Steve shrugged. “You never know what a troll will ask for.”
Hellcats! This sucked. Theo didn’t have anything to barter with. “Do you know this troll?”
“Nah, man. I don’t spend a lot of time on this side of the realm. I’m just sort of winging it,” Steve replied.
Once again, the words rang untrue. Theo nodded anyway.
“The bridges in this realm move around. It’s rare that we cross the same bridge twice,” Steve informed him.
Interesting. And that probably said more about the realm than Theo understood.
Theo strode forward, getting closer to the bridge. He didn’t see a troll or any other fae around. The bridge itself wasn’t much to look at. Just hundreds of big, medium, and small rocks and stones that arched over the fast-rushing water below it. The pathway and sides of the bridge were covered with green moss, vines, and plants.
“Hello!” Theo called out.
“We could try to sneak across,” Steve said from his side.
Theo jumped as Steve startled him. He hadn’t heard the kid move closer. Theo shook his head. Being straightforward with a fae creature was their best option until they ran out of choices.
He could do this. Would do this. Theo was a brave boy. His mates were counting on him surviving until they could get to him. Although Theo was getting really irritated with how long it was taking.
“Who are you talking to?” Garrett asked from his other side.
“The troll,” Theo explained. “So we can cross the bridge.”
“I don’t sense anyone near,” Garrett responded.
Theo glanced at Steve, who shrugged in return. Great. Steve was being as helpful as ever.
Carefully Theo stepped up to the very edge of the bridge while still staying on the path. “Hello! Is anyone there?”
Using his shifter hearing, Theo strained to pick up any sign that they weren’t alone. Nothing. Not a sound. No breathing. Theo didn’t see how he could miss a troll if one was around.
Maybe this bridge had been abandoned or something?
It would be much better if Theo had more information about freaking trolls. Trolls! What would be next? Theo was afraid to even think that way.
“Maybe the troll left?” Steve offered.
“Do they normally just leave their bridge?” Theo questioned. “You made it sound like this was the troll’s only purpose.”
“Well that’s true.” Steve waved his hand at the bridge. “But—”
“Hello! Is there anyone here. We need to cross the bridge!” Theo was at a loss on what to do. He didn’t want to upset the troll but if he wasn’t even there, what other option did they have but going forward?
Taking one step onto the bridge, Theo paused to see what happened.
Huh, nothing. Okay.
Theo strode forward with six timid steps and stopped again. He turned back toward Garrett and Steve.
Steve looked just as concerned as Theo.
Garrett, the sweet gargoyle, was currently bent over, sniffing at the vine. And now he was licking it. Weird. Maybe it was a gargoyle thing?
“Garrett?” Theo questioned.
The gargoyle straightened. “Whoever cares for this bridge puts much love into it,” Garrett told him. “We should not cross without permission.”
