Page 49 of Bound and Tide

Both shook their heads, mouths too full to answer, but their bewildered looks told her all the truth she needed.

Evangeline crossed her arms. “You’re going to the Kvesari Wood?”

Xander’s eyes went wide and he averted his gaze, a shoulder shrugging.

“And you said your return is not imminent.”

He looked down very intently at his nails. “I don’t believe that is exactly what I said.”

“You know that it is,” she growled. “And you know that forest—”

“—is where you were born. Yes, that is indeed hitting me in this moment after I bloody said it aloud,” he cut her off quickly, waving a hand through the air. “Look, I intended to have a very nice morning with you and then, in my own way, explain that I had business to attend to outside of the city—”

“—on the other side of the realm.”

“It’s only a few days by griffin.” He sighed. “And I was going to tell you that if I didn’t return to not take it personally because, you know, sometimes death just comes for us, and sometimes we bring ourselves to it, but in the end it doesn’t really matter if we end up dead because that means we usually can’t come back even if we really, really want to.”

Evangeline’s mouth fell open, her heart thumping madly. “You were planning to go off somewhere and die?”

“Well, I might not!”

“What on earth is this task of yours?”

“I just…just need to deliver a message is all. Maybe fulfill a prophecy. It’s complicated.”

“And you weren’t going to tell us?” The young girl finally got her voice back, and it was as sharp as Evangeline’s.

“Oh, tell you what? That I’m your brother? That I’m half demon? That I’m leaving?” Xander was not nearly as nonchalant as his words suggested, fidgeting and looking no one in the eye. “I thought you, of all people, would be pleased.”

“I never said I wanted you to leave!” the girl shouted back, throat suddenly hoarse.

Evangeline pressed a palm to her forehead and closed her eyes. She too wanted to shout, to spit pithy platitudes and deflect, to hide away in a dark corner, but someone had to be the adult in the room. “None of that matters,” she said with a finality, “because we’re going with you.”

“Evangeline, no,” Xander bit out with a husk she was not used to. “I’m meant to do this alone.”

“Well, I refuse to let you go alone,” she bit back, “because I don’t break my promises.”

Chapter 22

THE COMPLICATIONS INHERENT IN QUESTING

“If you puke down my back, I will never forgive you!” shouted Maia from the spot directly behind Xander where she had failed to sit still for the last hour.

“I’m sorry, I just—” Costa’s low moan was cut off by a heave.

From the very back of the griffin, Red’s quieter voice tried to soothe the boy to very little avail.

“Keep your mouth shut!” Maia squealed.

“All of you keep your mouths shut or, so help me dark gods, I will turn this griffin around, and nobody will be raining terror or destruction down on anything!” There was a heavy silence in the wake of Xander’s outburst, and he didn’t need to see any of the faces lined up behind him to know they had finally bent to his order.

“And quit squeezing me!” Maia shrieked.

“I’m just try-”—Costa heaved—“ing to stay upright.”

“Oh, Xander, maybe we should land for a few moments until the sailor’s mint kicks in?”

“Absolutely bloody not!”

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