Part 25
[I]She was cold.
It was the reason that she knew he was gone when she awoke. Waking in Zan's arms, she was never cold, always secure, always safe.
She opened her eyes slowly, hoping against hope that he would still be lying beside her, had simply rolled away for a moment, was perhaps standing by the window, looking out into the sky that covered [/I]his[I] planet.
The planet he was giving up for [/I]her.[I]
But he was gone. The curtains hanging around the bed were beginning to whip around her, the cross breeze from the open door of her chamber beginning to pick up.
Kadiya clambered off the bed, wrapped a robe around her slight body, shivered as she hurried to the door, slamming it shut.
Something was wrong. She knew it. Zan would never just leave, not after what they had decided together, only hours before.
And then she saw it. It sat right in the middle of where his head had been resting when she had gone to sleep in his arms.
It was the royal seal, the symbol of his family, the ring he used to mark all declarations and documents with his approval.
It was a ring that she had seen a thousand times, so often that she hardly noticed it on his hand anymore, such an integral part of who he was.
But, sitting there, waiting for her, it looked different somehow.
But he had [/I] changed[I] it. She didn't even need to touch it to know it was true.
She managed to stumble back to the bed, picked up the ring, held it so that the moonlight shining through the open window struck it at such an angle that it set the jewel embedded deep within the seal shining with a light unlike any she had ever seen. The insignia of the whirlwind galaxy, the device of his House, seemed to come alive as her eyes lit upon it.
Where once it had been heavy, kingly, now it was small, delicate, meant for one hand alone.
Hers.
She slid it onto her finger, her heart beating so fast, she thought she might pass out from the intensity of it. She knew that by putting this ring onto her finger, she was taking the final, irrevocable step.
She was actually going to let him give up his throne for her.
She could almost hear him whispering in her ear as the thought crossed her mind. [/I] I give up nothing. I am gaining everything and all I have ever wanted.[I]
She smiled slightly, the love she felt for him swelling within her breast.
So lost in reverie was she, that the pounding on the door to her chamber made her jump. She almost dropped the ring. Swallowing in horror, she hurried to her dressing table, gently opened the secret compartment underneath. She placed the precious gift upon the secret journal she had kept since the day she had first met Zan.
She would not wear the ring permanently until he could place it on her finger.
She threw off her robe, quickly pulled on the closest garment she could find, the light coloured gown she had worn the day before at the wedding of Zan and Ava - the wedding she had been sure had ended all of her dreams.
How wrong she had been.
Composed, she moved to the door after the second impatient knock. "Open this door!" A deep voice commanded from the other side. "I know you are in there. The king has sent me to find you."
Kadi frowned. She recognized the voice, could not place it immediately.
It wasn't until she opened the door, that she realized the true state of danger in which she found herself.
Khivar, Zan's greatest enemy, stood upon the threshold staring in at her. His dark, cold eyes raked over her, instantly making her feel dirty, worse than her mistress ever had with all her evil, hateful words.
He was openly mocking when he grabbed her by the wrist, "So perhaps I was not sent." He grinned at her, his handsome face belying the malice she could see easily. "Well whore. You finally managed to be Zan's undoing."
"What are you talking about?" She raised her chin, wrenched away from him. "Keep your hands off of me."
"He is dead you stupid girl." Khivar's eyes glittered. "And I have come to thank you for bringing down his House more quickly than I ever could have."
Kadiya knew he was lying. She refused to let any momentary doubt even cross her face.
She knew that Zan lived with a certainty that appeared to unnerve Khivar. "I would feel it if he were dead." She knew that she looked haughty, didn't care.
Khivar rolled his eyes. "Well, he will be dead soon enough," he amended testily, striding past her and into the chamber proper. "Where is it?" He demanded.
"Where is what?"
"The Royal Seal wench. It is no longer on his finger. He must have given it to you."
Kadiya felt her heart skip a beat. "You are mistaken." She replied. "Why would he give something of such importance to me?"
Khivar rounded upon her again, grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "I want it Kadiya. Give it to me!"
"I will not play this game with you Khivar." Kadiya wrenched away from him again. She had known him since they were both children, knew that he was more of a bully than anything. He would never actually harm her, would never have the nerve to go quite so far. "Zan will kill you if he finds you here."
"Zan is dead." Khivar repeated, a half-smile appearing on his face. "He can not protect you anymore whore."
"I do not believe you." Kadi repeated, although she felt a tremor pass through her. Moments ago, she had been [/I]certain[I], absolutely knew without question, that he was fine. But something had changed...something was different.
She could feel it in the air, in her heart, in her soul...
In the next instant, she was out the door of her chamber and running. She could hear Khivar on her heels, could not believe that she was outpacing him.
But she had to get to Zan. She knew that he was calling for her.
She paused in the central courtyard of the great palace, frantically looked around. Where was he? Where had they taken him?
It was then that she saw the body.
Her hands flew to her mouth, she felt her legs giving out on her as bile rose.
Princess Vilandra lay sprawled on the polished stones of the courtyard, her beautiful face a mask of grief and despair. There was no question that she had died a horrible and painful death.
No wonder she had felt the spasm of grief from Zan. His beloved sister had been cut down in a way that even common criminals did not suffer on Antar.
"It was a shame." Khivar's voice was strained. He was still panting, having had to exert himself to catch up to her. "She could have been my queen, but she chose to defend her brother in the end, even though she hated him because of you."
Kadi whirled upon him. "What have you done?" She whispered, shaking her head in absolute horror. "Where is Zan?"
Khivar raised an eyebrow, turned his head, stared in the direction of the palace gardens.
And she was running again, determined to find him, comfort him, protect him from the evil that seemed to have come from nowhere to infect his House.
She heard Khivar calling after her. "Remember Kadiya! I have done nothing! He did it all...for the love of you."
Her heart screamed. Because she knew he was right.
And yet, she had to find him, had to help repair the damage their union had caused.
But as she entered the garden, called out his name desperately, she knew that it was too late.[/I]
***************************************************************
Liz awoke gasping.
She sat up, brought her face down into her hands as she took deep breaths, trying to get a grip on her racing heart.
The motel room was still completely dark. She could hear Dan snoring softly beside her.
Everything seemed perfectly normal. Too normal.
Because Liz knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that something was wrong with Max.
She had [I]dreamt[/I] it. It was completely ridiculous but she knew it was true.
Liz switched on the lamp beside the bed, glanced sharply at Dan, but he only stirred slightly, turned over onto his side, away from the light.
It was only then that she realized that the ring Max had put in her pocket earlier that evening had somehow made its way from the bottom of her purse to, absurdly, her finger.
She stared at it, a frown creasing her forehead.
If she had only suspected that Max was driving her crazy before, she now knew it for certain. Not only was she having dreams about him constantly, she was apparently sleepwalking as well.
And, yet, she knew that her dream had not been lying to her. There was something wrong with Max - or at least there had been moments ago.
She picked up her watch, which sat on the bedside table, blinked in disbelief.
How could it have only been fifteen minutes since she had spoken to Maria on the phone?
Her heart began thumping irregularly again, her breathing becoming more shallow.
For the first time, she was truly frightened. Maybe she [I]was[/I] really losing it. Had her torn feelings about Max and her worries over Dan finally pushed her over the edge?
Liz stumbled off the bed, grabbed the cell phone that still sat on the bedside table, and locked herself in the bathroom, all without waking Dan, although with the graceless way she managed the feat, stubbing her toe twice and almost completely bailing on her own purse at one point, she wasn't quite sure why he hadn't woken.
With shaking hands, Liz managed to call Maria's cell phone, only having to redial twice.
Her best friend picked up on the second ring.
Feeling that this was no time for pleasantries, Liz practically screeched into the phone. "What happened? Is he all right?"
"Liz?" Maria sounded amused. "Is that you?"
"Maria!!!"
"Sorry, sorry." Maria soothed, still clearly not at all upset. "It appears that his Highness has been expecting your call." And then Liz could hear fumbling in the background. She jumped slightly at a loud crash and then Maria was yelling, "MAX! Okay! I'll give you the phone, but sit down you big alien dummy! I really don't feel like picking you up again. You might be skinny but you weigh about a ton."
Liz shook her head in befuddlement, but actually felt her heart begin to beat normally the minute she heard Max's voice. "Liz?"
"Max, what happened?"
"Did you see it too?" Max sounded excited.
"See what? Max, I know something happened to you. What was it? Is Nicholas there?"
"No, no." There was a long pause. "Er - it's a little embarrassing Liz."
"Max!"
"Okay." He paused again. "I passed out."
"What? Why?"
"Well, it seems, what with everything that's been going on..."
"HE FORGOT TO EAT, THE BIG MORON!" Maria's voice filtered past Max's and straight into Liz's ear. She held the phone away, blinked.
"Thank you Maria." Liz could almost hear Max rolling his eyes. "I haven't eaten in a while." Max explained, sounding completely humiliated again. "Well, until Maria practically force-fed me a few minutes ago." He added wryly. "Forgot how much energy this atmosphere eats up. I got my nutrients other ways on Antar."
Liz just shook her head. "What? You passed out because you haven't eaten?" There was no way that that was all there was to it. "Max, I [I]dreamt[/I] that you were dying!"
"So you [I]did[/I] see it." Max replied, sounding pleased.
Liz frowned again. "Max, I didn't see [I]anything[/I]! I just woke up completely sure that there was something wrong with you."
"There [I]is[/I] something wrong with me." Max retorted. "But that's not what I'm talking about. Are you sure you don't remember anything else? From the dream I mean?"
"Max." Liz was trying for patience, but she was exhausted and was nearing the end of her rope. It was almost absurdly irritating to know that she was still so attached to Max, she dreamt he was dying when he simply wasn't eating three square meals a day.
He sighed. "Okay, I give up. Never mind." There was a long, awkward pause. "Liz, Kyle said you aren't coming back."
She felt her heart climbing into her throat. She hadn't realized that she was going to have to try and explain herself to him so soon, had been sure that she wouldn't see him again until she and Dan were safely married.
But she had had no control over her actions when she had awoken. She had been completely panicked, sure that Max was dead, or was close to it at least. She had acted without thinking by calling them - and now she had to deal with her lie straight up.
"No." She managed to choke out. "I'm sorry Max, but being back with Dan..."
"Liz, don't try that bull with me." Max snapped. "I know that something's wrong. What is it?"
"What do you mean?" She asked evasively, wrinkling her nose, annoyed that Max apparently didn't buy her story.
"Liz, I know that you don't lie, unless there is a really good reason." Max replied simply. "You told Ben that you'd be back. You changed your mind, which means that something [I]made[/I] you change it. And I want to know what it is."
"What if I told you that you don't know me at all anymore?" Liz could feel anger beginning to run through her veins. "I've decided that I love my fiancé and I don't want to be around [I]you[/I] anymore. Why is that so hard for you to accept?"
She couldn't even protect him without him trying to interfere. Why couldn't he just leave her alone, let her do this? Why couldn't he just let her be miserable in peace?
There was another long pause. "Liz, I have to know what to tell Ben." Max finally told her quietly. She could hear the hurt in his voice, refused to allow it to affect her.
So if it wasn't affecting her, then why were tears threatening to spill at any moment? "Max..."
"Liz, please just tell me."
And suddenly she just couldn't take it anymore. "He knows Max. He knows that truth about you." The words were out before she could even comprehend what she was doing. She gasped in horror, brought her face down into her knees, the phone still clutched tightly against her ear.
When had she ended up on the bathroom floor? She wondered inanely. There was nothing between the cold tile floor and her bottom except for a thin pair of panties.
She blushed scarlet when she realized that she wanted to know what Max would think if he had that piece of information.
What kind of crazy person was she, thinking things like this when she had just told her soulmate that her fiancé knew that he was an alien?
"Max?" She whispered into the dead silence to which she had been treated since she had made her pronouncement.
"It's okay Liz." Max finally managed to say. He sounded incredibly weary to Liz's knowing ears.
Had she forgotten any of the nuances of his voice while he had been gone? She didn't think so. Each one was as familiar to her as any of her own.
"Max, what are you going to do?" She asked, unsure what to even say to him.
"I'm not going to do anything." Max told her. "Bring him here Liz."
"What? Max..."
"Liz, do you trust him? You're engaged to marry the guy, so I assume you trust him?"
Three days ago she would have replied yes without hesitation. Now she just sighed, "I don' t know."
But her heart was screaming. [I]No! I don't trust him with you Max! Not with Ben! I can't risk it![/I]
"Well, I guess we're about to find out if Dan Riley really deserves you Liz." Max replied firmly. "Bring him here."
To be continued...
[I]She was cold.
It was the reason that she knew he was gone when she awoke. Waking in Zan's arms, she was never cold, always secure, always safe.
She opened her eyes slowly, hoping against hope that he would still be lying beside her, had simply rolled away for a moment, was perhaps standing by the window, looking out into the sky that covered [/I]his[I] planet.
The planet he was giving up for [/I]her.[I]
But he was gone. The curtains hanging around the bed were beginning to whip around her, the cross breeze from the open door of her chamber beginning to pick up.
Kadiya clambered off the bed, wrapped a robe around her slight body, shivered as she hurried to the door, slamming it shut.
Something was wrong. She knew it. Zan would never just leave, not after what they had decided together, only hours before.
And then she saw it. It sat right in the middle of where his head had been resting when she had gone to sleep in his arms.
It was the royal seal, the symbol of his family, the ring he used to mark all declarations and documents with his approval.
It was a ring that she had seen a thousand times, so often that she hardly noticed it on his hand anymore, such an integral part of who he was.
But, sitting there, waiting for her, it looked different somehow.
But he had [/I] changed[I] it. She didn't even need to touch it to know it was true.
She managed to stumble back to the bed, picked up the ring, held it so that the moonlight shining through the open window struck it at such an angle that it set the jewel embedded deep within the seal shining with a light unlike any she had ever seen. The insignia of the whirlwind galaxy, the device of his House, seemed to come alive as her eyes lit upon it.
Where once it had been heavy, kingly, now it was small, delicate, meant for one hand alone.
Hers.
She slid it onto her finger, her heart beating so fast, she thought she might pass out from the intensity of it. She knew that by putting this ring onto her finger, she was taking the final, irrevocable step.
She was actually going to let him give up his throne for her.
She could almost hear him whispering in her ear as the thought crossed her mind. [/I] I give up nothing. I am gaining everything and all I have ever wanted.[I]
She smiled slightly, the love she felt for him swelling within her breast.
So lost in reverie was she, that the pounding on the door to her chamber made her jump. She almost dropped the ring. Swallowing in horror, she hurried to her dressing table, gently opened the secret compartment underneath. She placed the precious gift upon the secret journal she had kept since the day she had first met Zan.
She would not wear the ring permanently until he could place it on her finger.
She threw off her robe, quickly pulled on the closest garment she could find, the light coloured gown she had worn the day before at the wedding of Zan and Ava - the wedding she had been sure had ended all of her dreams.
How wrong she had been.
Composed, she moved to the door after the second impatient knock. "Open this door!" A deep voice commanded from the other side. "I know you are in there. The king has sent me to find you."
Kadi frowned. She recognized the voice, could not place it immediately.
It wasn't until she opened the door, that she realized the true state of danger in which she found herself.
Khivar, Zan's greatest enemy, stood upon the threshold staring in at her. His dark, cold eyes raked over her, instantly making her feel dirty, worse than her mistress ever had with all her evil, hateful words.
He was openly mocking when he grabbed her by the wrist, "So perhaps I was not sent." He grinned at her, his handsome face belying the malice she could see easily. "Well whore. You finally managed to be Zan's undoing."
"What are you talking about?" She raised her chin, wrenched away from him. "Keep your hands off of me."
"He is dead you stupid girl." Khivar's eyes glittered. "And I have come to thank you for bringing down his House more quickly than I ever could have."
Kadiya knew he was lying. She refused to let any momentary doubt even cross her face.
She knew that Zan lived with a certainty that appeared to unnerve Khivar. "I would feel it if he were dead." She knew that she looked haughty, didn't care.
Khivar rolled his eyes. "Well, he will be dead soon enough," he amended testily, striding past her and into the chamber proper. "Where is it?" He demanded.
"Where is what?"
"The Royal Seal wench. It is no longer on his finger. He must have given it to you."
Kadiya felt her heart skip a beat. "You are mistaken." She replied. "Why would he give something of such importance to me?"
Khivar rounded upon her again, grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "I want it Kadiya. Give it to me!"
"I will not play this game with you Khivar." Kadiya wrenched away from him again. She had known him since they were both children, knew that he was more of a bully than anything. He would never actually harm her, would never have the nerve to go quite so far. "Zan will kill you if he finds you here."
"Zan is dead." Khivar repeated, a half-smile appearing on his face. "He can not protect you anymore whore."
"I do not believe you." Kadi repeated, although she felt a tremor pass through her. Moments ago, she had been [/I]certain[I], absolutely knew without question, that he was fine. But something had changed...something was different.
She could feel it in the air, in her heart, in her soul...
In the next instant, she was out the door of her chamber and running. She could hear Khivar on her heels, could not believe that she was outpacing him.
But she had to get to Zan. She knew that he was calling for her.
She paused in the central courtyard of the great palace, frantically looked around. Where was he? Where had they taken him?
It was then that she saw the body.
Her hands flew to her mouth, she felt her legs giving out on her as bile rose.
Princess Vilandra lay sprawled on the polished stones of the courtyard, her beautiful face a mask of grief and despair. There was no question that she had died a horrible and painful death.
No wonder she had felt the spasm of grief from Zan. His beloved sister had been cut down in a way that even common criminals did not suffer on Antar.
"It was a shame." Khivar's voice was strained. He was still panting, having had to exert himself to catch up to her. "She could have been my queen, but she chose to defend her brother in the end, even though she hated him because of you."
Kadi whirled upon him. "What have you done?" She whispered, shaking her head in absolute horror. "Where is Zan?"
Khivar raised an eyebrow, turned his head, stared in the direction of the palace gardens.
And she was running again, determined to find him, comfort him, protect him from the evil that seemed to have come from nowhere to infect his House.
She heard Khivar calling after her. "Remember Kadiya! I have done nothing! He did it all...for the love of you."
Her heart screamed. Because she knew he was right.
And yet, she had to find him, had to help repair the damage their union had caused.
But as she entered the garden, called out his name desperately, she knew that it was too late.[/I]
***************************************************************
Liz awoke gasping.
She sat up, brought her face down into her hands as she took deep breaths, trying to get a grip on her racing heart.
The motel room was still completely dark. She could hear Dan snoring softly beside her.
Everything seemed perfectly normal. Too normal.
Because Liz knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that something was wrong with Max.
She had [I]dreamt[/I] it. It was completely ridiculous but she knew it was true.
Liz switched on the lamp beside the bed, glanced sharply at Dan, but he only stirred slightly, turned over onto his side, away from the light.
It was only then that she realized that the ring Max had put in her pocket earlier that evening had somehow made its way from the bottom of her purse to, absurdly, her finger.
She stared at it, a frown creasing her forehead.
If she had only suspected that Max was driving her crazy before, she now knew it for certain. Not only was she having dreams about him constantly, she was apparently sleepwalking as well.
And, yet, she knew that her dream had not been lying to her. There was something wrong with Max - or at least there had been moments ago.
She picked up her watch, which sat on the bedside table, blinked in disbelief.
How could it have only been fifteen minutes since she had spoken to Maria on the phone?
Her heart began thumping irregularly again, her breathing becoming more shallow.
For the first time, she was truly frightened. Maybe she [I]was[/I] really losing it. Had her torn feelings about Max and her worries over Dan finally pushed her over the edge?
Liz stumbled off the bed, grabbed the cell phone that still sat on the bedside table, and locked herself in the bathroom, all without waking Dan, although with the graceless way she managed the feat, stubbing her toe twice and almost completely bailing on her own purse at one point, she wasn't quite sure why he hadn't woken.
With shaking hands, Liz managed to call Maria's cell phone, only having to redial twice.
Her best friend picked up on the second ring.
Feeling that this was no time for pleasantries, Liz practically screeched into the phone. "What happened? Is he all right?"
"Liz?" Maria sounded amused. "Is that you?"
"Maria!!!"
"Sorry, sorry." Maria soothed, still clearly not at all upset. "It appears that his Highness has been expecting your call." And then Liz could hear fumbling in the background. She jumped slightly at a loud crash and then Maria was yelling, "MAX! Okay! I'll give you the phone, but sit down you big alien dummy! I really don't feel like picking you up again. You might be skinny but you weigh about a ton."
Liz shook her head in befuddlement, but actually felt her heart begin to beat normally the minute she heard Max's voice. "Liz?"
"Max, what happened?"
"Did you see it too?" Max sounded excited.
"See what? Max, I know something happened to you. What was it? Is Nicholas there?"
"No, no." There was a long pause. "Er - it's a little embarrassing Liz."
"Max!"
"Okay." He paused again. "I passed out."
"What? Why?"
"Well, it seems, what with everything that's been going on..."
"HE FORGOT TO EAT, THE BIG MORON!" Maria's voice filtered past Max's and straight into Liz's ear. She held the phone away, blinked.
"Thank you Maria." Liz could almost hear Max rolling his eyes. "I haven't eaten in a while." Max explained, sounding completely humiliated again. "Well, until Maria practically force-fed me a few minutes ago." He added wryly. "Forgot how much energy this atmosphere eats up. I got my nutrients other ways on Antar."
Liz just shook her head. "What? You passed out because you haven't eaten?" There was no way that that was all there was to it. "Max, I [I]dreamt[/I] that you were dying!"
"So you [I]did[/I] see it." Max replied, sounding pleased.
Liz frowned again. "Max, I didn't see [I]anything[/I]! I just woke up completely sure that there was something wrong with you."
"There [I]is[/I] something wrong with me." Max retorted. "But that's not what I'm talking about. Are you sure you don't remember anything else? From the dream I mean?"
"Max." Liz was trying for patience, but she was exhausted and was nearing the end of her rope. It was almost absurdly irritating to know that she was still so attached to Max, she dreamt he was dying when he simply wasn't eating three square meals a day.
He sighed. "Okay, I give up. Never mind." There was a long, awkward pause. "Liz, Kyle said you aren't coming back."
She felt her heart climbing into her throat. She hadn't realized that she was going to have to try and explain herself to him so soon, had been sure that she wouldn't see him again until she and Dan were safely married.
But she had had no control over her actions when she had awoken. She had been completely panicked, sure that Max was dead, or was close to it at least. She had acted without thinking by calling them - and now she had to deal with her lie straight up.
"No." She managed to choke out. "I'm sorry Max, but being back with Dan..."
"Liz, don't try that bull with me." Max snapped. "I know that something's wrong. What is it?"
"What do you mean?" She asked evasively, wrinkling her nose, annoyed that Max apparently didn't buy her story.
"Liz, I know that you don't lie, unless there is a really good reason." Max replied simply. "You told Ben that you'd be back. You changed your mind, which means that something [I]made[/I] you change it. And I want to know what it is."
"What if I told you that you don't know me at all anymore?" Liz could feel anger beginning to run through her veins. "I've decided that I love my fiancé and I don't want to be around [I]you[/I] anymore. Why is that so hard for you to accept?"
She couldn't even protect him without him trying to interfere. Why couldn't he just leave her alone, let her do this? Why couldn't he just let her be miserable in peace?
There was another long pause. "Liz, I have to know what to tell Ben." Max finally told her quietly. She could hear the hurt in his voice, refused to allow it to affect her.
So if it wasn't affecting her, then why were tears threatening to spill at any moment? "Max..."
"Liz, please just tell me."
And suddenly she just couldn't take it anymore. "He knows Max. He knows that truth about you." The words were out before she could even comprehend what she was doing. She gasped in horror, brought her face down into her knees, the phone still clutched tightly against her ear.
When had she ended up on the bathroom floor? She wondered inanely. There was nothing between the cold tile floor and her bottom except for a thin pair of panties.
She blushed scarlet when she realized that she wanted to know what Max would think if he had that piece of information.
What kind of crazy person was she, thinking things like this when she had just told her soulmate that her fiancé knew that he was an alien?
"Max?" She whispered into the dead silence to which she had been treated since she had made her pronouncement.
"It's okay Liz." Max finally managed to say. He sounded incredibly weary to Liz's knowing ears.
Had she forgotten any of the nuances of his voice while he had been gone? She didn't think so. Each one was as familiar to her as any of her own.
"Max, what are you going to do?" She asked, unsure what to even say to him.
"I'm not going to do anything." Max told her. "Bring him here Liz."
"What? Max..."
"Liz, do you trust him? You're engaged to marry the guy, so I assume you trust him?"
Three days ago she would have replied yes without hesitation. Now she just sighed, "I don' t know."
But her heart was screaming. [I]No! I don't trust him with you Max! Not with Ben! I can't risk it![/I]
"Well, I guess we're about to find out if Dan Riley really deserves you Liz." Max replied firmly. "Bring him here."
To be continued...