“Gotta keep you humble.” I flash her a cocky grin and she tosses one of the nearby apples at my face. I catch it and take a bite, earning myself a scoff. “Alright, we better get going.”
I decided going at night would be our best option for slipping into the woods undetected. This time, we’re going without much of a plan. Reign suggested we start near the tree where we saw the tree-like creature that is apparently called a Crux. Other than that, we’re pretty much flying blind. We packed for a few days, but I’m praying we won’t have to be there that long.
“Love you!” Reign says to Amaya, wrapping her up in a tight hug. “I’ll see you when we get back.”
A minute later, we’re back in the forest of nightmares. The fog is up to her knees, making it impossible to see what lies below.
“Let’s find the tree first and go from there.” I suggest in a hushed voice.
“It should be fairly close by.”
She nods and follows behind, keeping a close distance without me having to tell her. Part of me wonders if it’s because she knows I’ll insist if she doesn’t or if it’s because she wants to be close to me. Probably the former.
“There.”
I look to where she’s pointing and see the tree with the large opening.
“Get comfortable,” I urge. “It might be a while. If the Crux doesn’t show, we’ll venture further out, okay?”
“Sounds like the best plan we’ve got.” She unsheathes one of her daggers and sits down with her back against the trunk. I lean against the tree as well but remain standing.
The fog is just under her chin now and she looks like a predator waiting to attack. Far from the girl I knew at the Sector.
Various sounds echo around us, warning us that we’re in dangerous territory. I can tell by the way she’s fidgeting with the dagger that she’s on edge, so I decide to distract her.
“How are things with you and Delecroix?”
I actually want to slam my head into the tree before the question is even fully out. Why the hell would I ask that? The last thing I want to think about is her and him together. Why was that the one thing that came out of my mouth?
Mother, I’m an idiot.
“Umm, good I guess.”
Cool. So, she’s also wondering why I asked. Idiot.
Still, I can’t stop myself from asking the next question. “You guess?”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re fine.” Not the response I was expecting from someone in love, but what do I know? Maybe she just finds this topic of conversation awkward with me.
I decide not to push it and change the subject.
“So, how exactly do you plan on convincing these beasts to join our fight?”
“I’m not really sure. I’m kind of hoping it just comes to me in the moment.”
I laugh quietly and she glowers up at me, almost looking menacing with the fog around her. “Perfect. This should be easy then.”
She doesn’t seem to find my sarcasm charming. “You got a better plan?”
“Hey, this was your idea. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Well in that case, you can keep your side comments to yourself.”
“Ouch,” I say, sliding down to sit next to her. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
“No, I just—”
Movement nearby has us both jumping to our feet. I don’t see anything, but the hairs standing up on the back of my neck are telling me there’s something out there.
