The sunset stared back at him with painted waves rushing onto the warm sand. He rested his arms on his drawn knees and took a deep breath. The music from inside the place he could hear and it cut deeper into him. His blood was burning in frustration and want. He had to escape the dinner in order to keep some level of sanity. "I figured I'd find you out here." That soft voice drew his attention and he watched his sister join him. She leaned forward on her knees and looked out at the ocean. Taking a deep breath, she risked looking at him. "You're leaving?" He looked back at the sea and said "Tonight." "Liam." The worry in her tone picked at him and he ignored her stare. She place a hand on his arm and forced him to look at her. "She feels the same way as you." Her blue eyes read into his and she caught his jaw. His skin was always warm, no matter where they were and she could remember the times he could comfort her in the evenings after they had lost their mother. "I'm not going to watch you destroy you two." He looked away and said "Then don't." "You're being selfish." She stood up and let out a sigh. "Talk to her. If you don't, you are no better than any man on this land." He looked up at her and asked "And what do you suggest I say?" "Tell her the truth." Silently he stood up and looked down into her fiery stare. "The truth won't save us." Eve watched him look away and took a deep breath. She wanted to be angry with him but understood him all too well. Every night she relived the night before she had left. The argument her and Jonathan had was always the same. Her silent departure in the morning would leave her torn whenever she woke. "You'll regret it." "I can live with it." "It'll eat you up inside." He looked back at her and she met his gaze. "You know this how?" "I told Jonathan I was leaving. We fought but he told me to stay with him for the night. He didn't want to believe me but when dawn came I slid from his side and took the children to the valley. I left them with the doctor for the future family they were going to be given and walked away." "Why?" "I knew I wasn't going to be coming back so I didn't tell him good-bye. I left it in a note, believing I would either be killed or taken back with her." Liam studied her as she spoke and felt some the resentment for the man disappearing. He finally understood why the man was protective over her. "Eve." She smirked and said "It's over now but I won't let you do the same." He looked away and she caught his arm. "Please just tell her how you feel if you won't tell her you're leaving." His blue gaze slowly settled on her again and he gave a slight nod. She smiled and wrapped her arm around his. They walked back to the kitchen and found the place empty. The dinner plates and food were put away and all the evening chores were finished. "This place is so quiet." She smirked and said "Trust me, it isn't that way upstairs in the library." He glanced down at her and they walked into the dining room. She saw the light on in the parlor and let go of his arm. They found Grace working on a puzzle with Kara and stopped in the doorway. The woman looked up when she felt their gazes and Eve stepped back. Kara glanced up at the two and followed her out into the hall. Liam stood in the doorway and watched the two disappear upstairs. Grace put the puzzle away and stood up. She placed the box on a table and looked up at the family portrait. "It's so hard to believe they've been gone this long." He looked up at the portrait and met Isaac's gaze. The man and his son looked so much alike in the portrait. Jonathan looked like his father except for the highlights in his hair from his mother. The light in Isaac's brown eyes were non-existent in the ruling son unless he is alone with a certain blonde haired woman. "Grace." She took a deep breath and looked back at him. "I imagine your sister pushed you into this conversation." His blue eyes lingered on her and she took a seat on the couch. He ran a hand through his hair and he took a deep breath. "I was going to leave but Eve convinced me to talk to you. She wants me to be honest with you." "Same here." She smirked again and said "That woman is very persuasive." He leaned against the frame and caught her brown gaze. She could tell he was hiding a great deal from her and looked away. "I really care about you Liam." He continued to watch her and she continued. "I don't want to leave but there really isn't anything here for me. The children have their new family and my cousin is finally in capable hands." "They want you to stay." She smirked and said "I know but I'll come back on visits." He finally looked away and asked "When do you plan on leaving?" "A few weeks. My brother can survive that long without me there." "I wish you a -safe trip home." She looked up and watched him silently leave the room. His tone had been strained and she stood up. She left the parlor but didn't see him. Closing her eyes, she climbed the stairwell and walked into her bedroom. She walked over to her window and looked down at the beach. She saw the couple walking along the sandy shore and smirked. They were in their own world and she looked away. She didn't wait long enough to see the blonde man step into view. Eve looked back at him and left the brown eyed man. "You didn't tell her." Liam stared back at her and kissed her head. She stepped back and he looked out over the waves. She looked back at Jonathan and he walked toward the kitchen. "Let me take you to the pier at least." Her brother looked back at her and they walked up to the stable. Their boots crushed softly on the gravel and she prepared Carina. The mare sniffed her hand and she rubbed her black ear. Swinging up into the saddle, she felt her brother silently join her and they trotted to the hills. The mare stretched into a gallop and the evening breeze cooled their skin. They moved down into the valley and came to a stop outside the town gates. A guard held the reins for them and they walked into the quiet town. The sunset cast a glow over the ocean as they approached the pier. They stopped against the railing and he rested his arms on the cool wood. "Are you sure about this?" He nodded and said "It's for the best." "Liam." "You know you shouldn't worry about me. I'm your older brother." She smirked and said "Maybe so but I care about you too much not to worry." He chuckled and said "Just take care of yourself." "Will you come to visit?" She watched him let out a sigh and shake his head. "I don't know if I can." Her hand rested on his and she gave him a comforting squeeze. Resting her head on his shoulder, she held his gaze and they quietly walked down the pier. Running hooves caught her ear and she glanced back as they stepped onto the beach. They stopped by the water edge and he took her in his arms. "Don't let him push you around." She smiled and said "I can handle him." He nodded and she spotted the woman climbing off Solomon's back. Her cousin swung out of the saddle after her and she looked up at her brother. He took a deep breath and tried to ignore the approaching presence. "I swear if you leave I will hate you forever!" His pulse jumped and he glanced over his shoulder. Grace stood a few feet away and he looked up at the pier. The man stood next to the black stallion and Eve joined him. He watched them mount the stallion and head back home. Silently he looked back at Grace and she stared at him with hurt in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" He looked away and said "It's for the best." "Stop being so stubborn!" He looked back at her and said "You are going home. I'm doing the same." Her palm smacked his jaw and left it burning. He looked down at her and she took a deep breath. "You're a coward." "You deserve someone else." She shook her head and said "I don't want anyone else." "Go home Grace." "Tell me the truth." His blue eyes lingered on her and she could feel her pulse beating rapidly. Her hand caught his and the contact sent a jolt through both of them. "I know you feel it. Jonathan told me it's what he feels whenever he touches Eve." His blue eyes finally looked back at her and he could hear the waves pounding in his ears. "Grace." She held his gaze and tried to read his gaze but couldn't see past the frustration. "You're so infuriating." Her hand loosened on his and held her tongue. "Is that what you think of me?" He wanted to agree with her, lie to her so she would go home but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He tightened a hold on her hand and pulled her to him. His mouth seized hers with raw hunger and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers slid through his blonde hair and she let the electric sensation sweep over her. Slowly he looked down at her and released her. "If you leave now, I'll hunt you down and fight Eve for killing you first." He smirked and said "I imagine you would." "Stay." "I don't belong here. My sister had a connection to this place, not me." "Then let me come with you." He shook his head and said "I can't risk it." "You can't go." "This is why I didn't want to tell you." She caught his arm and said "Please don't leave." Her brown eyes pulled him in and he let out a groan. He needed to walk away, go home and try to live with the hole inside him. Walking away would be suicide but he couldn't bear hurting her by staying. "Your father can help." "Where did you hear that?" She stared at him and he shook his head. Of course she heard it from his sister. The woman was meddling in his life and this was just getting worse every second he lingered. "Liam, I can't lose you." He brushed his hand through her brown hair and said "I don't want to hold you back." "You don't." Her hand rested on his chest and she could feel his heart beat. Every inch of her was burning and a faint song had begun filling her head. His blue eyes lingered on her and she began to understand how her cousin felt when he was struggling against the force of this man's sister. It was impossible for that strong man to resist her as much as she couldn't resist him. Now she was in the same storm, sinking further with this man in front of her. His eyes softened and she felt his hand running along her jaw, teasing her skin with little fire kisses. He captured her mouth again and she could hear the waves in her head, feeling them pull her in. He pulled back and she said "They left Eleanor for us to ride back." His hand caught hers as she guided him back into the quiet town and she looked up at him. His blue eyes were almost laughing and she wrapped her arm around his. They moved to the gates and he helped her onto her mare's back. His arm circled her waist as they trotted up to the hills and galloped back to the stable. When the mare stopped outside the doors, he swung to the ground and helped her down. "It's about time." Liam looked toward the back wall and found his sister standing outside Solomon's stall. He spotted the man grooming the stallion and felt the warm hand capture his. Looking back into that brown gaze, he smirked and met his sister's gaze. She approached and he said "Thanks." She sent him a look and said "I just about gave up on you." He watched her husband capture her around the waist and they walked outside. Grace looked up at him when the two disappeared and he met her gaze. "We didn't stand a chance with those two." He smirked and said "I think I could have easily handled your cousin." She laughed and said "Just like I could've but your sister is a different story." "She certainly is." He wrapped his arm around her waist and they headed toward the courtyard. Quietly they entered the castle and climbed the stairs. She glanced into the East Wing and he pulled her away. He walked her into the West Wing and into his room. The door shut behind them and they were soon lost in each other's arms.