She cleared her throat. “You said you were going to tell me why you want the Everstone.”
“And I will.” I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees. “But I’m going to need something for you in return.”
“I see. That’s why you’re buttering me up with cake.”
“And is it working?”
“Depends on what you want.”
“Tell me where you thought you’d find the Everstone.”
A tense silence followed. Astrid took another bite of the cake and chewed thoughtfully before she swallowed heard and said, “I’ll tell you that, but I need something fromyouin return.” She shot me a wolfish smile.
“Ha! All right. What’s your request?”
“I want to know why you’re asking me this question.”
I studied her carefully. Astrid studied me right back. It was as if we were dancing around a conversation we both wanted to have but didn’t quite trust the other enough to voice. At the end of the day, I didn’t know this lass, and she was a competitor. She’d do whatever it took to get her hands on the Everstone—she was cursed, after all—even if that meant betraying my confidence.
Because what would there be to betray, really? We were strangers.
And yet I found myself saying, “It’s like I said earlier, something doesn’t feel right about that gem.”
“And you want to know where I thought I’d find it. As in, you want to know if I thought it’d be in Rockheim? Which means you’re not sure it would have been.” She leaned forward. “You don’t think it’s a fake, do you?”
“It certainly didn’t look or feel like a fake.”
As soon as the dwarves had unveiled the Everstone, a rippling power had washed across my skin. Whatever that thing was, it wasn’t devoid of magic. It didsomething. I just wasn’t convinced it did what we all thought.
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “There’s a tunnel not far from The Wet Beard. For a really long time, I was convinced it was there, but I’ve explored every inch of it multiple times. It’s not there.”
I arched my brow. “I think I’d like to see that tunnel.”
“And I don’t think I’m keen to show it to you.”
“I’ve got more of that cake,” I said, pointing at the red crumbs scattered around her boots.
“Using my weaknesses against me is extremely unfair.” She stuck out her hand, palm up. “Gimme.”
“Gladly.” I passed her the cake, but instead of digging in straight away, she tucked it into the leather satchel slung around her shoulders. “But first, you need to tell me why you want the Everstone.”
I sighed. Ihadagreed to do just that, but it wasn’t something I much liked speaking of, least of all to someone I barely knew. But I couldn’t back out now. If I did, she’d never help me. I’d just keep it short and sweet.
“My brother is ill. The Everstone has enough power to heal him.”
She sat a little straighter on the log. “Ill? I’m sorry. What’s his affliction?”
“It’s some kind of skin issue,” I said tightly. “It means he cannot withstand the sun’s rays. He’s destined to remain in the darkness unless I find him a cure.”
Astrid blinked at me. Her lips pressed together into a harsh white line. And there was so much forced pity in her expression that it made me wish I could take back my words. She likelythought what everyone else did: why would a shadow demon even care? We loved the dark. But Tahir yearned for the sun’s rays, and he needed the world above. I’d do anything to give it to him.
“That must be difficult for him,” Astrid eventually said.
“No need to be sarcastic.” I rose. Time to leave this conversation and explore the tunnel Astrid had mentioned.
She stood, brushing the crumbs from her shirt. “I’m not being sarcastic. I feel for the lad and wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone.”
“Most people point out that shadow demons thrive in the darkness,” I said slowly.
