She did not sound sad.
Card clambered up on the knotted roots and pressed his hands against the trunk, slowly leaning forward until his forehead touched bark. I rubbed a finger over bites under my denim.
“Not much of a dryad, is he?” the siren asked.
And dammit, that bothered me.
“Why do you think that?”
“If he’s willing to cut down an old spirit just to get back a coin he foolishly spent, he’s not fit to be on the same land as his heart tree.”
“You’re the one who wants us to cut it down.”
She shrugged. “I’m not a dryad. I don’t care if this one tree dies. But dryads care about all the trees. Or at least dryads who haven’t lost their roots looking for their dead sister do.”
“Harsh.” I didn’t think she was right about him being disconnected from his tree. He wouldn’t have come for my help if he didn’t care about his tree. Still, it was an opening to get information.
“Is that what he asked you? If his sister was alive?”
“No. He asked me if she was dead.”
That seemed to be a very slight difference. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him she was not alive.”
“What is it about you supernatural people that makes you always talk in riddles?”
She opened her mouth, closed it, then chuckled. “I just... It’s how I talk. What is it about you Crossroads that makes you always force things into a plan, a clear direction? As if the world is ever going to be tidy and organized? Little boxes in little rooms.”
“I don’t have to have everything tidy. You should see my basement.”
“Not your things. Your people. You only let the ones who are settled, calm, and contained close to you.”
“I am suddenly very curious how many Crossroads you’ve met. We are not sticklers for routine.”
“I’ve metyou,” she said.
“You don’t know me.” I scratched my arm.
A small smile tugged her lips. “Solid though. Certain. That’s one thing I like about Crossroads. Both feet very much in the earth.”
“All right, now how about answering my question?”
“What was your question?”
“Is Card’s sister alive?”
“Ah. That question.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You haven’t offered me anything for my insight.”
“We’re gonna hack down that massive tree, aren’t we?”
“For the coin. Not for my vision.”
“Huh. I thought so.”
