“Because!” I looked to Oliver for help, but he merely shrugged. “Because, as you’ve said our journey is dangerous. You would only draw attention our way. We would like to remain unnoticed for our own, personal, very private reasons.”
“You can’t make it out of this forest without my help. How do you think you’ll make it all the way to Elysia?”
“You’ll slow us down,” I countered without answering his question. “You and any of your men, no matter how small a number you bring, mean more people to feed, to protect, to… bathe.”
“We have horses.” His mouth broke into a full grin. “And food to eat on the road.”
I refused to give into Arrick’s bold, pushy assertions. Even if I was running out of arguments. “You’ll make the road more dangerous for us obviously. No doubt there is a price over your head in every one of the Nine Kingdoms. We’ll be hunted.You’llbe hunted and I doubt I’ll be able to convince my next jailer to consider me a guest, welcomed or otherwise. Nobody is that lucky.”
“You’re right about that, Tess,” he agreed solemnly. “I doubt anyone could be as lucky as you. Twice.”
The gravity in his voice made me uncomfortable. Even more so because I didn’t know where it came from. I glanced nervously at Oliver, but he only shrugged again.
“You do need my help,” Arrick continued. “And my protection. Any trouble we run into will be swiftly taken care of. King’s guards or not.”
“So confident,” I murmured. “But my answer is still no. We don’t need nor do we want your help. Thank you for your forced and unwanted hospitality. But tomorrow we shall be on our way. Without you.”
He lifted that one arrogant brow again and I knew it was to call me out for my brazen argument with the small, unspoken caveat that we would be staying here tonight.
“Fine,” he grunted. “Then I suppose we’ll have to barter for it.”
“Barter?” I laughed. “But you have nothing I want.”
That was not quite true. He had weapons and food and horses, after all. But I didn’t trust him.
I had just decided that I won the argument when Arrick stuck his hand into his pocket, retrieving my necklace. I had almost forgotten about it with the excitement of the day.
He dangled it in front of me until I made the mistake of reaching for it. He pulled it back before I could get close.
I should have known better. But the temptation had been too great.
“This is a rather interesting pendant, isn’t it?” He held it close to his face, examining the glittering gemstones. “What do the colors stand for?”
I looked longingly at the sapphire blue and sparkling diamond in his palm. The Soravale and Elysian crest colors. “Death,” I lied. “They are a talisman to Denamon.”
“Oh, yes, the cursed item readying to strike my manhood?” he asked with an even voice.
“I wouldn’t sit down for a while if I were you.”
His answering smile was brighter than any lantern in the tree house. “Manhood or no, you’ll not get your necklace until you agree to let us accompany you to Elysia.”
I ground my teeth.
“No.”
“I’ll give you the night to think about it.” He stepped back, into the shadows that lurked near the door.
I opened my mouth to argue more, but he had already disappeared into the night. I listened to his footsteps tromp across the nearby rope bridge, leading him to a different part of his elevated camp. The rope creaked and groaned beneath his weight and the night breeze rustled the leaves overhead, igniting the air with a cacophony of curiously comforting sounds.
I blinked as sleep seemed to hold my eyelids prisoner. “What do you think?” I whispered to Oliver.
He curled onto his side and poked at the fire with a kindling rod. “I think we’ve either been saved or damned. I just haven’t figured out which yet.”
“Damned,” I told him. “Obviously.”
He sighed, tucking his hands beneath his cheek and closing his eyes. “I don’t know, Tessana. I don’t feel damned. But ask me again in the morning.”
I quieted, letting my mind absorb this strange turn of events while Oliver’s snores filled the quiet room. I meant to stay awake and keep an eye out.
