Page 130 of Wilds of Wonder
“Oh!” Driscoll’s eyes widened. “Yes, totally. I love that for us.”
“So you forgive me?” Leoni asked. “For being completely awful and a terrible friend?”
“You weren’t either of those things,” Driscoll said, “but yes, I forgive you.”
I leaned over to Emory. “Are they always like this?”
“From what I can tell?” She pursed her lips. “Yes.”
“We really got lucky that she didn’t fall with us,” I whispered. I wasn’t sure I could handle all the drama between these two.
Leoni pushed Driscoll at arm’s length, then her gaze swept around to the rest of us.
“And you made some friends.” She raised a brow at Annalee and Aron. Then her gaze landed on Emory and me as she took in how close we sat, the way my arm was wrapped around my wife. “Are you two a thing? Because I thought you hated each other.”
“Oh, they’re definitely a thing,” Driscoll said. “Like an obsessed-with-each-other, totally-nerdy-together, married thing.”
“Married?” Leoni ’s eyes widened. “What happened?” Then she saw the axe propped up against the wall, and her face paled. “Is that...?”
“Spirit Frost’s axe?” Driscoll asked. “Yes, yes, it is. We have a lot to catch up on. Might as well sit down and get comfy.”
Leoni sat in a stunned silence after we finished telling her everything that had happened since she got separated from us.
“Just let her process,” Driscoll said as we waited for her to say something. Anything. “She’ll say something.” He gave a nervous laugh. “I think.”
He squinted at Leoni, who sat next to him, then he waved a hand in front of her face.
She swatted it away. “Stop that.”
“And she’s back,” Driscoll said cheerfully.
“Well, it’s clear what has to happen,” Leoni said finally.
It didn’t seem that clear, but I was interested in what she had to say. Leoni seemed practical, a woman who took charge. I respected that.
“What?” Driscoll asked.
“I’m interested to know as well.” Aron leaned forward, the shadows from the fire dancing across his pale skin.
She pointed at Aron. “Well, you have to become king and fix the mess the frost queen made by storming out of the conclave and refusing to work with the other courts to defeat Spirit Shadow.” She pointed at Annalee. “You need to corral all the creatures from the Wilds and bring them to the castle.” She pointed to Emory and Maverick. “You both need to start piecing together what in the bloody water happened so many years ago to the Seven Spirits.” She glanced over at Driscoll and smirked. “And you need to go live happily ever after with your king.”
Driscoll squirmed, while Aron, as usual, looked completely unabashed.
“I would like that,” Aron said.
Driscoll cleared his throat, nudging Leoni. “And what about you?”
She looked at him like it was obvious. “I have to go after Bellamy and stop her from using that lightning bolt.”
“I’m coming with you,” Driscoll said quickly. He shot an apologeticlook at Aron. “We started this journey together, shorty, and now we’re going to end it together.”
“How do you know this is the end?” Annalee asked.
Driscoll shrugged. “Just a feeling.” He grabbed Leoni’s hand. “I have to finish this. Plus, I can’t let you go back to the shadow court by yourself.”
Leoni’s gaze softened. “You don’t have to do that. It’s really okay.”
“He should go,” Aron said. “Bellamy knows him. She’ll be more receptive to listening to someone familiar. She doesn’t trust easily.”
