"That will please her," Cosimo said with a grin. "Maria is nothing if not an overachiever. She will think that being stuck in a time spell for decades would be worth it just to prove her theory about a Minerva temple was correct."
"Sounds like a magician," Reeve said.
"Sounds like a Greatdrakes," Marcella corrected and giggled when Cosimo poked her in the side. "What? It's true. I was your rival, remember? I know how tenacious you are when you want something."
"You don't know the half of it," Cosimo said with a gleam of dragon in his eyes.
They pulled up at a parking area that had been built for hikers and campers, and climbed out into the cool, fresh air. Lachlan had the most experience navigating dense forests without getting lost, so he took over the map that Bridget had marked up.
"Are you sure you don't want to split up? We might cover more ground that way?" Valentine asked, adjusting the backpack on his shoulders.
"No. We stay together. I don't know what traps Maria has set off, and I don't need anyone else getting stuck in a spell where we can't find them," Cosimo insisted.
Marcella couldn't help but notice how good he looked in casual jeans and boots. He caught her gaze and gave her a slow once-over. He frowned and knelt at her feet.
"Your laces are undone," he said and began to retie them. His fingers slid under her jeans to brush against her tattoo and sent a tingle up through her leg.
"Thanks, Cosimo. I'm not capable of tying them on my own," she said with a straight face.
Charlotte and Yelena snickered behind them.
Cosimo smacked her ass as he stood. "Don't sass me. I'm trying to make sure you don't break an ankle."
"Dad, my laces are undone too," Apollo said, waving his foot at him.
"Oh, shut up, all of you. Let's go," Cosimo grumbled, looking flustered.
Marcella bit back a giggle.
"Okay, the trail is this way," Lachlan called over the top of them. "We should get to the centre of this area within an hour if we don't dawdle."
Marcella held out a hand to Cosimo. "In case I slip on wet leaves or something."
Cosimo took it with a sideways smile. "Can't have that."
It had been a long time since Marcella had been out in nature. She tended to get so caught up in her studies that she didn't always take enough time off to reset and explore outside of Florence. She had grown up on a farm with a wood, and now, as the greenery around her soothed her, she made a mental note that she needed to do it more.
"It's so beautiful out here," she said, staring around at the tall beech trees.
"Oberon would love it. Maybe I need to bring him back here. He's been growing forests again back in England," Cosimo replied as they walked.
In Marcella's small backpack, the carefully wrapped statue of Minera began to hum. She paused and looked around.
"What is it?" Bas asked from behind her.
"There is something here that's reacting to the statue," Marcella replied. A tingle was spreading over her skin, an awareness that they were being watched.
"I don't want you touching it again," Cosimo said with a frown.
"I'll be fine. Just make sure you are behind me." Marcella let the bag drop from her shoulders, and she knelt in the damp undergrowth. "Trust me, Cosimo. I know what I feel."
"We'll be here with you if you get dragged under," he said, though he was frowning. Despite hating it, he wasn't stopping her, and she loved him for it.
Marcella took out the statue and put it on the ground beside her. She wasn't wearing her muffling bracelet, and she could feel spirits moving around them. Going off blind instinct, she placed her hand onto the damp ground.
"Spirits of the forest, spirits of those who came before, guide us," she whispered. She should have thought to bring some kind of offering for them, but now it was too late. A susurration went through the trees, and Yelena sucked in a breath.
"I can feel magic. Old magic," she whispered.
