“Perhaps someday,” I say vaguely, looking around for an excuse to change the subject. Talk of Stella meeting my mother always stresses me out. I pick a vine near me and hold it out to her. “For you.”
Stella blinks at the plant. “What?”
“For you,” I repeat. “I read that it’s a human custom for men to give women plants to express their affection. You know this.”
“That’s . . . poison-oak.” Stella is fighting back a smile. “Can’t you tell?”
Fyit. I drop it. I don’t know what poison-oak is, but the name doesn’t sound good.
“You’re going to break out in a rash. Are you itchy?” Stella looks at my hand.
“No,” I reply shortly, embarrassment heating my ears. “Let’s just keep going.” I eye the plant, making a mental note not to pick it again.
“Oh, right. Elf powers.” Stella follows me. “It must be nice to never get sick or poisoned.”
“We can get sick,” I say. “We just tend to recover faster than humans.”
Alarm stiffens my spine when the birds fall silent. Everything goes silent.
Something is out there in the forest.
Something dangerous.
17
Stella
I don’t notice any change until Eldaren snaps his head up, eyes widening, nostrils flaring.
“What?” I ask, scowling when the prince makes a shushing motion with his hand.
“The birds,” he breathes.
I then realize that the woods are silent.
Dead silent. I have only spent a small amount of time here, but even I know that it’s odd to have the forest so quiet. It’s a place full of life, and in some ways as busy as Liberty.
We wait. And wait. There’s a faint buzzing in my hands and feet, and I stifle a frustrated growl. Eldaren was right. I shouldn’t have snarfed those pellets. I was hungry, though, and they aren’t particularly filling. How was I supposed to know how I’d react?
One by one, the birds begin to chirp again. Eldaren’s shoulders visibly relax.
“What was that?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Eldaren says. “But it is very fortunate for it, that it chose not to come any closer, or I would have destroyed it.”
I nod in response.
Eldaren eyes me. “Are you afraid?”
I blink at him. “No. I’m with you. Should I be scared?”
“No,” he agrees, and he sounds pleased. “You are right not to be afraid. I will protect you.”
“You’ve only said that a million times since we’ve met,” I say.
“I have not said it that many times. And anyway, it’s still true.”
“What are we going to do when we find the gaia?” I ask.
“You are going to do nothing,” Eldaren says. “I shall explain to her the logical reasons for my coming here and what she must do. If she will not listen to logic, then I’ll simply command her to obey me, for the sake of the Earth.”
“That will go over well,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Thank you. I believe it will.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
“I think she will see the sense in it,” Eldaren says. “After all, she is a gaia. She will want what is best for the planet.”
“Okay,” I say. I’m not sure I agree, but whatever. If he wants to put his foot in the fire, that’s his choice.
The path has grown narrow here and occasionally branches off onto other trails, but Eldaren never hesitates, his steps confident. “Where are we going?” I ask.
“I’m not sure,” the prince replies, “but we are walking a path that is often used. I hope it will take us to a settlement of sorts. There, we will ask questions, and hopefully, figure out the whereabouts of the gaia.”
“And if they don’t know?”
“Then we keep looking. But she is here, somewhere on this island. I am confident we will find her, eventually.”
“Why didn’t you bring more elves?” I ask. “Like, a hundred or something? You’d cover a lot more ground and probably find her sooner.”
“Two reasons. One, with Liberty in its current state, I don’t find it wise to relieve it of too many elves. Two, I don’t want to frighten the gaia into hiding. There’s no need to scare her. She’s probably afraid as it is, after our last encounter.”
“Well, she’s already run off once,” I muse. “I should probably talk to her. Being a woman and all. She might find me less intimidating.”
“I should certainly hope she finds you less intimidating,” Eldaren says. “I am an elf, and a male, besides. I am full of barely restrained power and majesty.”
All said in complete seriousness.
We continue down the path. The woods become more tangled, though the trail still appears well-trodden. It’s so mysterious here. Even without Eldaren next to me, it would be very easy to believe in magic in a place like this. In this wonderland of green, I find that I shouldn’t be surprised at all to come across a talking fox or fairies.
Eldaren halts. “We’re drawing close to humans.”
“Really?” I look around. “How can you tell?”
“I can smell them.”
“Who’s the vampire, now?” I smirk, arching an eyebrow.
Eldaren’s nostrils flare, and his eyes flash. “You compared me to my mortal enemy. Stella, I am most displeased.”
“You can smell humans!” I say, flinging a hand toward the forest expanse for emphasis. I inhale deeply. “I only detect moss and mold.”
“Well, elves have very keen senses,” Eldaren says. He still sounds offended. “You should probably stay here. I’ll go on ahead and see what I find.” He lifts his head and inhales again, then side glances at me, still irritated. “They haven’t moved.”
“They?”
“Yes. Two. Male. Probably guards. That’s a good sign. We’re drawing close to a proper settlement.”
“Uh, okay. Right. I’ll stay here.” I sit on a stump and wish I hadn’t as the damp soaks through my jeans immediately. Oh well. Already wet. I continue to sit and waggle my fingers at him. “See ya later, then.”
“Are you sure?” Eldaren grows suddenly anxious, eyeing me doubtfully. “You’re so weak.”
“I’ll just scream like a crazy person if I see anything scary, okay?” I’m completely serious.
“Well, all right.”
