My destination.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, our feet crunching on the leaves as branches snapped beneath us as we walked.
“So…” Jo started again after we stepped over a fallen log. “How did you and Xander meet?”
I blinked. Was this how regular conversations went? One person asked a question, and the other tried to figure out if it was safe to answer?
Probably not. I was fairly certain I was missing some crucial part of this social exchange. The question seemed fairly innocuous, though, so I decided answering it couldn’t hurt.
“We ran into each other,” I said, deciding to keep the rest of the story to myself.
“Hmm,” she said. A long moment passed before she sighed. “Do you care to elaborate?”
Shaking my head, I muttered, “There isn’t really much else I can say.”
She turned, studying me. “Okay,” she said after a moment. “Hopefully, one day, you’ll trust me with your story.”
Trust.
My lips tilted up into a small smile. “I’d like that.” Nibbling on my lip, I turned to Jo. “How did you meet Xander?”
“It’s a long story.” Jo laughed. “Let’s just say that when Xander and Daegal showed up at my old house in Breley five years ago covered in blood, I was kind enough not to turn them away at the door. One thing led to another, and here we are.”
Raising a brow, I lied and said, “I see.” I didn’t, really. Ducking beneath a low-hanging branch, I tugged as my skirt got caught on a bramble. “That’s it? They just showed up, and you three were instant friends?”
She chuckled. “Well, I didn’t say we don’t have a history, but yes, the four of us have been friends ever since.”
“Four? You, Xander, Daegal, and…” My voice trailed off.
“My brother Finn.” Jo finished the sentence for me.
“Ah,” I replied.
The mysterious brother who had remained in Thyr. Well, I supposed that solved a few of the mysteries.
After that, it seemed like neither of us felt like talking anymore. We fell into a comfortable silence, and eventually, Jo dropped back to hike beside Daegal. I took the time to think about what was to come.
I had no idea what lay beyond the shores of the Indigo Ocean. No plan. No thought about what I would do.
All I knew was that leaving Ithenmyr meant I would no longer be within the king’s reach. And that meant more than anything. I wouldnotlet him put me back in that cage again. Not after I’d just discovered the truly wonderful taste of freedom.
As time went on, running became walking, which gave way to trudging.
Any energy I had was long gone as I moved through the dense woods alongside my companions. The late hour didn’t seem to affect them, a point that was not lost on me. No one was speaking. A small mercy.
I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.
By the time the moon was high in the sky, my entire body felt like it was on fire. My lungs were burning and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.
“Wait,” I rasped, stumbling as I tripped over a root. My throat was dry and my words scratched on their way out. By that time, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could make out my companions’ shadows as they all hiked silently beside me. The moment I spoke, they stopped.
I whispered, “I need a break.”
“We can’t jus—” Xander’s words were clipped, but they cut off as I collapsed against a nearby tree.
My bottom landed on the ground with a very un-ladylikethump, and I cursed. “I need a minute,” I ground out through clenched teeth.
Xander looked at Daegal. “Is it safe?”