The magic coalesced around the lamp, growing until it built up an explosive pressure. It swirled and pounded against itself, and then—
It burst. Energy exploded on itself, shattering under our combined power, and releasing a surge of uncontrolled magic. That power rolled like a wave, upward, and then outward, coursing through the sky. We both stopped our assault of magic.
When the smoke and fire cleared, the lamp remained—unharmed—in the crater of destruction we’d wrought.
The queen’s eyes widened again, watching the air above us curve as unrestrained magic rolled through it. “That can’t be good,” she muttered.
I rolled my shoulders back. “No, I don’t expect so. Perhaps we should head toward—” I paused. Wehadn’t actually discussed our destination. “Where do you expect to find the humans who trapped you?”
Her lips pursed with uncertainty before she answered. “One of the autumn realms. They seem most likely to be suited to human… fragility.”
An uninformed answer. I knew of an island in Veran that was full of humans. And weather in the spring kingdoms would be just as friendly as weather in the autumn realm.
So really, the queen had no idea what she was doing.
I would not tell her that. Not when she wanted my loyalty and support. And she had just freed me. I would disentangle myself from her in time to go to Veran and take care of my own vengeance.
But not now. Today, our paths would align, and I would protect her just as I’d promised myself. She wanted to go to the autumn kingdoms and, for the moment, that lay in the same direction as the summer realm. “So, south to the Summer Chasm?”
“Yes.” She retrieved the lamp. “All our magic, and it’s not even hot.”
Curse Brintontoven and his indestructible lamp. “Perhaps we’ll find a way to destroy it later.” At least it had made its way into the Kahunamon mountains and caught the imprisoned queen’s attention.
She nodded and tied it inside one of the bags on the heavy saddles, securing it with three layers of straps, before facing me again. “Since you are no longer myslave, perhaps we should discuss our travel arrangements.”
Travel arrangements? “I’m not sure what you mean.”
She waved at the saddles. “I will require assistance with preparing the horses, but I do not want to be in your debt.”
A reasonable concern—no fae wanted to owe an unknown debt to another, and she now expected to travel with me long enough to destroy her humans. I could temper those expectations with a deal. “Perhaps a bargain?”
Her grey eyes brightened. “What would you propose?”
I tamped down the way my chest lightened when her eyes lit up. She was excited about a bargain. It had nothing to do with me. “I can take care of the horses and bags, and you can be in charge of finding us food.”
She lifted her hand toward me. I took her fingers in mine. It wasn’t necessary, but the way she lifted them was irresistible—like an invisible draw to the hand that had freed me. Besides, touching her fingers while we formed the bargain would not make us any more connected than we already were. It hurt nothing.
As my flesh touched hers, a new sensation burned through me. It was only a hand, but I liked how it felt. I schooled my features to be sure I did not reveal the rush of feelings.
Her eyes fell to our hands, and her voice caught. Perhaps she felt something similar? Her emotions werecompletely veiled, but she swallowed and spoke quickly, as if trying to recover from a surprise. “I will find us food and you will take care of the horses and bags.”
“As long as we travel together,” I added. This bargain could not last after I disappeared.
She set her other hand on our joined fingers, and another thrill ran from her cool fingers straight to my heart. That cool rush could be addictive.
I should not have touched her.
“Agreed,” she said.
I stared at our hands and whispered, “It is a bargain.”
Magic swirled around us, pressed into our skin, and left a saddle-shaped symbol on each of our wrists. She now had two: the ice crystal from her deal with the singers and a saddle from her agreement with me.
The saddles would stay as long as we traveled together. The ice crystal? Who knew when the musicians would complete their bargain?
Chapter 10: Andar
Isaddled the horses and strode away, intending to check the ice castle for anything the queen left behind, but a wave of light-headed nausea made me throw my hands out to my sides for balance. When the world stopped tilting, I ran one hand through my hair and rested the other on my stomach.
