“And that’syou?”
“Why the note of confusion?”
“You’re what, twenty-five?”
“Fifty-two.”
I stumbled, and his hand shot out and gripped my upper arm to steady me.
“Fifty-two?” My voice was squeaky.
“The same age you would have been, had you grown up there.”
“Are you telling me you all are immortal?” My voice rose on the last word.
He gave me a long look. “There’s no ‘you all.’ You’re one of us. And no, not immortal, just long lived. The aging process slows once we reach our twenties, our channels sustaining us.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. There was so much to unpack in that sentence, I didn’t know where to start.
He ushered me onward. “Having second thoughts?”
I just looked at him. “I didn’t realize I was allowed tohavesecond thoughts, the way you two pushed me out the door.”
His lips twitched. “You can always have second thoughts, Princess. Even if you are coming with me.”
“Don’t call me that.”
His look was appraising. “It’s who you are.”
I thought about hitting him again.
“You’ll just hurt yourself again,” he said, before adding, “Princess.”
I let out a growl of rage, only for a slight smile to break through on his mouth.
We passed the turnoff to Cormac’s shop. A stab of pain went through my heart. I couldn’t leave. Not without saying goodbye.
“I need to do one thing,” I fired at Griff, before running down the path and vaulting over the stone wall, his presence following close behind me.
Cormac was standing outside, odd at this time of day, as it was when he had some of the best light in his workspace. It was as if he was waiting for me as I came barreling up and crashed into him. He caught me, his massive arms stopping my momentum. My arms flew around his waist, as wide as a tree trunk, and I held on.
He embraced me back, his wiry hair tickling my skin. I think I could count on one hand the number of times he’d returned one of my hugs.
“You’re leaving, eh?”
I pulled back to find those dark eyes kind and understanding. Somehow, he just knew. Tears threatened to overwhelm me again. He had been a constant in my life, ever since I had toddled in here at such a young age. This harsh man, who had never been harsh with me. I’d never had to explain myself to him—he’d always just understood.
He softly wiped a tear away, his calloused thumb rough. “You were never meant to be here. Go find your adventure.”
Even he was pushing me onward. His eyes meet Griff’s, silent understanding passing between them.
He set me away from him, and I felt the emptiness rush between us. I memorized his face as his eyes tracked over my own as though he was doing the same. His bushy black beard and hair. Those dark eyes that had always looked down on me in kindness. The sharp nose, which had clearly been broken several times.
He took a step back, going through the same motions as Nana—a hand to the forehead, to the lips, to the heart. Hand still on his heart, he bowed.
I turned, leaving the companion of my childhood, my first teacher, and fell in line next to Griff. I could feel Cormac’s eyes on my back as I walked away. I knew without a doubt that he would stand there, keeping vigil, until I faded into the horizon.
A few tears leaked out as I kicked up dust clouds on the road. I glanced over at Griff, taking perverse pleasure in how his fancy clothes were going to be filthy by the time we got to wherever it was we were going. I tried to concentrate on the future, the unknown. Not every step that was taking me further from everything I’d ever known.
