Monday morning Livia got an invitation from Felicity again to do ice cream that weekend. Livia sighed and ignored the message as she got ready. Livia made sure she had the right textbook for her class. Then she slung her bag over her shoulder and walked down to campus.
Oliver waved her over when she walked into the room. Livia went to sit next to him. “How was your weekend?” she asked.
“Funny you ask,” he sighed. “I decided to drop out.”
Livia’s eyes widened. “You did? Why?”
“I got a sponsor for my channel and I decided to make that my job. All this science...it’s not me.”
“So, I won’t see you?” Livia asked, distraught.
Oliver was surprised. “You’d want to see me?”
Well, that was tricky to answer. “Are you staying around the area?”
“No, I’d be going back to California, my home state.”
“Right, thanks for being a friend to me,” Livia said.
Oliver looked sad. “You aren’t going to miss me, are you?”
“A little,” Livia said. She liked having him as a friend.
He smiled. “Maybe you can tune into my channel. Call me sometime and let me know what you think?”
“If I ever do, I’ll let you know,” Livia said.
“I’d like that,” he said.
Livia was sad for him. He seemed lonely. “Well, if you ever find yourself back in this area let me know. We’ll hang out.”
“Thanks,” he said. “That means a lot. It will be nice to be back with my family. I miss them.”
Then class started, making it hard for Livia to reply.
###
Livia dithered over getting ice cream with the Caesarea folks for a few days. Then, that feeling returned. The deep loneliness coupled with the need to connect with someone that understood her. So, she wrote back and agreed to meet up with them. Oliver would fly back to California that Saturday and Whitney planned to spend the weekend with family. Livia didn’t want to be alone the entire weekend.
Livia could only describe her feelings about the hangout as apprehensive. Why did Corvin have to confront her at the end of the hike? Why did Terrance have to misrepresent her feelings to him? She didn’t imagine it would get better if Corvin knew she’d been afraid of him. She was pretty sure Corvin would be bothered, a lot. He would try to fix it and Livia wasn’t certain she wanted that. The status quo between them was familiar. She was fine with that. It didn’t need to be fixed.
Livia took a long time getting ready, analyzing every aspect of the way she looked. She ran her mascara wand through her eyelashes one last time. Her anxious brown eyes peered back at her. She attempted to reassure herself. She looked fine. Natural make-up. White shirt, black slacks, dark brown hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She was probably dressed too formally for an ice cream shop but she’d rather be too formal than the opposite. People from Caesarea needed to see her as competent and put-together. Livia had to prove to them that she wasn’t like her mother.
Livia hated living in her mother’s incredibly long, drama-filled, shadow. It made her feel like she had to be perfect. That she could never make mistakes. Sighing heavily, she put away her makeup and grabbed her purse. She’d thought about making up an excuse not to show up. Livia picked through her jewelry to delay the inevitable. She caught sight of the ring Gaius, the current paterfamilias of Taurus house, had given her as a high school graduation gift. An ancient seal ring, the golden band held an oval, onyx stone carved with the image of a Raven. Gaius had told her that it belonged to her grandmother and her mother before her and before her as long as anyone could remember. Livia picked the ring up and slid it over her ring finger. She spoke to it, invoking the spirits of her ancestors, people who were strangers but whom she felt connected to anyway. Give me courage.
It was a silly thing, but she didn’t feel so alone.
###
The ice cream shop was bustling with college kids. She found the three of them sitting in a single booth. The only empty spot was next to Corvin. Livia hesitated.
Corvin stood when he saw her. “Livia.”
He lowered his chin respectfully. Livia didn’t know if she liked the formal show of respect or not. Sure, it was nice to be acknowledged but it made her acutely aware that he was raised patrician and she most definitely wasn’t. He may as well have erected a wall between them for how estranged it made her feel.
There was a silence that stretched heavy between them. Terrance and Felicity watched, curious, waiting. Livia got the sense she was supposed to do something specific in return. She looked back at Corvin and cleared her throat.
“Hi, Corvin, how are you?” she attempted.
A surprised look crossed over Felicity’s face and Livia wondered what she had done wrong. Caesarea folk were way too preoccupied with formalities.
Corvin wasn’t bothered and turned to Livia and adopted a more relaxed demeanor. “I’m good, Liv. How are you?”
“I’m fine.”
“Let’s go back to Ratco now that she’s here--” Felicity stood. “It’ll be easier to chat.”
Everyone murmured in agreement. Terrance and Felicity jetted out of their booth seat. They seemed uncomfortable in the crowded ice cream parlor. Only Corvin remained, as if hesitant to move too quickly. She eased closer to him, needing to ask before she went anywhere. “Who is Ratco?”
“It’s the codename for the apartment,” he said.
“What about getting ice cream?” she asked.
“Do you want some?” he asked.
Livia shook her head. None of the rest of the group was getting ice cream. “No, I’m good.”
“I’ll pay,” Corvin offered, brow furrowing.
“No,” Livia’s cheeks turned hot. “That’s nice, but I won’t make the others wait.”
“Another time,” he said.
Corvin gave her the address to a place fifteen minutes away. Livia pulled up to a little townhouse and found a parking spot labeled visitor and pulled in. She thought about driving away and heading home. There was a high chance that things would only get worse if she went in. She’d committed some kind of blunder when Corvin greeted her. The way Felicity and Terrance had run out of the ice cream parlor made her worry they wanted nothing to do with her.
Livia brushed her thumb over the ring she wore. She took a deep breath. “Courage.”
She got out of the car and crossed the parking lot, climbed the steps, and knocked on the door. Terrance smiled when he let her in. “We’ve been waiting. Come on in.”
The first thing Livia saw when she walked in the door was a guitar. It sat propped on a stand next to a stool. Curious, she stared at it.
“It’s Corvin’s,” Terrance said, waving his hand back toward the couches in the front room. “Come in, sit.”
He seemed way more relaxed and pleased to see her. Livia wondered at the difference. Livia looked where Terrance gestured. Corvin sat in an armchair. Terrance closed the door behind her and sat next to Felicity on the couch. Livia had a choice between taking the third cushion on the couch or sitting on an empty loveseat. Livia opted to take a seat on the loveseat.
There was a silent moment.
“Did...something…” she looked around at them. She had to gather her courage. “Did I do something wrong?”
Corvin shook his head. “We were the ones that were behaving poorly, expecting you to perform our culture in a public place. I’m sorry.”
Livia was confused. “That’s why you wanted out of there so fast?”
“Oh,” Terrance said. “No, it was just so crowded. As Empaths, that type of environment is difficult to concentrate. Too many emotions.”
Livia decided to be blunt. "Are you an Adnotator?"
"No, an Olfactator, which is worse in that sort of situation. At least Adnotators can close their eyes to shut the emotions out. I can't stop smelling."
Livia looked at Felicity.
"I'm an Auscultatrix," she admitted.
Livia's eyes narrowed. "I haven't heard that one before."
"I can hear emotions when people speak," she said.
Livia asked, expecting a positive answer. "Even when they imitate a happy tone?"
"Yeah, you can't hide from an empath," Felicity said.
"What was Arik?" Terrance inquired. "If you don't mind us asking--"
"Gustator," Livia said.
They both nodded, accepting. Livia wondered if their lack of response should be interpreted negatively. Livia knew Gustators were considered useless in Rattus house. You couldn't go around casually tasting people. Status was more determined by familial relationships in Caesarea than by ability, but being a Gustator didn't gain Arik any respect.
Livia turned her attention to Corvin. "And you...what are you talking about?”
Corvin sighed. “According to Caesarean custom, You’re supposed to tilt your chin up and say my name to invite me to speak to you.”
Livia could only think of that as bizarre and she was sure it showed in her expression. “What?”
“Yes,” Corvin nodded. “If you lower your chin and say ‘Salve’ that is a dismissal.”
“What if I don’t know the person’s name?” Livia asked.
“You lift your chin up and say ‘tell me your name.’”
“So, I’ve been talking to people when they don’t want me to and ignoring those that do invite me to speak with them this entire time?” Livia asked.
“It’s a Patrician thing,” Corvin said. “The plebeians don’t stand on formality. With them, you would have been fine as you are.”
“Corvin?” Livia couldn’t hide her hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me this ages ago?”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Corvin winced. “I thought you didn’t follow the rules on purpose. I only realized you didn’t actually...know. That it wasn’t a deliberate choice.”
“Who would have told me?” Livia asked.
“Gaius?” Corvin asked.
Livia shook her head. “No.”
“I’m so sorry, Liv,” Corvin said, running a hand through his hair. “It has been a hard year. A hard two years. So hard, that Justin forced me into this sabbatical. Part of me wonders if he did it on purpose because he knew you’d be here too.”
“So, he did ask you to watch out for me?” she asked.
Corvin laughed. “No, he wanted to deny that he’d done it on purpose. He didn’t speak a word until I called him to demand answers that first day I saw you on campus.”
“What?” Livia gasped.
“He made me apply specifically to this program two days before the deadline. Before, we were negotiating on what my sabbatical would look like. I was going to stay in Caesarea. Then I got accepted and there was no more compromising. He literally kicked me out of Caesarea and said it was for my own good.”
“Whoa, really?” Livia asked.
Corvin shrugged as if he didn’t know what was going on either.
Livia asked, genuinely concerned, “So, what is Justin plotting?”
“I don’t know,” Corvin grumbled. “I’m particularly put out with him right now. Did he force you out here too?”
“No,” Livia shook her head. “Tavian Hall recommended the school to me. So, I applied. Justin did write my recommendation letter, though. I told him when I got in.”
“So you’re here of your own free will at least,” Corvin said. “That’s a relief to know.”
“Do you dislike it here?” Livia asked.
“No,” Corvin winced. “It’s been really good for me.”
Livia laughed. “Justin was right?”
“He was so right,” Corvin admitted, shaking his head, ruefully.
“That’s...pretty hilarious,” Livia said.
“Yeah, yeah, everyone else is laughing about it too.”
“I’m happy you’re happy,” Livia said.
Corvin asked, “Are you happy, Livia?”
Livia took a deep breath. “It’s...okay? I’m okay. But it’s not what I expected.”
“How so?” he asked.
“I just thought...it’d be different.”
Corvin frowned, concerned. “Is everything okay?”
Livia nodded. “Classes are fine. I like my roommate. No problems.”
“Not even with Oliver?” Felicity asked.
“He’s left,” Livia told her.
“Oh no, what?” Terrance asked.
“He decided to go back to being a twitch player. He got a sponsor and flew back out to California today.”
“You sad about that?” Felicity asked.
“A little?” Livia admitted but changed the topic. She gestured to Corvin and then Terrance. “How did you end up rooming together?”
Terrance spoke up. “We’re cousins on his maternal side.”
Livia looked at Corvin.
“My mom is from Rattus house,” Corvin explained. He gestured to Terrance “This is our place. We call it Ratco cause he and Felicity are Rattus and well...I’m Corvin.”
“I’m in the dorms,” Livia said.
Felicity’s eyes widened. “Why did you decide to do that?”
Livia felt her defenses rise at her poorly disguised shock. “They’re fine.”
“I mean...that must be hard…” Felicity stammered.
“They’re fine.” Livia glared. She’d had enough of Caesarea’s inside vs outside and civ vs non-civ to last an entire lifetime.
Felicity coughed awkwardly to break the tension. “We find it hard cause their out--”
Livia’s interrupted. “They’re normal people.”
Felicity flexed her wrist in an exaggerated circle. “Exactly, so you have to hide who you are all the time. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“That’s how I grew up,” Livia said, realizing as she said it how it would sound to them.
“So, you’re okay with that?” Felicity asked, surprised. “You seemed to not enjoy that whole charade with Oliver at the school.”
“I...that’s...that’s the way it is--” Livia said, flustered. She had thought it would be easier. However, Livia was realizing her emotions weren’t as straightforward as she’d expected. Caesarea had changed her. She thought getting away, distance, was what she needed. She was starting to wonder if she was wrong.
“We don’t consider that very healthy,” Felicity said.
Well, this conversation had turned on Livia rather swiftly. She didn’t know what to say to that. Everything she’d say would probably make them flag her for mental illness but Livia had lived a difficult life. Having healthy options was a hell of a privilege. She didn’t even think like that. If there was food on the table, you didn’t ask questions--you ate it. If you were sick, you ignored it--unless you were about to die.
“You’re always welcome here,” Corvin said, firmly. “You’ll usually find at least one of us at home.”
Terrance crossed his ankle over his knee. “No big deal.”
The show of support touched Livia. She tried to hide it. She brushed her nose and looked at the ground. “I’m fine.”
“Why didn’t you ask to room with someone?” Felicity asked. “I mean, we could have gotten a place together if you’d posted on the board.”
Livia had known about the board. Tavian had told her about it. Just like he’d been the one to mention Cornelia Africana University. It was known in Rattus house as a good place for people from Caesarea to go to college, with its little classically inspired campus and strong humanities emphasis.
“I wanted to feel normal,” Livia said. “Like a normal college freshman.”
“But we’re different from them,” Felicity said, confused.
Livia realized Felicity’s conception of normal was likely different than hers. She experienced a sense of sharp disorientation as she realized her default definition of normal was shaped by non-civ culture and not by Caesarean expectations. A deep discomfort overwhelmed her as she wondered if she was doing everything all wrong.
“It doesn’t matter,” Livia said sharply, trying to shake off the sensation.
“But it does,” Felicity said with exasperation.
“Stop being so obsessed with how people are different!” Livia stood, an ache tightened her throat. “I won’t listen to it anymore.”
“Livia may feel more at home in their culture than she feels in our culture,” Corvin broke in smoothly. “It’s what she is used to.”
“She’s being unfair,” Felicity said. Her eyes shone with a wet sheen.
Had Livia made her cry? Livia tried to figure out if she was close to crying. Was Felicity picking up Livia's emotions? Or had Livia genuinely hurt her? Did Livia need to apologize? Rattus were so complicated.
“Maybe, but getting upset over it will only make the situation worse,” Corvin said. “It’s okay for two people to feel differently about the same situation.”
Felicity huffed and looked away.
Terrance interrupted the spat. “Tell us about your classes, Liv. May I call you that? Liv?”
Livia's hesitated. Unsure of how to fix things. She looked between Terrance and Felicity several times before answering, “Livia. Liv. I don’t care."
Felicity turned toward her, conciliatory. “You like your classes? Are they difficult?”
Livia stared at her, annoyed that she appeared so calm. Livia’s heart was still pumping heat through her veins. She kept her words as short as possible to avoid hurting Felicity again. “Not too difficult.”
“Yeah, piece of cake after Caesarea Academy, right?” Terrance joked.
Everyone laughed, except Livia. She’d already graduated from high school when she came to Caesarea. So she’d never attended Caesarea Academy but rumors about its academic rigor were legendary.
“How many credits are you taking?” Felicity asked.
Livia studied Felicity, surprised at her persistence to continue the conversation. The joke about Caesarea Academy didn’t land right but they were still trying. She deliberately took a deep breath before she spoke again. Livia’s tension eased a tad and she realized how tense she’d gotten. “Fifteen.”
Livia sat back down. Tentatively, they all exchanged information about how their schedules looked. Most of Corvin’s classes were late afternoon and early evening. The mornings he spent studying and working out. He ran two miles and did weights in the basement of the townhouse. He still had to maintain department physical fitness standards to transfer over to the academy.
They chatted for over an hour without any more disagreements. They decided to order pizza and keep talking.
Felicity turned to Corvin now the atmosphere was relaxed. “Um, Corvin, I need help with something--”
“What is it?” he asked.
“I’m signed up for the wrong section of math. So, now I need to drop it and add a new one. They’re making me submit a form instead of doing it online since it’s two weeks into the semester. The online registration closes down after a certain date.”
He nodded. “Yeah?”
“So, who do I turn the form into?”
Livia laughed. Not because she thought Felicity was stupid for asking the question but because she’d made the same mistake in Caesarea only in reverse. The forum was a small enclosed place, built underground to hide its existence. Overcrowding could be dangerous so lines were discouraged. That meant most paperwork was handled by Patrons who submitted it on behalf of people to keep public spaces clear. Terrance and Felicity exchanged a look over her laughter--shared disapproval.
Corvin frowned at Livia. “I’m not sure, Felicity. I’d have to look it up.”
“You have to turn it in yourself,” Livia said.
“I do?” she asked, surprised.
“Yeah,” Livia nodded. “Probably in the administration building. You’ll have to stand in line.”
Felicity’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
“That’s how it is done out here,” Livia said. “When I got to Caesarea people got mad at me because I kept showing up to submit forms and papers instead of sending them to my Patron. It was awful the first month. I didn’t understand why it didn’t work the way it was supposed to.”
“Supposed to…” Felicity said.
“Of course you would manage your own paperwork,” Livia said. “Why would you trust someone else too?”
Felicity’s chin drew in. “What?”
“It doesn’t even bother you does it?” Livia asked.
“Which part?” she asked, eyes looking troubled.
“Trusting people to deal with your papers,” Livia said. “Out here, all these people are strangers. You don’t know them. It’s dangerous for them to have access to your personal information. They can steal your identity.”
“What?” she asked in disbelief. “How can anyone steal your identity? Everyone knows…” she stopped. “No one knows me.”
She put her hand on her chest and a look of panic filled her face. Crap, Livia hadn’t meant to scare her.
“Hey, it’s fine,” Livia said. “Most people are indifferent. They don’t care about you enough to notice you.”
This didn’t comfort her. It made it worse.
Livia opened her mouth to try and fix it again.
Corvin held up a hand. “Liv, stop. You’re making it worse.”
Livia frowned. “I’m trying to help.”
“I know, but it’s not working. Let me, okay?”
“Felicity, what can we do for you right now?” Corvin asked, kindly.
She shook her head.
“Can you tell us what you’re thinking?” he asked.
She shook her head again.
“Have you trusted anyone with papers or personal information here?” he asked.
“No,” her voice came out quietly. “But...I didn’t believe people when they said...people from Caesarea get tricked out here.”
“But what Livia said made you realize you could?” Corvin asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “What if she hadn’t said anything?”
Corvin spoke gently. “But she did and you did the exact right thing by asking questions.”
Felicity’s face softened. “Right.”
“We care about you,” Corvin said. “We’re here. Livia, Terrance, and Me. If you need anything we can help.”
“I didn’t realize it’d be so hard,” Felicity’s eyes filled with tears and she cast a look at Livia. Understanding dawned at that moment. Felicity was so focused on the differences between being civ and non-civ because things were hard for her right now. Livia shutting her down earlier made it impossible for her to talk about what she was struggling with. Struck with guilt Livia made an offer.
“We get out of class about the same time Monday morning,” Livia said. “I can walk with you to the admin building. Stand in line next to you.”
“You’d do that?” Felicity asked.
Livia nodded. “Yeah.”
“That’s nice,” she said.
Livia shrugged. “It’s hard to get used to a new place.”
Felicity’s tears overflowed.
Livia’s guilt quadrupled. She cleared her throat. “I was unfair...earlier.”
“How’d you get used to Caesarea?” she asked.
“I didn’t,” Livia said. “I’ve moved a lot. Adapted to a lot of places growing up. But Caesarea was...hard.”
Felicity’s eyes widened. “Are you going to go back?”
Livia hesitated. She thought about being honest. Thought about lying. Thought about her mom. Thought about her brother Hyrum. “I’m trying to figure that out right now.”
“Will you go rogue?” she asked, horrified.
Livia sighed. This was the second time Felicity had asked her the question. “That’s...I know that’s what my mom did. But that’d mean being estranged from Hyrum. I won’t do that.”
“So, how’d you live there if you hated it?” Felicity asked.
“You hate it here?” Livia asked.
“Well, do you like it?” Felicity asked.
“This is a good place,” Livia assured her. “It’s a lot safer than lots of the places I’ve lived. It’s beautiful and clean and close to nature. Like Caesarea, it’s also very close to nature.”
“I never thought of that,” Terrance said. “That’s true.”
“You didn’t answer my question. How’d you deal with living in Caesarea, if you hated it?” Felicity insisted.
Livia folded her arms across her stomach. “I don’t think my answers are going to be your answers, Felicity.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“Well,” Livia hesitated. “Have you ever starved? It was better than starving--”
Felicity blinked. “Oh.”
Livia looked at the ground. “It was better than a lot of things…”
Livia knew that they all knew her family history. It had come up more than once during Hyrum’s political fights with the senate.
“I see,” Felicity breathed.
“This is a good place,” Livia said, earnestly.
Felicity nodded. “Okay.”
Livia said, “Every day will be different. It’ll be hard, but good stuff happens along with the bad stuff, usually. That helps.”
Felicity laughed. “You’re tough.”
“I’m Taurus,” Livia grinned. It felt good to say it. To own it. Happiness skittered along her skin.
###
The pizza had arrived. Livia moved with Terrance into the kitchen. Felicity and Corvin lingered behind. She could hear Corvin’s calm voice offering comfort and advice. Livia loaded a paper plate up with Pizza.
Felicity decided not to stay to eat and left the house. Livia tensed, looking between her plate and the door. Should she leave too? Now that her plate was full of food, it’d be weird to walk out. Corvin came into the kitchen. “Everything alright, Liv?”
“Um, we were invited to eat pizza right?” she asked in a small voice.
“Of course,” he said. “Please, stay, I got too much for just the two of us.”
Livia looked at Terrance with mischief in her smile. “I’m pretty sure you could handle it.”
Terrance laughed. Corvin smiled.
Terrance said, “Stay, Liv. It’s nice to have a new face around.”
“We have the same conversations over and over,” Corvin said.
The two of them caveman grunted a conversation about doing chores that made Livia laugh so hard her eyes teared up.
Corvin got himself a plateful of pizza, standing next to Livia at the bar. “Liv, if I may ask a personal question.”
Having him so near made her nervous. She didn’t know why, but her heart started pounding.
“What question?” she asked.
“Are you engaged?”
She flinched. “What? What made you ask that?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Terrance said.
She looked at him bewildered.
“You’re wearing a ring,” Corvin said.
“Oh, oh,” Livia pulled the ring off and put it on the counter in front of her as if it had burned her. “No.”
There was silence. Livia explained. “It was a graduation gift from Gaius.”
“May I see it?” asked Corvin.
Livia nodded, her throat tight with anxiety.
Corvin plucked the ring up from the counter and inspected it. “Beautiful,” he said, quietly. He turned a wry gaze on her. “It’s a Raven.”
Heat rushed to Livia’s cheeks. She didn’t want to admit that was part of the reason she’d chosen it. The cool, black stone and the engraved image had appealed to the bird-watcher in her. She tried to shrug like it was nothing. “Gaius said it belonged to my grandmother and her mother and her mother as far back as people can remember,” Livia explained.
He turned to her. “The safest place for it is on your finger.”
Corvin pulled her hand into his palm and then slid the ring back onto her finger. Livia froze and stopped breathing, as warmth spread in her chest, and a whisper of a pleasant tingle traveled up her arm at his touch.
Livia jerked her hand from his. “That’s kind.” her voice was short, cold. She tried again. “Of you to say...nice...I--” Thirty seconds ago she knew how to thank someone properly.
“Are you trying to say thank you?” Corvin asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, if...I made you uncomfortable?” he said.
Livia took a deep breath, hating how vulnerable and shaken she felt because of the attraction he'd provoked. Inhaling with him so close was a mistake. It was impossible to ignore his scent. Clean laundry. The smell immediately took Livia back to their first meeting.
“You smell,” Livia commented, her mind in another place.
“I do?” Corvin asked, easing back.
“It’s the same smell from the night we met--”
Corvin stopped moving backward and tilted his head to the side. “Does that bother you, Liv?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “You kept me safe but--”
“You were hurt,” he said. “Does it upset you to remember?”
Livia closed her eyes and shook her head. She stepped back from him. “I’m alright now.”
To prove her point she took a big bite of her pizza. Corvin continued to watch her. “We can talk about it,” he said.
“Nope.” Livia took another bite.
“Well, you’re eating,” he said. “That’s a sign you’re not too upset.”
Livia remembered being unable to eat the night they first met. Not until after midnight when he’d offered her dark chocolate that Arik had told him was her favorite. Then he’d sat with her through the entire night, as she had awful nightmares. He hadn’t complained when her terror had made her cling to him. When she’d pressed her face into his back and flung her arms over his shoulders he remained still as a rock and let her hold him.
Suddenly, Livia wanted to cry. That Corvin was different from the Corvin she’d met in Caesarea. She missed that Corvin. She sometimes wondered if she’d imagined him, and that hurt her heart.
Terrance had stilled and watched them with concern on his face.
“I’m fine,” she told him. But her appetite had disappeared. She took a bite and couldn’t swallow it. She grabbed a napkin and spat into it.
“Liv,” Corvin said. “Why don’t--”
“I’m going to go,” Livia flashed a smile. “Nice night. Thanks for the invite.”
Then she fled. She grabbed her purse, pulled out her keys, and slipped out the front door.