“You’re a weird bird, Tal,” Roane says.
“Hey, I get bored. Only so many things to do in this godsforsaken place, though I do enjoy fighting the goblins.”
“Like I said. Weird.”
Pushing myself up to a sitting position inside the nest, I rub the grit from my eyes and push my tangled hair out of my face.
A sudden silence falls. The three of them are staring at me and I don’t know what to say after everything I’ve heard. I don’t even know what expression I’m supposed to wear, or what I’m supposed to feel. Anger? Defeat? Sadness?
Talton hops toward me, then stops and turns his little black head to fix me with a beady eye. “Are you well rested?”
I nod, although I feel wrung out like a cleaning rag. I pat the bed beside me and sigh in relief when I find Olm’s book there.
“Don’t worry, nobody tried to steal it away from you,” the raven says.
“Why not?”
He crows. “Big scary serpent? Does that ring any bells?”
With a wince, I swing my legs off the edge of the niche. “He won’t do that again.”
“Pinky swear?”
“You almost sound like a human sometimes,” I inform him.
“Don’t insult me. We ravens are far cleverer than your kind.”
Startled, I stare as he flies away through the temple. “What did I say?”
“He’s touchy on certain matters,” Ardruna says. “Don’t mind him and come eat something.”
“You keep feeding me.” I stand up, testing my balance. My head is swimming. “Why?”
“Someone has to, and Roane here isn’t very mindful, is he?”
Roane glares darkly.
“Have some dried meat,” Ardruna says and Roane walks over to the niche and hands me a piece silently.
“Thank you.” I sniff it and almost gag. “It smells weird. Meat of what?”
“I carved it out of my own thigh,” Roane says gravely, “then dried it in the fire of my righteous fury.”
I roll my eyes. “Be serious.”
His gray eyes flash. “I couldn’t be more serious. Eat the funky meat, then give me the book. You can’t refuse any longer.”
“Can’t I? After all, I’m… wait, how did you put it?” I tap a finger against my lips. “Oh yes. Stubborn as a geriatric mule.”
His jaw clenches. “That book is influencing your mind and affecting your judgment.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Olm didn’t try to influence me. He makes sense, that’s all. As for you, you’re insufferable.”
He ignores my statement. “Didn’t he ask you not to leave him here in the library?”
“Well, he didn’t want to come here in the first place.”
“So he did ask you.” Roane rubs at his brow as if fighting a headache. “Listen, it’s magic. He may be whispering in your dreams.”
