I rolled my shoulders and rested my hand on the hilt of my short sword.
Was it a threat? Yes.
Was it obvious? Yes.
Did I care that I was asking for a fight?
Oh, not one bit.
“I didn’t ask for the tree to walk.”
“Is that your favorite rock?” I pointed back to where she and I had been just moments before.
“Yes.”
“Can you now see the fishing hole from there?”
“Yes.” That was said grudgingly.
“Then either hand over Fate’s coin or fight me. I am wet, hot, and I itch in places that should never be bitten. I’m in the mood to throw down.”
She squinted down at Card, over at me, then off to the tree.
“Gary is going to hate this,” she mused.
“Too bad for Gary. Coin,” I ordered.
“I could tell you what I wouldn’t tell the dryad instead,” she said.
“No. You’ll give me the coin.”
“I could tell you what even your Crossroads doesn’t know.”
I flexed one hand into a fist and shifted my grip on the short sword. “I don’t play games, swamp siren. Your voice won’t tempt me into a bargain I didn’t ask for.”
She chuckled. It sent shivers across my bug-bitten skin. “Oh, I haven’t even begun to tempt you. Shall I? Shall I show you how much you actually care for him, once you set your anger aside?”
“Coin. That’s all I want here.”
Card groaned. It sounded like he was going to be sick. I didn’t look back, because I was currently in a staring contest with an ancient, dangerous supernatural, and I did not want to lose.
“The only thing I want out of this is Fate’s coin,” I repeated.
She glanced over my shoulder at Card, then back at me. “There’s nothing else your heart desires?”
And my traitorous heart skipped a beat.
“No.”
“There are no memories you’d like erased, no sorrow eased?”
“No.”
“Oh, Crossroads,” she said sadly. “Not even I believe that lie.”
“Good thing I don’t need your belief,” I said. “Just the coin.”
“It will do you no good.” She drew it into her hand again, a burning copper flame rolling between finger and thumb.
