A puff of air escapes my nose. I’m not really in the mood to laugh, but it could have been funny, under different circumstances.
I lift my head, meeting his gaze. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
I nod in confirmation, and I expect him to grin or look a little happy, but when the corner of his lip pulls back, there’s only sadness in his eyes.
I’ll never know, so I don’t ask.
“Let’s go get a drink,” I say, taking off toward the door.
“I thought you weren’t in the mood?”
“My mood has changed.”
He chuckles quietly behind me as I open the door and storm out with purpose. Daegan closes it and follows behind.
Chapter 36
“We couldn’t have asked for better luck, honestly.”
Everyone rolls their eyes or groans at Raef’s words. It’s almost like he’s trying to curse us. Again.
We’ve been drinking for an hour in the tavern that’s filled up a little more, with mostly Dothronites of both kinds, having drinks at tables or dancing to the foreign string instruments. The musicians sit on stools with small tables in front of them, with white-wooded round instruments on top. There’s a hole in the center of each one with strings running across it, and they use a white wooden rod to make the sounds with the strings. The sound they make is beautiful, I’ve decided. Haunting, in a way. Or maybe that’s just my mood tonight.
I’m trying to be excited, because Gaethri has just shown us exactly where we can start looking for the mysterious caves in the morning. The innkeeper was very kind when Gaethri went to speak to her alone, apparently. She even drew him a map with instructions on it.
“Are we sure we can trust her?” Rhydra asks him.
He nods with confidence. “I believe so.”
“Okay.”
Rhydra, Meela, and Raef—all several drinks deep—head to the bar for another round, leaving me with Gaethri and Daegan.
“Can I ask you something?”
Gaethri looks at me and nods.
“Why didn’t you stay behind? Help protect the mountain?”
He nods sadly, looking into his ale. “Didn’t seem like it would make much difference. And I couldn’t be there anymore after… well, yuh know.”
I pull my lips in tight and wait for him to continue.
“Figured I could make a bigger difference for my people if I tried to solve the real problem. So here I am, giving it my best.”
“You’re going to make them proud,” I tell him.
He nods in thanks, avoiding eye contact.
“I think I’ll also get another.”
Daegan rises along with me. “I’ll come.”
It seems like he hasn’t let me out of his sight since we got down here, and I don’t know what to think of that.
When I reach the wooden bar, I order another drink and sit on a stool. Daegan stands beside me, leaning back against the heavy wood with his arms crossed. A smile tugs at my lips as I watch Raef, Meela, and Rhydra in the middle of the room… dancing. Seeing Raef especially, with his giant, intimidating frame dancing around with them is a treat. But I realize almost immediately he’s actually a smooth, practiced dancer.
