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I grunted. “Use your magic. You’re not being very useful.”
“I got you out of that house.”
“You got me into that house, too,” I shot back.
Mirielle folded her arms over her chest and sat back against the rock behind her.
“Do you have any idea what Agnan will do to me if he finds me?”
“Take your shifting power away?” I asked sarcastically. “Or does he only reserve that for royalty? Is that still his objective? To take down all the kings and have Mystara become a commonwealth again?”
She stared at me dubiously.
“You really think that’s the worst thing that can happen?” she demanded. “He’s the leader of the Order of Souls. You know how hellbent he gets when he’s fixated.”
I shook my head in disbelief as more understanding came over me. “That’s how you were able to stave them off that night,” I groaned. “I was such an idiot, standing up for you in front of Endora. She knew there was something off about you. Everyone warned me, and I just wouldn’t listen!”
I couldn’t forgive myself for any of it.
“But Ididget rid of them!” Mirielle implored me. “I didn’t let them get you.”
I glowered at her. “You really think that makes it better? Obviously, you’re playing at some kind of long game… or I don’t know what. I won’t endeavor to find out.”
“You have to know I care about—”
“Just stop it!” I thundered so loudly, something in the trees squawked. “I haven’t figured out what to do with you yet, Mirielle, but don’t push me. I should have gotten rid of you the first day I met you. Damn Endora for convincing me to let you stay. We should have kept a much better eye on you.”
“It’s not me you’re mad at—”
I waved a hand at her to show I was done with the conversation and stood. “Just stop,” I told her frigidly. “This isn’t up for discussion. I’m going to sleep.”
I wasn’t tired in the least, but I couldn’t keep staring at her luminous eyes over the crackle of the fire, her glorious mane of red hair alive in the light against the pale porcelain of her face. It was too much pain for one day.
I retreated to the cave, one eye on the outside just in case one of those night prowlers did come after all. I silently willed Mirielle to come away from the fire, too, but I was too proud and too exhausted to ask her inside.
For a long while, I watched her watch the flames, her thoughts lost, her face twisted in sadness.
At some point, she’d made a choice, and the choice was Agnan, not me.
I had to stick to my guns on the matter, regardless of how beautiful she looked, how sad. Her regrets didn’t change the fact that she was traitorous and dangerous.
The floor was hard and uncomfortable, and I shifted positions several times, careful to keep my vision trained on the outside.
When the moon rose over the highest pines, Mirielle finally stood and retreated to the interior of the cave, and I turned away, pretending to sleep.
“Zen?”
I ignored her, my neck stiffening at her informality.
“I know you’re awake, Zen. I’ve shared a bed with you. I know all your breathing patterns.”
I still didn’t respond. This wasn’t the time for conversation—not that I was sure there ever would be a time.
“What are you going to do with me when we get back tomorrow?”
I still said nothing, and with a relenting sigh, Mirielle laid out beside me, a few feet away. Her question erased any remnants of sleep from me, however, as I pondered it closely.
I really did have to make a decision about what to do with her before we reached the castle. The only bonus was that no one knew the truth about what had happened except me and possibly Endora, if she had put it together.
