Teryn rolled his eyes. “Fine.I’mcoming with you.”
Oh, yes, he can come,said Valorre.
“I don’t need you,” Cora said, ignoring Valorre and folding her arms. “I’ve done this before, you know.”
“That’s all well and good, but there’s no way I’m waiting behind while you…endanger yourself alone.”
Ah, he does have a point to be concerned,Valorre said. I don’t like when you endanger yourself either.
Whose side are you on?she shot back.
His, obviously, he said without shame.
Cora furrowed her brow. Was that true concern in Teryn’s eyes? Or something else? Suspicion, perhaps. She let down her shields just enough to sample his emotions. All she felt were conflicting elements. Fear. Trepidation. Something that made her stomach feel warm. With an exhale, she lifted her shields again. “This is the safest part of our plan.”
Lex lifted a finger. “Remind me what this plan is again? Sorry, working together as equals is a foreign concept to me, considering Helios was a royal ass.”
She felt a flash of guilt. They’d told her about what it was like working with Prince Helios. How he’d kept more secrets than he’d shared. Her instincts begged her to keep the boys from getting close to her, begged her to do exactly what Helios had done. She’d only let them come along because Teryn had practically begged her. Still…she’d agreed, for better or worse, which meant she now had to suffer the consequences. Even if that meant collaborating with people she’d sooner leave behind.
Valorre came up beside her and nudged her in the shoulder.Are they not our friends?
No, she conveyed back.
To the boys, she said, “Today, I will scout. Gather information. Study the camp. Valorre will warn me if he senses danger. I’ll try to glean as much as I can about this party’s habits. I’ll report back everything I find, then we’ll form a plan of attack.”
“By attack do you mean…” Lex mimed throwing back a drink and tipping his head to the side, eyes closed, tongue lolling from his mouth. When Cora refused to acknowledge him other than thinning her lips, he whispered, “Poison.”
Her mind filled with a vision of Paul’s prone form at the base of a tree, of James lying by the campfire with blue-tinged lips. The sound of bodies falling, cries of alarm—
She blinked the memories away, but her pulse had kicked up to a rapid tempo. “I don’t know.”
“Ideally, we’ll avoid bloodshed,” Teryn said. “Which is why I’m coming with you. Two pairs of eyes are better than one. With both of our perspectives, we’ll have a better chance at coming up with a viable plan that puts all of us in the least amount of danger.”
She wanted to roll her eyes. Of course the goodly, dutiful prince wanted to avoid bloodshed. He was a fool if he thought it was possible. Perhaps it was a lesson he’d have to learn on his own. “You can help me form a plan but I’m going to scout alone. That’s final.”
Teryn released a mirthless laugh. He closed the distance between them, his posture mirroring hers until only a foot separated them. Berol ruffled her feathers but remained on his shoulder. Teryn was so much taller than Cora, she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. “Then I suppose I will too,” he said. Before Cora could argue, he brushed past her, took his sword from his saddle, and left the grove. “We’ll see who gets there first,” he called over his shoulder.
Cora stared after him, jaw hanging on its hinge.
Lex chuckled as he walked over to his horse and took a book and apple from one of his saddlebags. “The two of you are disgusting.”
She whirled to face him. “Excuse me?”
“As if you don’t know.” Lex settled down at the base of a tree, opening his book with one hand and bringing the apple to his mouth with the other. “You must get a kick out of riling him up, making him act all protective like that. It’s cute, I guess. But…ugh, so gross.”
You know what’s gross?Valorre said.Taking an apple from one’s bag without offering me one. I like apples.
Cora stroked Valorre’s neck and glared at Lex. “I promise you, I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
He opened his book and began to read. “We both know he fancies you.”
Cora’s hand froze on Valorre’s soft hide while her heart thudded against her ribcage. No, Lex couldn’t be right. It wasn’t possible. The concept was utterly preposterous.
The only word that left her lips was, “What?”
He took another bite of apple, muffling his next words. “I saw the two of you sneak off last night after your sexy knife play. If that’s what does it for you, I’m happy for you both. Still, I’d rather keep our mission professional.”
Cora’s cheeks burned hotter than ever before. “This arrangement is strictly professional, trust me.”
