CHAPTER 200: GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Riven took a deep breath. He looked at the girls. "Liana, can I ride with you? There’s something I’ve wanted to talk to you about," Riven said.

Mia and Sofia frowned, but they didn’t speak. The man looked at Riven and gave him a smile. He could understand what Riven was going through, and Riven made the right choice there.

The four men pulled out the wyverns and controlled them for Riven and the rest to get on. Riven got on the wyvern, and Liana got behind him. She wrapped her hands around his waist.

Mia and Sofia shot her a cold look but stepped before Riven could notice it. Still, Sofia watched Liana closely, and her bloodlust was not hidden. She made sure that Liana could sense it.

The men led the wyverns out of the building, and then the man who sat with Noel made a call, a sound they didn’t understand, and immediately the wyverns shot into the air.

The wind blasted across their faces as they flew. Riven could feel the wind pressing against his face, it felt good.

Liana suddenly tightened her hands around him and leaned in close. She pressed her head on his back.

Riven felt as if he had been shocked by a heavy bolt of lightning. He froze up, almost sweating.

"Riven," she spoke in a soft tone.

"Yeah?" he replied, making sure he faced forward.

"Don’t look back, okay?" she said.

"And why’s that?" he asked.

"Because I don’t want you to see me this way," she replied.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Just don’t look," she said.

"Fine, I won’t look," he said. They went quiet for a few more seconds, and then he finally spoke.

"There was once a time you didn’t like the sight of me. I still recall our first meeting months ago," Riven said.

"I didn’t know you then. I believed the rumors that were said about you. But the more I got to know you, the more I understood that I misjudged you, and you were a very different person," she said.

"Different? How so?" Riven asked.

"You weren’t the same person they told me about," she said.

"I wasn’t the talentless person they said?" he asked.

"Yes, but that’s not the most important part. You weren’t the stubborn troublemaker that didn’t do anything right.

Instead, you turned out to be someone that cared for others and also stood for himself. I can’t count the number of times you saved me and others, risking your own life for us, for me," she said, pressing into his back even more.

Riven struggled to control his breath. He looked at the other wyverns; they were in front, so they couldn’t see what was happening.

"I was only doing what was right. You guys are my classmates, and so I should at least stand for you guys," he said calmly.

"Is that all it is about? You never saved me because I was your fiancée? If not, I’ll be sad," she said and pressed into him more.

Riven swallowed hard. "I tried my best not to think about the fact that you are my fiancée. I didn’t want something like that to go to my head.

The daughter of the Duke, my fiancée? Something like that is really nice, but a relationship is built not on status but on people understanding themselves," Riven said.

"I see. Then why don’t we get into a relationship?" she asked. Those words took Riven unaware. He tried to look back, and she pushed his head forward. "Don’t look back, please," she said.

Riven sighed. He looked forward. "Is this you asking me out?" he asked.

"Yes, it is. I know you’ll be too busy doing whatever, and you’ll never have the chance to ask me.

Or you’ll be too worried that asking me will hurt the other two. I’m fine with you dating those other two, as long as you show me the attention I need," she said.

"Uhmmm." Riven was stunned. He didn’t know how to handle the situation. He looked around, trying to think, but there was no way out of this.

He took a deep breath and then spoke. "I’m still thirteen, fourteen in less than a month. And you are still fourteen. We are both young," Riven said.

"Don’t try to shoot me down," she said and squeezed him hard, making him cough.

"Fine, fine, I won’t run away from it. Honestly, beyond your proud and pompous exterior, you are soft and nice, with a strange sense of justice.

I like you, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to date you. So instead of me saying yes, then let’s spend some more time together. I want to know you more, I want to know the real Liana," he said. It took him all the mental strength he had to say that.

Liana chuckled. "I guess that’s the best answer you can give. It’s not easy having three fiancées, but it’s not like we aren’t already dating. On paper, you are my fiancé," she said.

"That’s true, we are already in a relationship," Riven said. "But on paper. So let’s get to know each other, can we?" Riven asked.

"We can. I think I like that," she said and squeezed him more.

"So what do we tell the others?" he asked.

"Well, if you had said yes to my proposal, I would have faced them myself and told them. But now, it’s all on you to tell them why we are suddenly closer," Liana said.

"Come on, you are being petty," Riven said.

"Of course. You pushed my proposal into the future," she said.

"Fine, that’s fair, I guess," he replied.

"Liana, thank you for opening up to me. I promise that I’ll never undermine your feelings. I’m not the best with things like this, but I’ll try my best," Riven said.

"You better. It took everything from me to tell you how I felt. If you play with my feelings, I’ll have my father hunt you down," she said.

"Let’s not go too far yet," Riven said in a crying tone.