Folly leans against Yarrow, his answer wordless but clear. Yarrow loops an arm around his shoulder. “Not tonight. I’ll see you around, friend.”
Hummingbird peers at their connection but doesn’t comment. Tactful, for once. “Turning in already? You’re tooyoung to be this boring.” Bobbing up on her iridescent wings, she points at Folly. “Lovely to meet you. Be careful out there.”
She leaps up and away in a rainbow of pixie dust, leaving Yarrow and Folly alone in a forest of sidelong glances.
“Back to the room?” Yarrow proposes.
“Please,” Folly says faintly.
Yarrow tugs Folly after him. The other travelers and village fae give them a subtle berth. Only at the front steps does Yarrow realize he has Folly by the wrist. He doesn’t let go. He feels more secure, having Folly within grasp.
Folly keeps close, his pulse wild beneath Yarrow’s palm. His silence presses against the walls, like he’s afraid of the truth on his own lips.
“If the truth potion doesn’t wear off by morning, we can find an antidote,” Yarrow assures him as they reach the stairs.
Folly stiffens in his grasp. “How long do these usually last?”
“Usually not that long. Just, either way, we can fix it.” Worst case scenario, Crocus is the best herbalist Yarrow knows. She’ll help for the low, low price of questioning all of Yarrow’s recent life choices.
Hopefully it won’t come to that.
“Great,” Folly mutters.
Yarrow keeps hold of him until they reach the door with the griffon. He manages to fumble the lock open one-handed, and pulls Folly into the room. Locks the door again. Then he has no excuse to hold on, so he lets go.
Folly remains very close. The air beats between them like a silent drum. A truth held behind clenched teeth. Guilt and anger and relief sing harmony in Yarrow’s heart. He wants to touch Folly all over and check for bruises.
But Folly said the only thing that hurt him is the curse.
Yarrow exhales and casts his axe on the dresser. “You triggered the curse on purpose?”
“Sorry.” Folly slumps miserably on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t know how else to get your attention. Moriath’s spell meant you couldn’t hear me.”
“I thought I told you not to apologize so lightly, and certainly don’t apologize for this.” Yarrow wants very badly to ruffle Folly’s hair. He restrains himself. “That was brilliant.”
Folly’s gaze jerks up. “I was stupid, letting myself get tricked like that. I shouldn’t have drunk the ale, and I shouldn’t have answered any of her questions.”
“What did you tell her?” Yarrow asks.
“I told her what my eye does,” Folly says. “Then I told her that your mother lives in Spiritwood. Did I put your mother in danger?”
“Crocus can handle herself.” Yarrow cocks his head. “Is that it?”
“Then I realized I couldn’t lie, and stopped answering.” Folly wrings his hands. “It could have been worse, but that was bad enough. I shouldn’t have drunk the stupid potion.”
“She tricked you.” Yarrow shrugs, hands out. “That’s what fae do. You know that, I know that. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”
“You keep rescuing me,” Folly says, like it’s a personal failing. “I’m dragging you down. I’m useless.”
He believes that.
Yarrow exhales, feeling like he’s been punched. Folly’s still under that truth potion. Which would be better termed an honesty potion, because Folly believing something with his entire messed-up heart doesn’t make it true.
Leaning back against the wall, Yarrow begins unlacing his boots as he talks. “I keep having to rescue you because I keep being careless. I’m not used to traveling with a companion, or looking out for someone besides myself. You can blame me, or you can blame the trees and the shapestealers. But you shouldn’t blame yourself.”
The furrow between Folly’s brows begs to be smoothed out. “You aren’t careless. You’ve cared more than—” He touches a golden star on his sleeve. His dark lashes kiss his cheeks like feathers. “How do you tell the truth all the time?”
“Easy.” Yarrow kicks his boots to the side, and pads closer in his socks. He crouches in front of Folly, so he can look up into his gorgeous eyes. “Avoiding lies doesn’t mean telling every truth. You keep the important truths to yourself. And the really important truths?” Yarrow grins. “You share them when the time is right.”
