“Where are we?” Vi tried to ask calmly.
“Right near the western edge of the Twilight Forest.” Arwin pointed. “We’re about half a day away from Toris. It’s a small fishing and trading town notorious for being a pirate stopover. We should be able to pick up a vessel there to get us to the Isle of Frost.” Vi didn’t miss the slight grimace at the mention of Adela’s stronghold.
“Can we return to where Sarphos showed you the tear?” Vi’s markings on the trees should still be there. With them, she could find her way back to Taavin.
“Why?”
“There’s something I stashed in a cave near there. I want to retrieve it,” Vi explained delicately.
“Oh, fine.” Arwin rolled her eyes. “Come on then.”
Scooping up Vi’s hand once more and gripping it tightly, Arwin tugged her through the trees. Vi barely had time to close her eyes and hold her breath. Her lungs were on fire in a moment and her ears popped from the shifting pressure. But as quickly as it came, the uncomfortable sensation of the shift vanished and Vi opened her eyes once more to what had become a more familiar stretch of forest. She could hear the stream in the distance, and see the markings on the trees.
“Right, this way.” Vi started forward, gripping the straps of her satchel. It was going to be a miracle if they didn’t all end up dead. “Listen, Arwin… I want you to know how grateful I am for you coming.”
“I have my own agenda.”
“Yes, well… I still appreciate it.” Vi continued. “And I hope that, on this journey, we can trust each other.”
Arwin snorted. “I suppose I can trust you not to get yourself killed. Barely.”
The cave came into view and Vi pointed at it. “That’s where my things are. Wait here?”
“Get what you need and let’s be on our way.” Arwin folded her arms, resting against a tree, impatient.
Vi moved hastily, not wanting to sour the woman’s mood even further. Uttering every prayer and good luck wish she knew, Vi crossed to the cave, set the scythe aside, and squeezed through the opening.
“Vi.” Taavin’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“Taavin.” Vi looked over to him in the dim glow of Sarphos’s stone. They stared at each other for what felt like an hour—long enough that Arwin should’ve come investigating. After their last parting, Vi was even more painfully aware of all that was left unsaid.
“Are you alone?” Taavin’s eyes shifted over her shoulder.
“No. And it’s not Sarphos who’s with me.”
“What happened?” Taavin’s tone sobered and Vi wondered for a brief second if he’d thought she betrayed him.
“I can’t explain fully right now, there’s no time, and this introduction will be uncomfortable enough as it is. I’d rather not do it in a confined space.” Vi sighed and rested her palm on his chest. “You have to trust me, all right? Please know, no matter what, I will never seek to bring you harm. Trust me like I trust you.”
“What’re you talking about?” His heart was beating faster underneath her fingers.
“You said it yourself—the morphi are not friendly to Fallor or Adela. Turns out, they have some unfinished business with the pirate queen and one of the royal guards wants to come and settle the score.”
“What?” Taavin’s voice dropped to a panicked whisper. He spoke so fast that Vi didn’t have the chance to tell him Arwin stood far enough away that there was no way she could hear. “We can’t bring a morphi along, especially a morphi royal. First, you saw how Sarphos reacted to me. Second, if they leave their kingdom, they risk exile. Third, they risk being hunted by any Faithful we run into.”
“I know the risks. Moreover,sheknows the risks.” Vi dropped her hand, fighting the urge to glare at him and failing. “And so do you. You told me yourself of your hand in creating the decrees that would lead to the Faithful hunting her.”
“And I told you not to judge me for the things I did in captivity.”
Vi bit the inside of her lower lip and focused on the present. “We don’t have a choice in this. Adela’s Isle of Frost is shrouded by the morphi shift and I’m not about to leave getting to my father up to chance and hope that one of Raspian’s tears allows us through. Getting to the Twilight Kingdom nearly killed me. That’s not a viable strategy for us.”
Taavin pressed his lips together into a thin line. Vi knew when she’d won. There was no better counter-argument. She’d run through every possibility already; having a morphi on their side was their best chance.
With that, she left the cave, trusting him to follow. But she didn’t look back. Instead, she focused on quickly slinging the scythe over her shoulder once more and walking toward Arwin, trying to position herself right between the two.
Vi knew the moment Taavin emerged based on the change in Arwin’s expression. It was a darkly fascinating thing to behold. She went from bored and grumpy, to horrified, to the picture of loathing in about an instant.
Spear in hand, Arwin let out a crazed cry and began sprinting toward Taavin.
