“We aren’t far from Dwarf Shoe now,” she said. “The journey may take perhaps a fortnight.”
There was a pause as the wind picked up, loudly rustling the leaves .
“Of course, I will. They wouldn’t understand.”
Zev came through the bushes. Dyna yelped, jumping to her feet with a start. Her pack dropped from her lap and splashed into a silvery plate.
“Zev, you startled me,” Dyna said, sounding rather annoyed.
Who was she speaking to? A sniff of the air proved there was only them. He canted his head.
At his visible confusion, she glowered and gathered her things. “I came here for a moment to myself. You don’t need to follow me around like my constant shadow. I’m fine.”
He lowered his ears at her sharp tone.
She sighed down at her soaked satchel and lifted it off the shiny plate. It caught the sunlight as she dumped out the water. It was a rather fancy dish to drink water out of. The Celestials had left it behind.
Why keep it?
Dyna shoved it into her satchel and slung the strap onto her shoulder. “Forgive me for snapping at you. I’m a little tired, is all.”
She did look tired, now that he was finally looking for it. Exhaustion lined the purple shadows beneath her eyes.
Dyna petted his muzzle, and he licked her fingers, tasting the salt on her skin. “We should go back before the others come searching for me, too.”
They returned to find the mercenaries hanging up Wendigo pelts from the trees.
“To repel the trolls,” Klyde explained.
The stench would repel anyone. Zev laid by the fire so he could hinder some of the smell beneath the burning wood.
“According to the map, we are two days away from the gorge,” Rawn told them quietly as Dyna took a seat beside Lucenna.
“Good,” the sorceress replied. “May our luck hold up until then.”
Dyna frowned. “Well, don’t wish misfortune on us now. How far is the Morphos Court from Troll Bridge?”
“The Morphos Court lies at the center of the Wyspwood, my lady,” Rawn said. “Perhaps fifteen miles from the gorge.”
“The detour won’t be too far,” she said. “We must stop by to gather Princess Keena on the way.”
“You are assuming she will want to join us,” Lucenna said, arching a brow.
Dyna shrugged. “She’s one of my Guardians. Why wouldn’t she want to join me?”
Again, taken aback by her harsh tone and how easily she was open to adding another to their group, Zev shifted out of his wolf form. “Dyna, we’ve yet to discuss the princess or if she’s even trustworthy,” he said, quickly tugging on a pair of trousers. “She may know more about Leoake than she’s let on.”
He glanced down at her arm where her geas in the shape of an oak used to be. Dyna mentioned the Druid had moved it, but she was still bound to an unknown promise. He would come to claim it soon, and Zev sensed its imminent arrival like the incoming rain. Whatever favor Leoake wanted, it was bound to carry a heavy price.
“Even if she does know more about the Druid, it doesn’t change the fact that she is one of my Guardians. She’s part of my prophecy.”
“Tarn’s prophecy, you mean,” Lucenna corrected with a frown.
Dyna gave her a look. “It may have been given to him, but it’s mine, too. I need all—” She grimaced and amended, “I need to gather what Guardians I can before we make the voyage to Mount Ida.”
“My lady, does that include Commander Von as well?” Rawn asked.
Zev stiffened.
