He eyed me. “And this is why you asked me to keep my distance?”
I nodded, feeling a bit of relief after finally telling him, but also wondering if he would still accept me.
He rested his hand atop mine. “You should have told me sooner.”
“I guess, but it’s not an easy thing to admit.”
“I can understand that,” he said, and I knew he was still keeping from me what had happened to him in the witch’s castle.
“What about you? Have you recovered from your ordeal at the castle?”
Fear flashed through his eyes, but it only lasted a moment, and then he smiled as if to reassure me.
“Of course.”
“You’re lying.”
“Maybe, but can you blame me? You’ve already got enough to worry about. I’m only trying to keep you from worrying about more.”
“Still, you should tell me. I told you my secret, didn’t I? It will help if you tell someone.”
He rested his chin in his hands. “Millions of miles away from Earth, and still you’re the psychologist.”
I took his hand. “It’s a habit,” I said. “You’ll have to get used to it.”
He kissed my fingers. “I hope to have many, many years to do just such a thing.”
My heart leapt at his touch. Sometimes I still had trouble accepting that he’d chosen me. But I saw pain in his eyes and knew I couldn’t rest until I knew he was okay.
“Kull,” I said, “you should tell me what happened at the castle. It’s better if you don’t keep it in. Trust me on this one.”
He shook his head. “It’s not important.”
“If that’s the case, then tell me what happened.”
“Olive, you’ve already got enough to worry about. You don’t need to worry about my problems, too. I assure you, I’m fine.”
He grabbed a few loaves of bread and wrapped them in cloth, then found his bag and packed it with the bread, some dried meat, and a few hunks of cheese. I wasn’t ready for another journey, but the thought of losing my stepfather drove me forward.
We left when evening approached. My heart felt heavy as I walked away from the keep. It was one of the only places where I felt safe, but now, after the witch had taken Fan’twar, I wasn’t even sure I felt safe there anymore.
Kull and I took a path leading to the light-rail. A misty rain drizzled around us, and I pulled my cloak’s cowl over my head. We found Heidel and Maveryck waiting by a light carriage, although Grace was nowhere in sight. Through the dense fog, a halo of orange glowed from the coach, yet the light did nothing to settle my unease.
Before boarding the carriage, Maveryck turned to stare at each of us. Under the shadow of his cowl, his face looked ghostly, his eyes gleaming with a twinkle of silver. Moments like this made me wonder who exactly the man was.
“Perhaps I should have mentioned it sooner,” he said, “but I feel I need to warn you about Jahr’ad. He’s not to be trusted. In fact, I only take us there as this is the direst of circumstances and we have no other choice. It’s quite possible that I will be putting your lives in danger, and for that, I deeply apologize.”
Heidel crossed her arms. “And you waited until now to tell us? What if we refuse to go with you?”
“That is your choice. You may leave if you wish.”
“Never. You underestimate us, Maveryck. We’ve dealt with cheats and thieves before. We can handle it.”
“Very well. But it may be best if you follow my lead once we get there. Challenging Jahr’ad’s authority will only make this worse.”
“What makes you think I would challenge him?”
“Call it a hunch.”
His smirk looked almost seductive as he focused on Heidel, but the moment only lasted a second, and then he turned to the carriage as the doors slid open. After climbing inside, I took a seat near the window. The coach was warm and dry, although the soft cushions and ambient light weren’t enough to calm my racing heart.
As we settled in for the long journey, the coach’s doors closed and, with the speed of thought, raced eastward. Outside, there was nothing to see but the swirling mist, and beyond that, darkness. Only the quiet whooshing of the carriage and sound of the pattering rain broke up the silence.
“Get as much rest as you can,” Maveryck said. “I doubt we’ll get the chance to rest once we arrive.”
With my mind in an uproar, I wasn’t sure I would get any rest at all. But soon, my mind wandered and my eyes closed, and I knew I was dreaming when Theht came to me.
In my dream, I found her sitting in my father’s old office at my mom’s house. Behind her, through the window, thick fog covered the garden. Only the gray silhouette of the small bird fountain was visible through the mist.
The goddess looked more human than I remembered, and I wondered if her appearance had any significance. She still wore the same red armor, and her skin was made of the same orange scales. But her eyes. Something was different. I almost felt as though I were looking in a mirror.
“Kull won’t tell you what happened in the witch’s castle, will he?” Theht said.
“No. I’m worried about him. But then again, I’m worried about a lot of things.”
“You’re right to be worried. There is a reason Silvestra was chosen to guard the gate to my lands. She wields magic more powerful than any other creature on Faythander. Not even your stepfather has the ability to stop her. He’s only alive now because she wishes for an exchange, but not even that will appease her for long.”
My heart weighed heavily in my chest as I thought of losing Fan’twar. He’d always been there for me. I couldn’t go on without him. If I lost Fan’twar, I would lose my world. There had to be a
