
âOkay.
â
We said our goodbyes at the door and headed off in separate directions.
Caleb hadnât been harsh with Riley.
Instead, he made sure she was placed in the best place in Thorn Edge Pack.
Unlike the cramped rooms where ten to twenty people were squeezed together, Riley had a much better arrangement.
She stayed in a luxurious double room that was clean and well-maintained.
Upon inspecting the room more closely, I noticed it wasnât damp or dark like the others, and it lacked the usual musty odor.
Luca and Riley shared the room.
As I approached the door, I saw Riley and Luca organizing their things.
Luca looked the same.
He was still innocent and sweet.
Riley, however, had lost weight.
Her face was lined with worry, and her eyes were deeply sunken.
It was clear that the guilt had been tormenting her.
âDebra?â
Riley turned at the sound of my arrival.
Her expression shifted from disbelief to anguish, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.
Riley stood and moved towards me, trembling.
She reached out to grab me but then, as if remembering something, recoiled as if shocked and stammered, âIâm so relieved youâre not dead.
Iâm so relievedâ¦â
Without hesitation, I firmly took Rileyâs hand.
Meeting her startled gaze, I smiled and reassured her, âRiley, itâs all behind us now.
Iâm here to take you home.
â
Hearing my words, Riley paused, then shook her head vigorously, tears streaming down her face.
âNo, Iâma sinner.
I donât deserve to leave.
Itâs all my fault, Debra! If it werenât for meâ¦â
I cut her off softly.
âWhy do you think you hurt me? Stop talking like that.
Look at me, Iâm doing just fine, arenât I?â
But Riley was unyielding and held firm to her belief.
She said with a hint of guilt, âItâs true, you were nearly killed because of me.
If not for my actions, you wouldnât have ended up in Galeâs clutches, and your life wouldnât have been at risk.
Why shouldnât I face some consequences?â
I had no option but to comfort her as I had done with Caleb before.
âRiley, this isnât your fault.
Youâre a victim too, manipulated by Gale.
You donât deserve to be punished.
â
Yet, Riley stubbornly shook her head.
âNo, I am to blame.
I shouldnât be let off so easily.
My negligence let Gale lead the Xeric Packâs army here and cause chaos.
Itâs all on me!â
I rubbed my forehead, feeling at a loss.
After pondering for a moment, I decided to play on Rileyâs greatest vulnerability.
âIf you refuse to leave, what about Luca? Do you want him to be cooped up here with you?â
At that, Riley was visibly shaken.
Clearly, she hadnât considered Lucaâs situation and had only been focused on atoning for her own mistakes.
She bit her lip and lapsed into silence.