She nodded, entwining her own pinkie around Kaja’s.
“Where did you and Tristan go last night?” Kaja raised her brows suggestively.
Aloisia elbowed her. “The Dead Woods.”
“Not exactly a romantic spot.”
“Kaja!” she hissed. “Come on. I’m a huntress. He’s a priest. Never going to happen.”
Kaja sighed. “All right. So, were you looking for those flame things?”
“Yes. And we found them. Kind of.” Aloisia recounted, in hushed tones, the events of the night before. Following the wisps, seeing the Forgotten Gods, and their encounter with Inari.
“There’s a man? In the woods? Right beside us?”
“Shush!” Aloisia glanced around, hoping the other huntresses hadn’t heard. Telling Kaja was one thing, but she wasn’t yet sure telling the others would be sensible. If he were here illegally… The last thing she needed was the only source of information on these supernatural beings getting hauled off to prison because Kaja couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
“After breakfast,” Kaja said, “we’re going.”
“Where?”
“Into the woods.”
Aloisia paled. Divines give her strength. She wasn’t sure she was ready for another encounter with the shaman yet, never mind with Kaja in tow. Though she thought to protest, the glee on Kaja’s face and her own experience with the will of this huntress told her there was little point. At least it would give her the opportunity to ask more questions if he would answer.
THIRTEEN
KajaboundedtowardstheDeadWoodsandAloisiafollowedclosebehind.Shewasn’tsurehowtheshamanwouldreacttoanothervisitor,orifhewouldevengivethemthetimeofday.Afterall,hehadonlygivenasmuchinformationashedidlastnightbecausetheyhadsomethingtoofferinreturn.
Aloisia glanced to the handkerchief in her palms, wrapped around the food she’d smuggled out of Mavka’s hall. She hoped it would be enough to barter for more answers from him.
“Lead the way, Lis,” Kaja said. “Let’s meet this shaman of yours.”
Aloisia rolled her eyes.
They trudged through the forest, tracking the small indents she had made the night before on their way back. All the while, Kaja continued her inane rambling. None of the words reached her, but that didn’t stop Kaja. After about twenty minutes, Aloisia slowed. A steady thudding sound was coming from near Inari’s hut. Though it wasn’t yet quite visible between the trees, Aloisia was sure they were close. She suddenly wished she had more than blades on her.
Kaja’s chatter ended abruptly as she, too, heard the constant beat up ahead. Aloisia sent a silent prayer to the Divines in hope the Forgotten Gods had not returned. In silence, the pair crept closer towards Inari’s home, the incessant thuds growing louder as they drew nearer.
Finally, the hut came into view and Aloisia breathed a sigh of relief. The sound was just Inari chopping wood. Shirtless. Swirling patterns and runes, much like the one he’d shown them on his forearm, twisted across his arms, travelling along his shoulders and down his back and torso. It seemed as if the runic tattoos covered every inch of him.
Kaja’s jaw dropped open at the sight of him. “You left out the fact that he’s gorgeous!”
Aloisia elbowed her. “Hush.”
“No, I think it’s a rather important detail to not mention.”
“He was going to kill Tristan, remember. I wasn’t exactly observing how attractive he was.”
“And he’s been living here, so close to the guild, this whole time?” Kaja clicked her tongue. “What a wasted opportunity. How have we never seen him before now?”
“Like I said, he hasn’t left the woods.”
“Well, perhaps we can convince him, eh?” Kaja grinned, waggling her brows as she headed out of the cover of the trees.
“By the Divines,” Aloisia murmured, trailing behind her.
Inari looked up as they approached, his hazel eyes wary. The furrow between his brows softened when he saw Aloisia.
