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Later, though…
“The girl at the bar?”
I belatedly realized Lina was asking me a question.
“What?” I asked.
“I was just wondering if you had a… girl, somewhere.” Her voice was a little quieter than it had been. “If that’s why you never come home.”
I stopped in my tracks, staring down at her.
“You think I missed your mother’s funeral for a girl?” Though actually, that reason was better than the real one—better than her knowing I had been busy making a deal for the freedom of the Huntsmen that would wind up costing all of our souls.Maybe I should have let it slide.
“I just wondered.” She shrugged casually, but her skin was deep pink.
“No, Lina.” I started walking again, swatting buzzing insects out of my way before they could make their way down to her. “There’s no girl.”
“Then who was—”
She was cut off as a rhino beetle, at least half as tall as she was, emerged from a blanket of leaves. Its mottled-green color had blended with the forest floor until it was inches from her.
Cursing, I brought my boot down on it.
“What did you do that for?” Lina gasped. “Maybe it was just saying hello.”
“With its pincers?” I shot back.
“Maybe.” She lifted her chin defiantly, and I just shook my head.
This forest was already living up to its reputation, and we were only a few hundred yards in. We needed a better plan.
“I think it would be better if I carried you. Both of you,” I reluctantly amended, looking at Maggie.This trek just gets better and better.
“We’re fine down here,” Lina said sunnily, though it sounded a little forced.
I examined her for a moment, the way she was holding herself a little too stiffly.Is she scared and just too stubborn to admit it? Or is it something else?
“You really aren’t,” I said back.
Though, I could see why she thought so since she kept conveniently misinterpreting the intention of every creature we came across.
“Honestly, Edrich.” She sat up straighter. “I don’t know what you’re so worried about. I’mfromthis forest.”
I suppressed a groan, trying not to draw any more unwanted attention. “No, Lina. Your people might be from here, and they might not, butyouare from the middle of apple-picking nowhere, the same as me!”
Her mouth formed an offendedO, and she let out a squeak of indignation as I picked her up with one hand, and Maggie with the other. The blasted hedgehog hissed and raised her quills, stabbing my hand.
I cursed and nearly dropped her as Lina tried to comfort the thing. Pepper snapped at them, and I shooed her away, grinding my teeth in frustration.
There has to be a way to make this work.
I mentally tallied my inventory. There was a way… but Lina was not going to like it.
“If Maggie rides in the pouch of my pack,” I told her, “you can ride in my front pocket.”
Sure enough, her bare arms turned a deep crimson.
“You want me to ride… in your pocket?” She didn’t sound nearly as sunny anymore.
