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Brigid seemed like she would respond, but Cari spoke before her.
“We can decide on a title later,” Cari said. “Now, about my thing?”
I waved Muir to leave us alone and he seemed happy to oblige.
“What’s your thing?” Brigid asked.
“Now that you decided to found a new kingdom, I’m thinking you won’t need me,” Cari said.
“We’re not founding a new kingdom,” I muttered.
“Or a queendom, whatever,” Cari said, shrugging as she raised her palms in semi-surrender. Before I could object, she continued. “I’m just saying... I want to travel for a bit.”
“You are free to leave whenever you wish,” I told her. “We are not keeping anyone hostage.”
“Maybe we should,” Brigid said. “She knows where we’re heading.”
“We don’t even know where we’re heading,” I told her. “Not really.”
It was the truth. We had chosen a general area based on one of the maps we had. It had a lake and a mountain we could use to hunt, and it was far enough from both realms. That was it. We didn’t know what awaited us there, but we had decided to check it out since it was only a day’s walk from where we were. The scouts we’d sent ahead decided it would be a suitable spot to try to settle and thus, the decision was made.
“Jasmine could use your help,” Brigid said.
“She can?” Cari asked sarcastically. “The monster folk hate me. They don’t want me around.”
“We will not be staying with the monster folk forever,” Brigid offered. “When we go to Terlyth to save Feremir...”
“I will join you when you do,” Cari said. “But it could take you months to ensure the monster folk can survive without Jasmine’s mind-hive thing. Until then, I would like to be somewhere where everyone doesn’t glare at me whenever I decide to take a stroll outside.”
“But..”
I gestured at Brigid to make her stop.
“You can go,” I told Cari. “If you ever want to come back, you know where to find me.”
“I can just corner a former monster and ask them where you are,” Cari said, lips cornering with a mocking smile.
“Yes,” I said. “I wouldn’t say corner... But yes.”
Cari nodded. “Thank you. I’m sorry that I can’t help.”
“It’s okay,” I replied. “You were stuck in a dungeon all your life. You should enjoy your freedom however you like.”
Cari met my gaze suspiciously. Once again, I opened my mind to her to show her I meant what I was saying.
“Thank you,” she repeated and to my surprise, she hugged me before leaving the tent.
“When will we leave?” Brigid asked.
“First light,” I replied. “You should get some sleep.”
“WE ARE READY, LIBERATOR,” Melinda saluted me as I walked to the head of the file.
I did not bother to correct the honorific title. It would take some time for the word to spread among the monster folk that I did not appreciate it, and it wouldn’t be nice to scold her in front of all the others. So instead of correcting her, I gave her a firm nod and walked ahead of them. The scouts had already gone ahead, with Casja surveilling the area by flying over them. We had a clear path to follow. But as I began to walk, with no words of encouragement or gestures to have them follow me, somewhere deep down, I was actually hoping they would not follow my lead.
They did.
Dust lifted off the ground as the footsteps of fae rumbled in the forest.
