Loving The Traitor (A Luke Castellan Love Story)[BOOK ONE]

Chapter 21 - I Say Goodbye

I Say Goodbye

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the training grounds as Reese and I sparred, our swords flashing in the midday sun. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, mingling with the dirt and grime of the practice yard as I focused on the rhythm of our movements.

I was lost in the flow of our training when Luke's voice shattered the peaceful atmosphere, his tone urgent and strained. Startled, I turned to face him, a smile tugging at my lips even as a pang of concern gripped my heart. But his expression was grim, his features drawn with an unspoken weight.

"I'm going now," he announced abruptly, his words slicing through the air like a blade. The smile faltered on my lips, replaced by a furrow of confusion as I struggled to comprehend his sudden departure.

"But why?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief. "What's happening, Luke?"

He hesitated, his gaze flickering with uncertainty before he spoke. "I did something. Percy," he muttered, his words heavy with an unspoken burden. My heart lurched at the mention of Percy's name, a sense of foreboding settling over me like a dark cloud.

"What the fuck did you do, Luke?" I demanded, the words tumbling from my lips in a rush of frustration and fear. But Luke's response offered little solace, his assurances ringing hollow in the stillness of the training grounds.

"Percy will be fine," he insisted, his voice strained with the weight of his words. "I just needed to buy time. Everything is going to work out for us."

The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths and unanswered questions. I searched Luke's eyes, the depths of their blue depths betraying a vulnerability I had never seen before. In that moment, all the anger, all the frustration, melted away, leaving only the undeniable truth that bound us together.

"But why now?" I whispered, the words barely above a whisper as I struggled to make sense of his sudden departure. "Why leave like this?"

Luke's gaze softened, a shadow of regret flickering across his features as he spoke. "I'll be back next summer," he promised, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll come get you."

A surge of emotion welled within me, a mixture of longing and uncertainty coursing through my veins. I watched as Luke reached out, his touch warm and reassuring against my skin. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as we stood there, suspended in the quiet of the training grounds.

"And I'll call you every Thursday evening," he murmured, his voice tinged with a mixture of longing and regret. "Right here, by the lake, at our usual time."

I nodded, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy cloak. And then, without another word, he kissed me, sealing our silent pact in the quiet of the afternoon. With a final glance, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me to watch him go with a mixture of longing and uncertainty.