Felix smirked. “Well, that will be up to her to decide.”
A pulse of energy shot from Kole’s aura. Facing me squarely once more, he said gruffly, “I have room on my carpet. Come with me instead.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You do?” I glanced behind him. “Where’s your carpet?”
“Still in my chambers.”
“Oh, of course.” He’d obviously had the foresight not to leave it out here either, even though I didn’t recall seeing a large rolled carpet anywhere in his private suite.
“You can still come with us.” Felix waggled his eyebrows. “I promise to make it enjoyable.”
Kole cut him a hard look, but I thought of the fun I’d had last night with the three—the dancing, laughing, and drinking. Felix was right. I could join them, probably even enjoy myself on this lonely journey.
But then I frowned. Fun and adventure weren’t why I’d left Whiteolf and my family behind. Finding the Stone and claiming it were all that mattered, and I knew Kole’s time up herewasn’tbecause of Stone hunting. I didn’t have to worry about him fighting me for it if my uncle’s device led me to it. And then there was the matter of who Kole was. I would be safe with him should another creature come prowling. He’d proven that last night. We could even sleep in shifts if need be.
I eyed the warrior again. “Are you sure?”
For the merest second, a satisfied gleam filled his eyes, but then he blinked, and it was gone. “I’m sure.”
I gave Felix, Nym, and Jessip an apologetic smile. “As much as I’ve enjoyed meeting you and spending time with you all, I think I’ll take Kole up on his offer.”
Felix pouted. “You’re breaking my heart, Prim.”
I rolled my eyes, but a playful smile tugged on my lips. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”
He shook his head dramatically. “I fear I won’t.”
“You’ll make it,” the warrior said dryly, then stepped closer to me. “I’ll be back shortly. We’ll leave soon. Just wait for me. Okay?”
I dipped my head, and Kole ducked back inside the inn.
“Now’s your chance.” Felix hopped back onto their carpet and held his hand out. “You can ditch him, and we’ll be out of here before he knows it.”
But too much relief was flowing through me for Felix’s offer to be even remotely tempting. I blew him a kiss. “Farewell, my friends. Safe journeys.”
Nym tugged on Felix to sit down. “You lost, my friend, and the warrior won. Take it like a gentlefae.”
Felix sighed but continued professing words of love for me as they sailed down the street, and even though I knew he was just being silly and overly dramatic, another breath of relief filled me that I wasn’t going with them.
Knowing that I could travel with the warrior, at least for a short while, had most of my nerves calming. However, there was still the matter of what to do once Kole and I parted ways. I would still have to travel back to Whiteolf eventually, and I couldn’t do that by walking, especially if I needed to hurry back if my uncle took a turn for the worse.
I contemplated how long it would take for Kole to grab hiscarpet and figured I would have enough time to place an order at the shop down the lane for my own.
Because while I hoped the warrior meant it that he didn’t mind me traveling with him for the foreseeable future, I also knew that I couldn’t rely on him entirely. If the Imperial Council demanded that he venture in a direction opposite of where I believed the Stone to be, the warrior and I would have to part ways. Even if that meant being on my own again in dangerous territory.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
An hour later, I was still waiting for Kole. I’d ventured to the general store and placed an order for a new carpet. I had it being delivered to a city in the northern area of Stonewild, which hopefully Kole would take me to if needed. Otherwise, I would have to hitch a ride with other fae in order to claim it.
But even though I’d kept an eye out the shop’s window while I’d been placing my order, I still hadn’t seen Kole emerge from the inn, not once.
So I waited and waited for him to return.
The sun rose steadily behind a thick cloud cover, and the frigid air didn’t warm. Swirling masses of indigo, navy, and purple puffs roiled over the land, threatening another gale. Rain or snow would likely come again. I shivered.No, not rain.Snow would definitely be coming if those clouds decided to let loose.
I hopped from foot to foot, my toes slightly numb fromstanding idly for so long, and I debated if I should go back inside the inn just to warm up.
But then another thought occurred to me, and my stomach dropped. Perhaps I should also check in with the front desk to see if Kole was stillhere. It was possible the warrior had changed his mind about helping me, and he’d ditched me through the inn’s back door rather than breaking the news to my face. That could explain why he hadn’t shown yet.
