Page 65 of Fates Fulfilled
Garrin called to Zirel, and the healer ran over.
“Can you help her?” Lex asked.
Zirel shook his head slowly. “I cannot give her back her magic. Only time can do that. But I can ease her exhaustion.” Zirel placed his hand on Camille’s back and rubbed up and down.
She relaxed for a moment, then suddenly looked up, her gaze intent on something beyond the entrance of the cave. “Two Fae are about to emerge. It could be Amund, but I cannot be certain. Too drained…”
Garrin shoved Lex behind him and unsheathed a sword attached to his back—right as Amund stumbled into the cave, followed by Lex’s mother.
“Mom!” Lex rounded Garrin and embraced Isle. The hug wasn’t as familiar as it should be, but Lex drew comfort in knowing her mother was safe.
Isle stepped back and glared at Garrin. “Did I not tell you?”
Garrin put away his sword, his expression a mix of frustration and anger. “You were correct.” He scanned the people inside the cave. “Now that we are all here, it is time we hide our presence.” He waved his hand across the entrance of the cave, and a wall of ice and snow formed, enclosing them inside. His gaze darted between Lex and the wall as though he were realizing too late his mistake. “Does the barrier bother you?”
Garrin had witnessed her anxieties one too many times during their travels. But she didn’t experience the same panic she once did. She was never going to be a fan of snow, but it no longer caused her fight-or-flight response to go into hyperdrive. “I’m okay.”
“We’re all okay,” Isle said sarcastically. “Now, can we get back to what you learned, Dark Prince? What is your father’s plan?”
Em walked up to Lex right as Garrin was about to answer. “It is cold, and we should change.”
Lex met Garrin’s gaze, but he said nothing.
Was he really not going to answer in front of her? “Did you discover the king’s motives?”
Garrin sent Lex a soft smile. “Go with Em. She will show you to one of the inner chambers.”
Lex’s mouth parted in disbelief. She glanced at her mother, who’d turned her back to Lex.
Were they truly going to keep her out of this?
The cave was freezing, and Lex was shivering because neither she nor Em had changed out of their wet clothing before they left for the caves. It turned out sharing a coat only offered partial coverage from the elements. That didn’t mean she wanted to leave the conversation. But Garrin simply waited.
Isle walked over to Camille, and Camille’s expression softened with affection.
Neither Isle nor Garrin were going to talk. At least, not with Lex around. “I know what you’re doing,” she said to Garrin. “If I’m the one in danger, I should know the facts.”
Garrin gave her a small nod. “Understood.”
Did he? Did he truly?
Lex was stronger in Dark Kingdom, and she wanted to be a part of the solution and not stuck in the shadows anymore. But her mother was angry at Garrin and blamed him for everything, and Garrin hadn’t been acting right since the king’s soldiers whisked him away. Lex wasn’t going to get anything out of them if she pushed now.
She shot a warning look at Garrin, signaling that this conversation wasn’t over, then followed Em out of the main cave and down a low, narrow passageway where a half-dozen offshoots of deeper caves existed.
“This place is a labyrinth,” Lex muttered as she hunched to avoid a silvery stalactite.
Em looked around. “I’ve never been here, but my parents have spoken of it. The quicker we leave, the better.”
Lex and Em chose one of the smaller offshoot caves and changed into clothes similar to what Lex had on, only dry.
Lex shivered at the warmth of clean, dry fabric. “I’ve never felt anything so good.”
Em flung the soaked dress she’d been wearing disgustedly to the side and tugged out two heavy coats from the bag she’d been carrying. “You won’t need this inside the cave. Our clothes are enhanced to keep us warmer, but keep the coat near.”
“In case of what?”
Em bit her lip. “If we need to leave suddenly, you won’t want to be outside in the elements without it.”
