“We don’t know if they’ll agree to it.”
“They will.”
“You don’t know Meela,” I mumble.
“If you go, she’ll go.”
I remain silent for a moment as I mull everything over. We sway and twirl slowly, and he patiently waits while I contemplate the shocking proposal.
“I can’t go with you, Daegan,” I tell him, barely above a whisper.
“I know not everything is about me, but… is it because of me?”
A short, clipped laugh escapes me. “No.”
His eyes dance back and forth between my eyes, searching. I don’t think he believes me, but he doesn’t push.
He pulls me in a little closer to him. “We can talk about it after we find the blade.”
“Okay.” I don’t meet his eyes. I don’t think I’ll change my mind on this one. Unless something catastrophic happens.
Raef saves the moment, walking up to us with a pout. “Can I have a dance?”
To my surprise, Daegan looks at him with what could be considered a territorial male glare. But I speak up first, already letting go of him. “Of course.”
“I knew you would.” He smiles, ignoring Daegan.
He spins me like Daegan did, but also not at all like Daegan did.
“What were you and my brother talking about?” It warms my heart that they’re so close, even if they aren’t true brothers. I like that Raef has someone looking out for him, and so does Daegan. No matter what.
“The usual. How he’s a giant ass.” I smile.
He laughs, and we both glance at Daegan, who’s standing off to the side in his usual rigid stance, looking particularly displeased.
Raef waves teasingly at him, then shifts his focus back to me. “Seriously, though. It looked pretty tense.”
“Well, you don’t miss a thing.”
He flashes me a stern look that almost makes me want to laugh, but I don’t. Instead, I sigh in surrender. “He thinks we should all go to Torrynth.”
“Ah. He told you his big plan.”
“Oh? You guys have been planning this without us for days?”
“We’re not planning this without you. It’s just… you know we can’t go back for long. Meela’s father might not let me live through the night.” He glances at her for a moment. She’s deep in conversation with Gaethri and Rhydra. “Besides, it didn’t really feel like we were getting anywhere studying in the library every day.”
“That’s where I found the account of what happened. And how to reverse it.”
“True. But that also took you years.” He rolls his head around in a dramatic fashion as he speaks. “I think maybe we need to travel the continent more. I think people remember more than we know. We just need to find the right people.”
I mull his words over, pulling my lip to the side. “It’s possible… but I still can’t.”
“Why not?”
I glance off to the side and lock eyes with a frowning male. He’s still watching. Glaring.
“Ah.” Raef nods knowingly.
