Page 40 of White Little Lies

Ringo scurried down from his shoulder then hopped over to me, climbing up my clothing before I could kneel to accommodate him. “We will help Aaliyah.”

Dammit, he was right. Aaliyah’s safety was what was important now. We needed to find her and get her out of here, or find her parents and convince them the threat of the poisoner was real.Theyhad only seen their daughter after she was recovered.Ihad seen her unconscious and near death.

I looked both ways down the path. Behind us was a solid wall of wood in the area the portal should be, and in front of us was the gloomy walkway, shrouded by leaves and branches. “I guess we start walking.”

“You could attempt jumping again now that we are in the realm,” Sebastian suggested.

“Yeah no way. I’m not trying to travel with all four of us.” I peered dubiously down the path. “Let’s get moving.”

Crispin made a dramatic gesture, like a fancy butler holding a door open.

I narrowed my eyes at him as I walked past. “You’re not mad at all that you got pulled through, are you?”

“It’s been many years since I was able to travel to another realm.” He walked at my side, glancing around at the impressive archway. There were enough breaks in the upper branches to let little slivers of moonlight through, just enough to barely light our way.

Sebastian caught up to walk at my other side. “According to Seraphina’s map, the first dwellings should not be far. It will be simple to avoid the well, for now.”

“Yes,” Crispin agreed. “We are fortunate it is a small realm.”

I wove closer to him to avoid a divot in the path. “You didn’t even see the map.”

“I did so. Sebastian has it folded up in his pocket.”

“Shh,” Sebastian hissed.

I stopped walking. “You stole it when we weren’t looking!”

Dancing embers in his eyes were the only hint of light in the shadows where he stood. “Are you not glad to have it to guide our way?”

“Yeah, but you hid that you took it. That can only mean you want it for something nefarious.“

“Or perhaps I simply knew you would accuse me of something nefarious, and did not want to deal with the inevitable argument when your little nymph may be running out of time. Like she still is now.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “But you better not have any ulterior motives. No harming the nymphs or tricking them into contracts.”

I started walking again, anxious to find Aaliyah, and they both fell into step on either side of me.

“So what is our plan once we reach the dwellings?” Crispin strolled along, paying no mind to mine and Sebastian’s argument. Of course, he was used to the arguments by now.

“According to Seraphina, Aaliyah should be in her chambers. We just have to avoid any nymphs on our way there.” My eyes darted up, catching another flash of moonlight through one of the cracks. “Hopefully everyone will already be in bed. They mostly just guard their well, and we don’t need to go anywhere near it.”

“And if someone spots us before we can reach Aaliyah?” Crispin pressed.

I shrugged, slowing as the end of the path came into view. Soft light, maybe from candles or lanterns, cast a dull yellow glow across the ground ahead. I could hear running water and a few night insects, but no voices.

“I could create a distraction, if necessary,” he whispered.

I finallyreallylooked at him, not just with my eyes, but with my senses. He was absolutely abuzz with energy. “There’s more magic in this realm for you to use, isn’t there?”

He had confided in me before that coming to our realm was like a slap in the face. In his homeland, magic was plentiful, and he was extremely powerful. Here, he was diminished, and could no longer forge complete paths to the other realms.

His blue eyes danced with mischief. “Not as much as in Elvalanor, but far more than I’ve been accustomed to as of late.”

I narrowed my eyes. Elvalanor was not the true name of the elven home realm, but it was one us mere humans could actually pronounce. “No magic unlessabsolutely necessary.” I turned around, my finger already lifted to point at Sebastian, but his attention was on the tunnel opening.

Without warning, he grabbed me, pressing us back into the shadows. Ringo clung to the hair at the nape of my neck, shivering against my skin. Reacting more quickly than I ever could, Crispin pressed himself against the opposite side of the tunnel.

Whispering voices came near, and we all fell silent to listen.

---