“I appreciate nature. I spent most of my childhood outside, but I’m not a big fan of bugs.”
“Snakes?”
He cringes. “Even worse.”
I laugh as another insect attempts to land on his hands, and he bats it away.
“You know they can hear that, right? They will be more drawn to you because you just made that statement.”
He snaps his head in my direction. “That isn’t true.”
“Oh, yes, it is. A thousand of his buddies will come visit you now,” I tease.
Larkin rolls his eyes and grips Atlas’s reins a bit tighter, glancing over his shoulder. The horse snorts, and Larkin leans forward, giving him a quick pet.
“There is a spider on your shoulder, by the way,” Larkin says, with a grin.
I scream and jerk sideways in an attempt to rid my body of the unwanted traveler.
Larkin bursts out laughing as I struggle to stay on top of Myah, who is annoyed by my movements on her back. After a few seconds, I realize there is actually nothing on my shoulder, and I glare in Larkin's direction, irritated by his teasing.
“You’re fucking mean,” I snap.
“And you are just as afraid as I am.”
I brush the hair from my face and settle myself back on Myah’s large back.
“This part of the forest is still mostly warded,” Larkin says, changing the subject. “We have a bit farther to go before we pass through the wards, and our senses must be sharp. The creatures will primarily stalk us in the shadows. They don’t tend to attack first. It’s the creatures we won’t see until it’s too late that I worry about.”
I nod. “Got it.”
Silence hits again.
“Has Silas told you anything about the trials?” I ask.
Larkin looks at me, his dark eyes shooting daggers into mine. He nods and says, “Yes, a bit, but I didn’t pry. I only listened to what he was willing to disclose.”
“Why didn’t you come with him to Daramveer?” I flinch at my own questions. “He traveled there alone.”
Why would I ask that?
Larkin stirs on the saddle, obviously uncomfortable at my question.
He doesn’t respond.
“I’m sorry. That was an odd thing to ask. I just…I know you two are very close, so I thought maybe he wanted some company.”
The mid-morning breeze wraps around us, and even the birds seem to stop singing as I await his response.
Larkin clears his throat. “I was on a ship about twenty miles from shore when his boat docked in Daramveer. I had a small fleet follow behind him, in case he ran into anything and needed assistance.” He pauses, as if reliving the memories. “When the ship arrived safely, I turned around and headed home. Silas didn’t want help. He went to Daramveer with one purpose and one mission only.”
“To win the trials?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “To find you.”
My heart flutters for a second, and I quiet my questions. Larkin won’t open up to me easily about what I really want to know, so I need to be cautious with my inquiries.
“It seems as if all of Andorwood knew who I was before I ever knew about you all.”
