The Secrets of Lore Seymour

82. An Unexpected Truth

The day waiting in the capital is primarily spent in my room where my silent treatment against Lore continues. He knocks in the morning to remind me breakfast is ready in which I ask a butler to bring it to my room. Then Lore knocks around nightfall to remind me that we're leaving early tomorrow. I never answer and he never barges in, which is somewhat surprising. I don't have the patience to deal with him right now. My head's a mess, so this silence continues to the morning where we get ready to board the ship to Silra. Draven calls us a car where I sit in the front and Lore, begrudgingly, sits alone in the back. Call me petty, I don't care.

At the airship station, everything is a mess. People move chaotically to catch their airship. We get to ours without issue. Lore makes his third attempt to speak to me when we drop our luggage off in our rooms.

"There appears to be a musical this evening in the opera house. Do you want to attend?" he asks, holding up the pamphlet from his bedside table.

I don't answer and head for the door. Lore grasps my wrist, tugging me gently towards him. "Seren," he says, brows furrowed. "How much longer will you keep this up?"

I smile at him. He frowns. His hand drifts down my wrist in an attempt to grasp my hand. I pull away and grab the door knob. Lore steps closer, obviously intent on following me. I send a glare over my shoulder.

"We're meant to stick together," he says.

I break my silence to point out, "That only applied on our way to Vexsis."

"Priests were attacked on our way there. There could be trouble on the way home."

"There is a much easier way to do this than by following me around all day. You can just be honest with me and the problem will be solved."

Lore's eyes darken. "I think that will only cause more problems."

"And not telling me isn't causing more problems?" I argue, shoving my shoulder against his chest to force him a few steps back. "I'm tired of being lied to, Lore."

"Some lies are necessary."

"Don't give me that shit," I growl, clenching my hands into fists. "You've tried to make me see the church's lies for months. Now that I finally have, you're going to lie to me too."

He averts his gaze, teeth grinding behind his lips.

"I don't need that right now, not after going to Trinia and running into Jakoby."

Lore raises a curious brow.

"He acted as if he didn't even know me, so he's hiding something!" My voice raises higher and higher until my throat starts to ache. "Olere, my greatest idol all my life, may know about what the church is doing. I hope that he doesn't because I can't have every damn thing pulled out from under me. Why can't I have anyone honest in my life? Am I undeserving of the truth?!"

"Seren," he whispers, reaching towards me.

I refuse his attempt at comfort. "Out of everyone, I thought you would be honest. You've always been blunt with me. You don't hold back, but you're holding back now when I really need you not to. Why don't you understand that?"

"It isn't that I don't understand," he says softly, blue eyes brimming with concern. "I want to be honest, but I... I do not know how you will react to these secrets and..."

Lore looks out of place. I've never seen him like that, like he isn't sure what to say or do. He always has a remark to give, always acts in whatever way he sees fit, but not now. He stands before me flexing his hands at his sides like that will conjure the words evading him.

"And?" I ask, approaching him to rest my hands on his arms. I feel the tension, the way his biceps strain and shoulders roll.

Heaving a long breath, he says, "And I do not doubt that many, including you, may not like what I have hidden. You may leave if you learned all my truths."