I blink. Then blink some more.
“A gremel. It’s a gremel.” I rub my cheeks as the glamor magic wears off. “What do you see? What’s its true form?”
“Finally.” Gareth grunts as the gremel curses and growls. “It’s small, not furry, not cute, and has fangs almost as long as mine.”
“Seriously?” I can’t hide my disappointment. I mean, I should be embarrassed. After all, I fell under a gremel’s thrall, but I’m more disappointed than anything else. It looked so perfect, so soft, so cuddly. “Are you sure it isn’t gray with a cream-colored tummy and cute lavender eyes?”
“Definitely not.”
“Spires. It should’ve just stayed invisible to me.” I kick at the stone floor, hurt my toe, then curse some more.
“Pretty lady. It’s me. Your pet. So fluffy. Help me. Save me from this cruel fae. I will reward you with tummy rubs. All the tummy rubs you can—”
“Cut it out.” Gareth jostles beside me, and I think he’s shaking the gremel to within an inch of its life.
“I can look.” I start to turn around.
“Don’t.” Gareth shakes his head.
“No tricks, pretty lady,” it coos.
“I will end you.” Gareth’s tone doesn’t leave any room for interpretation.
It’s met with ahmmphfrom the gremel, but no more words.
“Show her your true form or I’ll gut you right here.” Gareth sighs. “Turn around, Beth.”
I do. I wish I didn’t. The gremel is still gray, but it’s a sickly shade. It has wide, milky eyes and only scraggly white hairs covering its body.
“No tummy rubs for you.” I cross my arms.
“Where was the other gold?” Gareth peers at the dark lanes that break off from this crossroads. “The caravan we’re with left gold clues for us to follow so we know which is the right road. Where was it?”
“Hang on. I haven’t seen any gold.” I look up at Gareth. “Are you saying we’ve been walking this whole time, and you didn’t know if we were going the right way?”
He shrugs but doesn’t loosen his hold on the gremel. “I had a feeling this was the right way.”
“But you didn’tknow?”
“That’s not the point.” He shakes the gremel again. “Where was the gold?”
It starts crying, a pitiful sound as its eyes well with tears. “It’s my gold. Mine. I found it.”
Gareth jerks his chin toward the edge of the road. “I’m going to throw it.”
“Hey.” I put a hand on Gareth’s arm and step closer to the gremel. Keeping my voice low, I say, “Hey, gremel, what’s your name? I’m Beth, and this is Gareth.”
It sniffles. “Iwoo.”
“Okay, Iwoo. Nice to meet you.” I go to put my hand out, but Gareth growls. I pull it back. “We’re just trying to get out of here, okay?” I pause for a moment, then think back to how my experience in the Abyss has been going so far. I squint at the creature. “What do you eat?” I fire out the question.
“Huh?” He sniffles some more and his brow wrinkles.
“What do you eat?”
“Eat?” He turns his head to the side, as if he didn’t hear me right.
“Yes, eat. What do you like to eat?”
