“You OK?” I ask.
“Yeah, just…anxious.”
“That’s natural,pulu, I’d be surprised, and a little worried, if you were not.” I squeeze her hand. “But as my grandmother always said, shiver like a hare, but kick like a mule.”
I glance over to see her smile. “Do you just make up random proverbs, or did you really have a grandmother who said that?”
“I did. And she had a phrase for every possible situation.”
“So what would be her saying about you loving a girl, but sharing her with three other guys?”
A choke of surprised laughter leaves my throat. This is the first time we’ve come right out with the fact mypuluis fucking several men.
“She’d probably say that if you’re going to build a fire big enough to warm a whole village, you’d better be prepared for a few sparks to fly,” I grin, keeping my eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Now it’s Theo’s turn to laugh.
When she quietens, I feel her thumb trace the back of my hand. “Are you worried about the sparks flying?”
“Not in the slightest.” I glance at her, my eyes softening when I see her nervously bite her lip. “I’m just happy to be invited towards your flames. I love you. And if loving you means inviting a hellhound, a centaur, and a minotaur to stand beside me, keeping you safe, then I am honored to do so.”
“I love you so much, Lex. Sometimes I feel I don't deserve any of you," she whispers.
The GPS beeps.
“OK, going off road in half a mile.” I check the rearview mirror.
Behind us, the rental truck stays at a steady hundred-yard distance.
Theo closes her eyes.
—Guys? We’re coming up on the turn off—
—Copy that, Sparkles—
—Thank Gods—Drakeward’s tone is irritated. —Dono is currently trying to see how many gummy bears he can fit in his mouth—
—Spoiler alert, Tee-Tee. It’s the whole packet—
Theo giggles, and I take a sharp turn to the right.
The asphalt disappears, replaced by a rutted muddy track that snakes into the shadows. Before us is an old-growth forest ofpines so dense the sunlight barely touches the needles on the ground.
“This is it,pulu. Stay sharp. And if you see anything untoward, shout.”
32
When Cos begs me not to do something, it’s like a red-rag to a bull.
Ooh, I wonder if Ludo gets fighty around the color red. I’ll have to experiment.
I wave the empty Sour Patch Kids bag in front of my dragon-friend’s face.
“I’m trying to drive,” he snarls. The Range Rover wheels spin on a particularly deep snow bank.
“Easy on the Tokyo drift, Cos.” I dribble a little as I speak. Downside of rawdogging all the candy is saliva-city.
The truck pulls to a halt, so we follow suit.
