“Then why won’t you look at me? Do you regret what happened?”
Horror crawled across his face. “No, no. Of course not. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way, especially after…” He trailed off. “I’m sorry.” I could hear the sorrow in his voice. Perhaps it made me a fool, but I believed him. He never moved to comfort me physically though, which was still very strange. He’d never withheld even simple touches when he had the opportunity. “Phin, I…” His eyes dropped to the paper I’d been drawing on. Whatever he’d been about to say, he decided to keep to himself. “Tomorrow, I’m planning to visit Ophelia.”
The name was familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. “Ophelia is the…”
“Stone kin sorceress.”
“Oh yes. Greta mentioned going to visit her, to ask about my tincture.”
“Vassago told me that she hasn’t had a chance to see her yet. So I thought perhaps we could go.”
I brightened. “Yes, I’d be happy to if it will speed up that process.” The faster we could work out the recipe, the sooner I could stop worrying about running out of the only thing keeping my cycle and perhaps more of the freezing episodes at bay.
“Good.” Tap remained serious as he returned to the sofa. “I… I’m sorry. Truly,” he repeated, but didn’t elaborate.
Something was still wrong, the tension sitting heavy between us, the total opposite of what I’d felt only the night before. But like him, I wouldn’t push. Not yet.
Hopefully getting out in the world again helped. I wasn’t sure I could stomach the tension if not.
“The wardsaround her hut will likely feel heavy. They’re designed to keep people out, to make them want to avoid her part of the Dread Forest altogether. If you feel like you want to run away, don’t panic. It will pass once we’re inside.” Tap’s warning as we traveled out of the city gates in the carriage from d’Arcan didn’t ease my stomachache one bit.
His odd behavior had continued, though he’d offered his arm before we stepped through the portal. He was wound as tight as could be, and I hated every second of the awkwardness between us. It hadn’t even been like this when we first met. I hated it.
The forest became denser on the sides of the road the farther we went, and then it was like we were swallowed up by the greenery altogether when the carriage turned onto a narrow lane. Before long, I understood all too well what Tap had meant with his warning about the wards.
Pure panic roiled through me, the urge to scream and go back the way we’d come overriding all other senses.
“Just breathe through it, we’ll be there in a moment,” Tap said gently, his own teeth clenched.
The carriage came to a stop in front of a little round hut. There were flowers blooming in the window boxes and what looked like the remains of a garden off to one side.
“Here.” Tap reached for my hand as he exited the carriage, and I gladly took it, seeking anything that would temper the wildneed to leave this place. “Thank you, Clem. We’ll make our own way back.”
The groom dipped his head. “Sir.” He immediately steered the clearly spooked horses back the other direction, disappearing down the dirt lane at a fast trot.
He approached the door and knocked three times. After several long heartbeats where I struggled to keep my feet planted where they were, the wooden door opened, revealing a squatty old woman with pure white hair.
“Hello, Tap. Hailon sent word that you’d be coming.”
“Greetings to you, Ophelia. I apologize. I come bearing no gifts today. But I’m happy to make a special order, if you have any requests?”
She scanned Tap up and down. “I’ll forgive you this time, I suppose. But I’d like a portal of my own one of these days.”
Tap blinked. “Truly?”
“Yes, yes. My days of sitting in denial that company won’t keep showing up regardless of my opinion on the matter are over. Having one here, one I can control that’s safe under my wards, will simplify the process for everyone. And I won’t have to go all the way into Revalia when I want to visit the glade or the conclave.”
Tap blinked as he took in this information. “I’d be happy to create one for you, it’s no trouble at all. I can likely do it today, as long as you have the components I need.”
“Good.” Then those rheumy blue eyes turned on me. “Always something new with you demons. Come in then.” She led us into the cozy little dwelling, and once I was over the threshold, the urge to leave with haste disappeared. The smell of freshly baked bread and the warmth from the oven also helped put me at ease. “Bread needs a few more minutes, but the tea should be steeped.”
The space was small but filled with bits and bobs that illustrated immediately who Ophelia was. I took in the stacks of books and papers on every available flat surface and abundance of precariously positioned houseplants and clusters of rocks and crystals and knew she was my kind of person.
We passed through the kitchen to a small living room and into a U shaped seating area arranged in front of a fireplace. Tap waited to be invited to sit, which seemed to amuse the elder stone kin.
“Go on, demon. Sit yourself down. And you”—she turned to me, her smile genuine but missing several teeth—“sit next to me? If you please.” She patted the cushion to her right.
Tea was doled out in dainty little cups, the scent of alcohol heavy as I lifted mine to my mouth. I took a tentative sip, the burn of whiskey hot in my nose as I swallowed.
