Page 53 of A Promise of Peridot
“Let you?”
“It’s said to... have a mind of its own.”
Fantastic. Fantastic news. “What about everyone else?”
“I’m not too worried about a mortal legend affecting two Fae and a witch. And what happens to Fedrik is unimportant.”
Fedrik almost laughed at that one. I might have, too, if my heart wasn’t in my throat.
“But I am worried about you,” Kane continued. “And your aversion to enclosed spaces.” He wasn’t mocking. The warmth in his tone told me as much.
I knew he meant it. That he was worried about me, but—
It wasn’t just my fear. It was what he couldn’t say in front of Fedrik.
It was myvalue.
He couldn’t risk losing the prophesied full-blooded Fae before she could enact her destiny. Before she could die.
“No.”
“Arwen, it’s not—”
“No. I came with you to help.”
“Arwen,” Mari tried. “Even I don’t like the sound of a cave that traps all who enter. Let us just get inside and make sure we can get back out.”
“Does she have to go in at all? Could she stay at camp?” Fedrik asked.
“No, we’re just bringing her along with us for our own amusement,” Kane said. “Good one, right?”
Fedrik’s expression was humorless. Kane looked as though he felt similarly.
I pinched the bridge of my nose as I inhaled. “I spent my entire life being afraid. Sitting outside while the rest of you risk your lives... I’m not going to do that again.”
The loud hoot of an owl echoed through the trees to my right and Kane sipped from his mug. “Fine. Your coffin.”
All the air suctioned from my lungs and Mari squeezed my shoulder.
Prick.
“What will we use to mark our path?” Griffin asked.
“How about petals?” Fedrik offered, gesturing to a tangle of plumerias behind him.
Kane narrowed his eyes at the prince with such vitriol, it was almost awe.
“My magic,” Mari supplied. “I can leave a trail of light to guide us back.”
I felt my lungs expand. That was reassuring—a light to lead us out of the darkness. I no longer wished to imagine all the ways tomorrow might result in my demise. I had a perfectly well-cooked fish on my plate and people beside me I enjoyed spending time with. As Dagan instructed, I would try to appreciate it while I had the chance.
I leaned back, rubbing my stomach. “This is surprisingly good.”
“I’m touched.” Griffin took a final bite before tossing his plate toward our packs. The resonant clang sent a frog hopping into the leaves beyond our camp.
“Was probably the lack of cod,” Fedrik added, shooting me a conspiratorial look. Clearly, he had heard my earlier conversation with Mari.
Mari grinned. “Exactly! Who likes cod?”
