“That’s if they don't toss you right back into the dungeons when they see you,” Kade pointed out.
Leighton shrugged.
“You think he’ll fall for that?” Archer asked.
“Does anyone have a better idea?” Leighton replied.
No one did.
“You’re seriously telling me that we have to go back there?” Sawyer complained, kicking his feet up on top of the table. “This will be…what? Our fourth trip there in six weeks? Does Draemor sell time shares, because it seems this may be our new vacation spot.”
Though no one laughed, he wasn’t wrong. It was downright comical at this point—the back and forth between Draemor and Lumosia. But what else were we supposed to do?
Choosing to ignore Sawyer’s usual lack of seriousness, Kohen suggested, “We shouldn’t all go. This is going to be arguably our riskiest trip yet. Just Leighton and someone else.”
“I’ll go,” Sebastian volunteered.
I shot him deathly glare. “Are you kidding me? Absolutely not! You almost died there.”
“Next to Leighton, I know Draemor the best.” He shut me down. “But before we go, we need to think about every single possibility. Every outcome. We need a plan for absolutelyeverything. I want to make it back here in one piece, and preferably without being tortured again.”
I visibly cringed.
This was so typical for us. Things started to fall back together and get somewhat normal, then he had to leave. I didn’t like it, but he was right. None of us knew Draemor or the surrounding land like him and Leighton.
“They are going to have stronger wards up and definitely more guards at the gates,” Archer stated, looking towards Sebastian. “I doubt you’d be able to get in.”
“I don’t need to. I just don’t think Leighton should make the trip alone,” Sebastian answered.
“I’ll honestly be fine,” she assured us. “I used to travel alone often when I worked in the archives. I would take a horse and visit libraries all over the kingdom.”
“Are you sure?” Kohen arched his brow. “That’s a long trip to make by yourself.”
“Positive. You guys saved my life.” She glanced around the room, her attention halting on Kade. “The least I can do is do this for you.”
“When do you want to leave?” Kade asked.
Confidently, Leighton said, “Give me two days to consider all the possibilities, then I’ll go.”
“Leighton.” Pia grabbed her attention. “Seeing as you’re going to be there anyway, Kohen has a way overdue library book that I believeyouhelped him find? Can you please return it? He’s on his third reread of it.”
There was no possible way for Sebastian to hide the amusement on his face as his voice raised to a pitch I had never heard from him. “Is he now?”
Kohen shot him a death glare, his cheeks glowing bright red.
“Uh. Yeah. Sure,” Leighton agreed.
“Well what can we do while you're gone? I don’t want to stay here and be useless,” I complained. “Or worse…bored.”
“Practice your wielding,” Sebastian answered for everyone with a soft chuckle. “Relax.”
Disregarding that, I turned to my father. “Do you have a map that shows the entire continent along with Lumosia?”
Chapter
Thirty-One
Back in our room that evening, I laid sprawled on our bed, sporting a pair of Sebastian's boxers and a loose shirt. The map Archer had given me took up a good portion of the mattress, and my vision rapidly raked over the entirety of it.
