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He stared down at the floor, slowly shaking his head and running his hands through his hair until the rain’s pattering shifted its rhythm. Stretching, he stood, and freed the chair from the door, taking one more look back at Grey before he picked up the room key and crept out into the hall. The click of the lock behind him and a small jiggle of the handle gave him a little bit of peace before he descended to the lobby.
The night clerk sat back at the front desk, a book in hand and a glass of amber-tinted liquid resting on the counter, his eyes flicking up to Noel. “Need something?”
Noel hesitated, stopping himself from shaking his head and escaping out into the compound—like it’d do him much good to wander around when he could simply ask. “Do you have a map?”
The clerk’s chair creaked, and the book folded between his fingers as he slid it on the counter. He rustled through a drawer for a moment before holding out a worn, crinkled paper, folded in half.
“Thank—”
“You running from something?”
Noel’s blood ran cold, despite the immediate instinct to furrow his brows and shake his head. “Why would you think?—”
“I’ve had enough people walk in and out of this place that I can tell,” he grumbled into his glass. “They always show up in the dead of night, taking their chances with the fair folk wandering the hills, and ask for a map.”
Noel bit back a cringe. “I?—”
The clerk held up his hand. “Take the map. Whatever you’re running from, I won’t tell a soul you stayed here, got it? You paid for the night and left your key on the counter in the morning. Never saw you check in with a friend. Never saw you in the middle of the night. Never handed you a map. Never fed you breakfast. And my lithomancy has been unreliable since the day I was born, so I couldn’t possibly produce any reasons, even if I wanted to.”
Noel’s shoulders relaxed as he tugged the paper from the clerk’s hand. “I appreciate it.”
He nodded and dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. “Map’s yours. I always make a few extras.” The clerk settled back into his chair, reclaiming his book like the entire conversation had never happened, and nursed his drink as Noel turned to leave.
When he returned to the room, he spread the map out over the desk and traced the path to Goldcrest. It was almost too close to their current location for his liking, but it was one of the few they’d at least be able to stop into without being questioned for their names or brands, especially if they were able to make it before nightfall.
Woodhurst and Ivywood were the only two viable options, but they were much further out. We’d be lucky to make it there in a night. He worried his lip, tapping his finger against Ivywood. It sounded familiar, like he’d heard it from someone a while ago, but he couldn’t remember in what context. He drew a little circle around it with the inn’s small, worn pencil before his eyes snapped to the Grand Capital.
The further they traveled away from it, the better, but… He pressed his palms into the desk, letting his full weight bare down on it while he thought. How likely will we find answers that far out?
He supposed there was only one way to find out.
7
GREY
Grey opened his eyes to the glow of pinkish orange splashed across the room’s entry with a comforter weighing him down. The mattress complained as he pushed himself up and took in Noel’s body stretched out in the desk’s chair, his head resting on his knuckles with his eyes closed. Grey immediately shot up out of bed.
You idiot, he snapped at himself. He smoothed out his wrinkled clothes as he crept toward Noel, guilt sinking in before his fingers grazed his shoulder. “Noel.”
He stirred, breathing out a quiet mumble—moan—Grey couldn’t tell which, and idled again.
“Noel,” Grey said a little louder, relieved when Noel’s lids cracked open. His hand pulled back, and Noel’s eyes met his.
That sleepy gaze immediately swapped to alarm, and he jumped, his face falling into his hands. “Shit. I fell asleep,” he murmured, scrubbing at his forehead.
“No, I’m sorry,” Grey quickly blurted. “I didn’t realize about the bed, and—You probably should’ve just stolen the comforter before I did?—”
“N-no, it’s fine. Really.” Noel scraped a piece of paper off the desk, sending a small pencil rolling to the edge which he scrambled to catch. “I couldn’t sleep, so I got us a map.” The sheet drooped in his hand as he held it out to Grey, and he hesitantly took it. Pencil lead drew up paths, circled cities, and scratched out notes along each potential destination.
It crinkled in his grip as confusion burrowed its way into him.
Noel’s hand dragged along the back of his neck. “I had some time to think last night, and I think you’re right. We can either delay the inevitable or trust each other and try to break it.”
Grey’s eyes flicked up to those clam, green irises boring into him.
“So… how about some breakfast, and then we head out to Goldcrest?” An inviting smile tugged at his lips and relief spread through Grey in answer.
* * *
