“What is that?” I whispered to Takari.
She stood just outside the camp, peering down a rutted trail that twisted and turned, leading uphill. She shrugged. “The wind in the trees.”
Rising, I rolled up the bedroll and secured the sword to my back before joining her. “It sounds ominous.”
She squeezed my arm, a friendly gesture. The tension between us melted away. “Isn’t it?” She smiled. “I’ve never been through the Crystal Forest, but I’ve heard of it—a place full of riches that lure one in, enchanted by what could be. Legends claims that the jewels you steal turn to dust once you leave the forest, rendering it a place full of useless treasure.”
“Does no one live here?” I gazed up at the tree, bare yet still hiding the path forward.
“I would assume so. Some might be too enthralled to leave, and then there’s the music. Some say in the summer, when new life has finished its cycle of growth, the very woods come alive with song. I’ve always wanted to see that beauty for myself.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke.
I touched her arm. “I’d like to hear it too.”
“Aofie…” Takari peeked over her shoulder to see what Romulus was doing before lowering her voice. “Are you okay? We left Anon Loam in such a hurry and now we’re hunting Jezebel. Your friend is as beautiful as an angel and yet, there’s the other half of him I worry about. Spawn of demons can never be redeemed or forgiven. You grew up under the guidance of the old ways. I know you don’t want to hear this from me, but I would not be a good friend if I did not warn you, especially concerning matters of the heart.”
My heart pounded, and for a moment words were beyond me. “What do you mean, matters of the heart?” I squeaked.
She didn’t think…? She couldn’t!
“There’s no right way to say this, but I know what’s it’s like to be young and believe attraction is all that matters, all that will help you feel something. I’m not telling you to deny the desires of your heart, just to be careful.”
“You can’t think I’m in love with…with him.” The words were difficult to say, even though I told her the truth.
“No, but it all starts somewhere. I chose one who was not like me. A faun and a nymph.” She made a small noise, somewhere between a choking laugh and a sob. “Now, I can’t stop searching.”
I closed my eyes, feeling the edges of a headache coming on, and as I did, the air shifted and my fingertips tingled. He had returned. Whenever Adomos was near, I knew, but whether it was the sixth sense my magic gave me or something else, I wasn’t sure.
“I hope you find him,” I told Takari, taking the focus off myself. And then, because I felt the need to reassure her, “Besides, you don’t have to worry. He doesn’t want me as a lover.”
Takari squeezed my arm and stepped away.
“Ready?” Romulus called.
“Wait.” I held up my hand, willing to make peace. “I want you both to know I appreciate what you are doing, coming with me and Adomos to hunt down Jezebel. I’ve decided that afterward I will come with you to meet the leaders of the society.”
Romulus made a sound in his throat. “Well, your new bodyguard will not be welcome there.”
I took a deep breath, determined not to be angry or lose my temper. “I am aware.”
Behind me came a whooshing sound. Wings? I turned as Adomos glided out of the woods, pausing at a distance so as not to frighten the horses.
“I’ve found the place,” he announced.
“Lead the way,” Romulus called, mounting up.
Those were the first words he’d ever spoken to Adomos, and while his tone was flat, it gave me hope that perhaps all four of us could work together.
Adomos led us away from the road and deeper into the woods, which thickened as we went, until we were forced to dismount and follow on foot. We wound our way up a steep hill to a dome-like clearing covered in russet and brambles. A pile of stones rose in the center and the surrounding ground was charred, as if a great bonfire lit and burned for a while before disintegrating into ash.
I stood on the summit, taking it all in. The place had an ancient vibe to it, reminding me of the sacred hills in the Beluar Woods. I had the sudden urge to go down on one knee and beg the gods for guidance.
“Look.” Adomos pointed to another summit that could be seen clearly through the trees. It rose like a mountain, a wall of stone splitting the forest in two. “Below us are caverns that lead into the stone mountain.”
“I see,” Romulus said. “We are planning an ambush.”
Adomos nodded and methodically walked us through his plan. He had a strategy for each of us, and as I listened a new awareness swept over me. Adomos had a keen understanding of battle, war, strategy, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy. As he explained, I was again aware of how little I knew about his background and past.
As he talked, he displayed little emotion, simply stated things as they should be, but I was riveted to him, the sharp angles of his face, the curve of his muscles and the way his bare chest expanded as he spoke. With him, the fear I should have felt at confronting Jezebel once again was replaced with firm determination.
