Page 56 of In Your Light

“You mean bankrolled,” Hendrix said.

Ciaran nodded. “Pretty much.”

“What do we do?” Beau asked.

“First things first, we need to see if Cern is back. Then we need to speak to the mountain folk,” Ciaran said. “The faun. Sawyer and I will go with Fyn to Cern’s place tomorrow, then to the treaty boundary, and we’ll speak to Pax. We absolutely cannot have humans getting too close to their camp.”

“The faun aren’t the only ones living in the mountains,” Aurin said. He looked at Fyn. “At the campfire, for the festival, there were others. Female faun and sprites.”

“Yes,” Fyn said.

“They’ll need to be warned as well,” Aurin said, this time to Ciaran. “All of them.”

Ciaran nodded. “Yes. I’m sure Pax will pass the word on.” He looked at Fyn, and Fyn nodded. “Though speaking with Cern first would be ideal, it may not be an option.”

“Where is he, anyway?” Dylan asked.

Most eyes went to Fyn.

“I don’t know where he is,” he said. “Just that he’d be back soon. He sometimes leaves for a bit, but I don’t remember him being gone this long before.” He shrugged, then looked at Ciaran. “I can ask... his friend, at the hut. He might know when Cern will be back or how to reach him. I don’t know.”

Ciaran’s eyes met Fyn’s then, and he gave a nod. “If you think he would help.”

“Oh, sure,” Fyn said. “He’s a nice guy. He’s just...” Fyn winced, not wanting to say too much. “He’s there to rest and heal.”

“Is he injured?” Sawyer asked.

“I can visit him,” Kellan offered. “As a doctor, of course.”

“Oh no, not like that,” Fyn said. “He’s not.... There’s no physical injury. I think he’s trying to get his head right? He’s going through something, or he went through something. I’m not really sure. But he seems not so exhausted, and I made him smile, so...”

Fray leaned in closer. “Is that.... Are you blushing, Fyn? Do you like him?”

Fyn barked out a laugh and shook his head, ignoring the fire in his cheeks. “It’s.... I dunno, it’s...”

“Complicated,” Tobin said, giving Fray a pointed stare.

Fray seemed to understand, because he, thankfully, let it go.

“I can go see him now,” Fyn suggested.

“It’ll be dark soon,” Ciaran said.

“Oh, I can see in the dark just fine,” Fyn said. “And I’m fast. I’ll be back in time for dinner. I’m on washing-up duty tonight.”

“Don’t feel you need to,” Sawyer added. “I’m sure tomorrow will be fine. After we’ve gone to Cern’s and to meet Pax. We’ll know more by then, anyway.”

Fyn was torn. He wanted to see Hadeom again, even though he knew what Ciaran and Sawyer were saying was true and reasonable. Logical.

But he’d left Hadeom on an unhappy note, or an uncertain one, at least. Hadeom seemed to be struggling and distant, and Fyn wanted to see him, to say he was sorry for leaving things the way he had, and to ask him if he was okay.

“I think I’d like to go now,” Fyn said. “He was upset, I think, when I saw him earlier. He didn’t want to explain, and I should have tried harder. I’d like to see if he’s okay.”

But then, a shrill bird call ripped through the sky outside.

Everyone froze, eyes wide, as if they’d never heard a bird before.

Ciaran frowned. “What the...”