Hope bloomed that there was a possibility he didn’t truly hate her for trapping him with the spell. He’d taught her how to defend herself, saved her from the Pony, and helped manage her panic from the incident with the Freebeasts. Progress. Hopefully.
“You’re not the worst company,” he said.
Orelia thought that might be the closest she’d ever get to a compliment from him and took it in stride. “How sweet of you to say.”
When Bute croaked, Vade motioned to the jar. “I can make a smaller ward for him so he can move around a bit. Must be hell to be trapped in that jar all day.”
She beamed. “He would love that.” Orelia unscrewed the lid.
Vade extended his arms toward the empty space between them away from the fire and made a ward a few feet wide and just as tall. Being as she’d woken with plenty of bug bites over the past few days, Orelia knew insects could still penetrate the ward, giving Bute a chance to catch a live meal instead of the dead bugs she’d collected for him, most going untouched.
Though looking into the ward was blurred, she could still make out the frog’s bright red and blue coloring. Bute crawled his way to the lid and peeked out of the jar. With a little hop, he landed in the grass and twisted his head, looking around. Her heart warmed at how happy he seemed as he began exploring his temporary home.
Orelia barely registered that her legs were carrying her over to Vade. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”
He stared at her with wide eyes. “What was that for?”
“Just showing my appreciation,” she said, grinning.
Vade rubbed the cheek she’d kissed him on, looking shocked. When his cheeks darkened, she tried to hide her smirk.
He didn’t hate her. Not completely, at least.
Vade cleared his throat, shifting on his bedroll. He went back to dragging his stick in the dirt, avoiding her eyes.
Orelia sat back down and watched him, transfixed by his movements. “Are those the Points?” she asked.
He paused, looking at what he’d created like he was seeing it for the first time. She wasn’t sure if his eyes were misty or it was just the firelight playing tricks. With a quick swipe of his hand, he made a clean slate in the dirt, tossed the stick in the fire, and rested his forearms on his knees.
“I haven’t been there in a long time,” he said, gazing at the flames.
Orelia sat cross-legged, peeling a thick blade of grass. “Why did you leave in the first place?”
His jaw clenched. “Work.”
“Was it hard to leave home?” There were times in the days they’d been traveling that she missed Minro, but mainly for its familiarity. Change was difficult when she’d never done it before, but after the spell was reversed, she’d return home to what she knew.
“That place wasn’t my home.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
Vade shifted uncomfortably and sighed. He wouldn’t look at her, but this was the first time he’d opened up about anything, so she was careful not to press too hard too fast.
“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” she offered.
“The Points are a place for tradition. And let’s just say, I wasn’t one for such things.”
A vague answer, but at least he was talking. Orelia kept quiet, eyes flicking to him in hopes he would continue.
Vade rotated the skewers and set them back on the spit.
She tried to wait until he offered more of his past but was unable to keep herself from asking more questions. “Was there anyone special you left behind?”
His eyes slid to hers.
Too much prying.She looked away, embarrassed to have forgotten he was young when he left. Still, he could have had someone. She didn’t like that the anticipation of his answer made her insides twist.
“I’m not like you,” he said.
