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My mind whirls. “And then you’ll... take the throne?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?Elva, you want to kill one of the major monarchs, destabilize a whole court, potentially the entire continent, and you don’t even know if you want the throne?”
“I—”
I am shocked when I keep speaking. This isn’t like me, but being around Elva has changed me. “Do you at least have someone else to take your place?”
Her silence is response enough.
Perhaps I have spent too much time working in trading, but I know how bad things are on this side of the ocean. I know how dangerous and precarious the pseudo-peace is.
“Don’t talk down to me. I know what things are like where I grew up. I am not an idiot.”
That shuts me up. She is right. I am being an ass.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“No, you didn’t, Summer Fae.”
“Hey,” I start, “don’t push me away for one stupid thing. I’m not a prince. I’m not a perfect man. I’m an asshole and capricious, but I think I have shown you more than once that I am not going anywhere.”
She bristles at my words but doesn’t make any moves to leave. That’s a good sign, right?
I rake a hand through my hair. “Look, I know I’m coming on strong, but I can’t help but feel like this is exactly where I am supposed to be. So, let me in. Tell me what is going on, and I will do what I can to help you.”
She looks at me long and hard. “We need to go to get supplies. And you need to get a weapon.” I bite my lip. A hint of a smile comes up at the corners of her mouth as she adds, “And you will need to learn how to use it.”
I laugh. “Off to infiltrate the Winter Court it is.”
The tension still floats between us, but I feel good about what I’ve said.
… I mean, mostly.
* * *
We flyinto a small town with exactly ten buildings scattered about. It is almost laughable. I spotted an Everything-Mart with glowing green lights.
I had heard they have these here, but it still feels surreal, surrounded by the brutal landscape.
Laughing in my mind, we descend toward a particularly thick collection of pine trees. When we land and switch, Elva pulls my hood over my head.
“Try not to let them see your eyes. Or your face.”
I smirk and waggle my brows. “I am an excellent charmer.”
“Nathan, listen. They will recognize you as being not from here in a heartbeat. We don’t want that to happen. We don’t know what kind of warnings have been put out. I need to go around and see if I can find some weapons. As good as fire and ice are, it always helps to have a backup.”
I smile and nod, hoping she can’t see the nervousness shifting beneath my casual expression.
I pull the strings on the hood, making it even harder to see inside, and push through the swinging glass door.
It creaks as the hydraulic door stops and closes. I try to change my gait. I’m not sure if it will do anything, but it can’t help to try. One of the small green baskets with wheels comes into view, and I snatch it up.
The neon lights overhead make everything look awful and slightly blue. When I pass the aisles, I try to make out the contents by looking at the bottom shelves. Not a soul speaks to me.
I think that’s good.
