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Nix chuckled. “Okay.”
Luc ignored his brother.
“Since words matter,” Nix said, reading over Johesha’s shoulder, “then those two things should hide someone trying to get inside.”
“We can’t risk the prince on a maybe,” Johesha said.
“All due respect, Jo, do you have a better idea?” Lachlan asked.
The scowling guard swore and shook his head.
“Then we go.” Lachlan patted his chest and his leather armor as if to check he had everything he needed. “Through the hedge to kiss our loves, right?”
“This, I have to see,” Nix said with a grin.
Luc nodded and glanced at Nix, knowing that technically, his brother could also get through the hedge because of his bond with Auri, even if he didn’t remember it at the moment. And hopefully seeing Auri would open the doors to his memories.
“And what about the others,” Johesha said. “You will only wake three.” He seemed excessively surly about it.
Luc hadn’t realized the head of Lachlan’s guard had much of an opinion about the matter.
“Do you love one of them?” Nix asked with a laugh.
Johesha scowled. “I don’t know them to love them. I care about my duty to my prince.”
Nix mimicked the guard, who looked like he was ready to stab Nix in the chest.
“We’ll have to figure that out when we come to it,” Lachlan said. “Right now, we can only control what we can control.”
“Your highness,” Johesha started.
“I know what you’re going to say and the answer is: I know. You can’t come in with me. You three will remain out here.”
“But–”
“Johesha… Tarley is mine. I am hers.”
“You are also Jast’s.”
“Not yet, I’m not,” he said. “My father still lives. My brother and sister are coming of age. Jast is covered. Tarley needs me.” He ran his hand around the back of his neck. “Nothing will keep me from her, Jo. Last time, I listened, and we were victorious, but it is time you trust me. I’m not thinking irrationally.”
Johesha growled.
“Did he just growl?” Nix asked, dark eyes wide.
Luc leaned toward his brother and whispered, “Maybe don’t comment on it. He’s already on the dark side of surly.”
“I think he’s way past the dark side of surly. He’s something else altogether.”
Luc couldn’t help but smile.
Johesha offered a quick nod of deference to Lachlan. “We’ll set up a perimeter around the hedge.”
A few minutes later, Luc, Lachlan, and Nix stood side by side looking up at the monstrous hedge. It hadn’t changed since the spell had begun, though his perception of it felt different, a little more hopeful about what lay beyond it.
Nix made a strange noise. “This doesn’t look like a party. This looks like your idea of a party, Luc, a terrible spell to teach a lesson. Thanks for that.”
Luc ignored the guilt, instead turning back to Nix. “How’d you get out again?”
