This time Thia did lie. “Then tell us how to find it, and we will take you with us when we return to the Mage King.”
Dess made a noise of protest. Thia could feel Thran watching her, but she kept her own attention fixed on Oskaren.
“No.”
Thia sucked in a breath. “No?”
“No. How can I trust you’ll come back for me when you’re finished? And”—mockery quirked her lips—“I don’t exactly like your odds against Xercae.” She relaxed against their grip, posture too casual. “If you want my help, Faelyn, here are my terms. I will accompany you to Xercae’s lair and help you dispatch her. Then I will accompany you to the king. For as long as we journey together,Storm Crow,you will remain within my sight.”
“Absolutely not,” Dess said. “How many times does she have to prove that she only serves herself?”
Some distant part of Thia was both amused and distressed that, for all she’d survived, they were in exactly the same position they’d been in before leaving Black Forest—debating Oskaren’s trustworthiness and setting out for certain death. Well,highly probabledeath.
At least this time, the king’s promise was waiting on the other side.
“She won’t,” Thia said. “She needs us.”
Oskaren’s voice was dangerously low. “Well,” she said, expression glinting, “I needyou.”
“You are not helping your case,” Thia snapped, and Oskaren tossed her a smirk that sent her nails into her palms.
But the girl raised her hands. “I swear on Syrrene, in whose divine name I received my first blade, I will not harm any of you.”
“What do vows mean to one with no heart?” Thran asked quietly.
A fair point. But Thia didn’t know what else to do. “We need her help, don’t we?” she said to her companions.
No one answered.
“Don’t we?” she repeated.
“Yes,” Dess said through his teeth.
“Then we have no choice.”
“Easy for you to say,” Dess grumbled. “She needs you alive.”
“Trust me or don’t,” Oskaren shrugged, though the shift of her weight between feet betrayed her interest. “Those are my terms.”
“I accept.” Thia looked at the others. She could tell they were not happy, but also didn’t see an alternative. After a moment, they both nodded.
She turned back to Oskaren. “Where are we going then?”
Oskaren’s eyes flicked to her and then away. Her shoulders curled, and if it wasn’t for the curse, if it was anyone else, Thia might have said she seemed forlorn.
“The sea,” Oskaren said at last. “We’re going to the sea.”
TWENTY-FIVE
OSKAREN DID NOT TELL THEM ANY MORE THAN THAT. THIA SUPPOSEDthe girl was worried they might leave her in the night if they had too much information, which was honestly fair, since Thia would have.
The sea lay to the east, Oskaren surmising that it would probably take them between ten to fourteen days to make the journey.
Fourteen days.
Which meant they would have very little time to actually deal with Xercae if they were going to return within the king’s deadline.
Their goal for the first day was to reach a town near Cyning called Huckleton. They would make camp just outside and leave Oskaren there while they entered to acquire supplies. By “acquire,” Thia was fairly sure that Dess meant “steal.” But she couldn’t begrudge him, since she had seen Thran counting what was left of their coin that morning. She wasn’t familiar with the currency, but she knew exactly two copper pieces likely wouldn’t get them far.
