“Why is that Prince hanging onto a nymph?” Damion asked Magda like Honeysuckle hadn’t spoken. “Who is he?”
“I’m no one,” Kaelan said before Magda could respond. “Honey, we must go.” He started to draw her away, but she didn’t move, staring down at the ground with tears in her overlarge eyes.
“It’s no use,” she said. “You’ve been found, Kaelan. Just as Ouda said.”
“You can’t listen to Ouda,” Kaelan said.
But the nymph had her face buried in her hands, sobbing now. Damion leaned away as if she had a disease. Kaelan looked to Magda. She didn’t know what he expected her to do. She didn’t have any experience dealing with weepy nymphs.
“Go with them, Kaelan, just go. They’re your kind. You belong with them,” Honey said through choked, snotty sobs.
“He’s not invited,” Magda said.
“Where are we going?” Damion asked her in a soft voice. “My father’s people will assist us if we—”
“We’re going to the Spire,” she said. “I sent Kirk ahead with the Enneahedron.”
“Python’s brownie?”
“He serves me now.”
Damion didn’t look reassured. “And then?”
“And then...”—she heaved a deep breath—“I will vie for Radiant.”
Damion smiled. “I knew—”
“You said you didn’t want to be Radiant,” Kaelan interjected.
“Didn’t I tell you to leave?” Magda said to him. “Take your twig and go.”
Damion drew his sword. “What’s that?” He pointed the blade down. Two gleaming black eyes peered up at the curved length of gild-silver.
“It’s Hero,” she said, scooping him up. “Sorry about all the falling, friend.”
“Is that the rat from Lavana’s dungeon?” Kaelan asked.
“Yes. Would you like to give him a kiss to thank him for saving us?” She held Hero out, but he squirmed free and clambered up her arm.
“No, thanks,” Kaelan said. “Let’s go, Hon.”
“You have to listen,” the nymph said, peering up at Kaelan. “Ouda told me—”
“You can’t listen to—”
The nymph pressed her dainty fingers to Kaelan’s lips, silencing him. “I know what some say about Ouda. But she spreads those frightening rumors herself to keep people away from the Elder Tree. She is the Hylde-Moer.”
Kaelan shook his head as if in disbelief, but Honey pressed on.
“When she saw that you were pursuing me, she called me to her tree and told me the truth. Why you were hidden among us. Why you were made to appear an imp until you were of age—”
“Ha!” Magda barked. “Thatwasyou!”
He scowled over Honey’s head at her.
Damion leaned in to Magda. “Let’s go,” he whispered.
“I know why,” Kaelan said. “My mother was killed. My father didn’t want me to suffer life with a Rae.” His gaze fixed on Magda as he spoke.
