Pressed against each other, finding solace in shared warmth, the distance between us evaporated, and we fell back asleep.
“Ready for our next adventure, Lexie?”Finn, as always, was chipper when he met me the next morning. I had no idea how he did it.
“Lots and lots of coffee,” he said with a wink, when I asked him. “Shall we?”
I stalled for a moment, before saying, “Griff said he’d take me.” At least I assumed that was still the plan. He had been gone when I woke up.
An expression crossed Finn’s face that I couldn’t decipher.
“Takeus,” I amended.
His face back to his usual grin, he said, “Well, at least you won’t be sick if he teleports us.”
“Ready?” Griff appeared out of nowhere, standing behind me, having perfect timing as always. His hand brushed my back. I was so used to it by this point that the jolt of power didn’t even register anymore. I searched his face for any clue as to his emotional state, but whatever cracks had let me in last night had disappeared with the morning sun.
“So, brother mine,” Finn started as we walked through the castle gates, “remind me again why you decided to join us on this training expedition?”
“Can’t I just want to visit an old friend?” Griff replied. His innocent tone convinced no one, the words coming out forced.
“Because you and Fiadh were such good friends?” Finn countered.
“Perhaps not as good of friends asyouand Fiadh,” Griff needled him.
I glanced between them. Clearly there was something here that I wasn’t privy to. “Is there something I need to know?”
“Not at all,” Griff assured me smoothly. “I’m just looking forward to catching up with an old friend and observing her training methods. Maybe I’ll learn something.” I had to hand it to him—he was trying to appear normal.
“Observing?” Finn raised a brow. “Observing how closely exactly? Fiadh being especially fond of people hovering.”
“I don’t hover.”
Both Finn and I stopped, staring at him in disbelief.
“Pretty sure we’ve had this fight,” I said eventually. “A couple times now.”
“I maintain a protective but respectful perimeter.”
Finn burst out laughing, but there was an edge to it I didn’t understand. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Griff gave him a flat look, done with this line ofquestioning. “Call it what you want. The princess is not leaving here without me. Deal with it. We’re past the wards.” He reached out to me, and I stepped into his arms, Finn holding on to his shoulder as we whirled into the afternoon sun.
We landed in the lightly falling snow. I tilted my head up to the bright sky, my hood falling down as I did so. We had nothing like this at home, and the light, fluffy flakes fell gently, dusting us like powdered sugar. This mountain, Kaelthorne, was one of the largest peaks, different from the one Azar had taken me to. It was brighter here, sharper. Pine trees dotted the landscape, their branches frosted in white. The scent of pine, so unlike anything I had smelled at home, mixed with the freshness of the snow, creating a rather magical and peaceful setting. I understood why this Fiadh had made her home up here, especially if she preferred solitude.
The twins appreciated the setting as well. At least Finn did, scooping up a snowball and tossing it at Griff, hitting him square in the back. Griff just gave him an arched look, which Finn returned with a grin. There was no discernable path that I could tell, but the twins walked confidently forward through the drifts. I assumed they knew where they were going and lagged behind. For once, I could enjoy the snow without dodging fireballs.
It didn’t last long, however. The snow picked up, the light, fluffy flakes falling heavier and wetter. The magical setting disappeared, fading into a cold, dreary wetness that soaked us even through our fleece-lined clothes.
“Is everything out here so remote?” I asked, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“Not everything. There are small towns. Still remote, but with more life around them. Only Fiadh would make her home out here in the middle of this cursed mountain, reclusive thing that she is,” Finn grumbled, shaking snow off his head as the sky darkened.
“It’s not her fault she’s so reclusive. You remember what her father was like,” Griff countered.
“If we die out here from frostbite,” Finn continued as if Griffhadn’t spoken, “I want it to be known that it wasyouridea to not teleport directly into her clearing.”
“It’s not polite,” Griff replied, as though they’d had this conversation several times in the past. “Besides, you’re so full of hot air this morning, there’s no chance of frostbite setting in.”
“Just try not to frighten her off before she teaches Lexie,” Finn grumbled.
