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He wasn’t wrong, as they climbed down the trail for almost another hour before they reached the start of the woods. She didn’t really know how the trees thrived here, but their thick pine needles quickly blocked out the sun, and the stone path underneath their feet turned to sandy soil.
Her earth magic perked up as they walked deeper into the woods, and she let it out slightly to play. It bumped another earth magic—Synora’s. The Elf winked at her when Holly looked over her shoulder, and Holly smiled back. Their magics twined together and danced alongside them as they walked. It was like the two magics were playing together, like young puppies tussling playfully along the forest floor, and the joy they were emanating made Holly smile. Synora’s magic came to investigate Holly and skated up her arm. It felt like a physical caress, and Holly tripped, not expecting the feeling.
“Are you always this clumsy?” Kieran teased from the back of the group.
Holly shot a mock glare over her shoulder. “No,” she said with a sniff, lifting her chin and staring down her nose at him.
He laughed, and Holly smiled. “Tell me more about you all,” she said suddenly. “Unless we should be quiet?” she asked, directed mainly at Kallan.
Kallan shook his head. “It’s likely the hoard is still a distance away. We have time before we will have to be stealthy.”
“What do you want to know, little dove?” Kieran asked, surprising her with the nickname.
“I don’t know. Anything you want to share?”
“Well, I love chocolate,” Kieran said randomly. Holly laughed at thewhat the fucklook Kallan sent him. “What? It’s true,” Kieran defended. “I bet Holly likes chocolate.”
“I do like chocolate,” Holly admitted.
“But not radishes,” Synora said with a smile.
Holly wrinkled her nose. “Radishes are unnatural.”
“Aren’t you an earth witch?” Kieran teased. “Radishes grow in the earth. Shouldn’t you like all vegetables?”
“Everything except radishes,” Holly shot back with a smile.
For the next hour or so, they chatted about light topics. Favorite foods, favorite books. Kallan was a big reader, apparently. Favorite childhood games. Holly didn’t know many of those, but she was in stitches listening to them describe some of the games they’d made up. Holly found herself opening up and sharing more than she thought. There was a comfortable ease between her, Kieran, and Synora. Kallan participated, just not as much as the others. He was always watchful of their surroundings.
“It’s getting dark,” Kallan said, looking up through the trees. “We should find somewhere to camp out for the night.”
He turned back to them. “Can you two use your magic and find a good place for us to camp?”
Synora and Holly smiled at each other, and Holly nodded. “Shall we make a wager out of it?” Synora asked.
“What are the terms?”
Desmond and his Triad loved to place bets on almost anything when they were growing up, so Holly knew better than to agree without hearing the terms. Not that she thought Synora would do anything bad, but Holly had a small competitive side and liked the thrill of the win, even if her mama always used to say it wasn’t ladylike to wager.
“Whoever finds a suitable spot to spend the night and guides us to it the fastest wins,” Synora said simply.
“And what is the prize?”
“A date,” Synora announced confidently. “If I win, I get to take you out on a date. If you win, you get to choose who you go on the date with.”
Holly arched her eyebrow. It sounded like she won either way. “Works for me.”
“Alright, then. Kieran, count us off,” Synora said, taking a step away and calling her magic to her in preparation.
“Three, two, one, go!”
Holly let her earth magic spill out of her, sending it racing in all different directions. She almost laughed at how good it felt to let her earth magic out to play like this, but she stayed focused. She had a wager to win.
She dismissed some of the routes immediately, as they opened up into large clearings with limited visibility. Taking a chance, she redirected her magic along the mountainside, where the rock met the forest. Maybe there was a cave they could hide out in. The first cave had signs of life in it and felt damp, but in the second cave, she struck gold.
“Found it!” She opened her eyes triumphantly.
Synora grinned at her. Holly couldn’t sense Synora’s earth magic at all. “Did you even try?” Holly asked good-naturedly. She liked to win, but only if it was a fair game.
