Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
The gray light of predawn filtered into the barn through the hole in the roof.
Everyone except for Jamie, Javier, Bastian, and I were still asleep.
The doors were closed, and Shem and his monsters were somewhere outside.
I’d filled the guys in on my dreamscape excursion, and yeah, it sounded crazy, but every fiber of my being told me it was real.
“He said his name was Michael.” I kept my voice low, unsure how good the monsters’ hearing was. “He’ll come for us. All I need to do is touch that fucking sword.”
“Then we need to get it off Tumiel,” Javier said.
“Yeah, because that will be a breeze,” Jamie added.
“Not if we play it smart,” Bastian said.
Jamie leaned in. “What did you have in mind?”
“We cut the hostility a little,” Bastian said. “Show a little gratitude. It will take them off the defensive and then maybe…”
“Maybe we’ll get a shot at that sword.” I nodded. “Good plan. Yeah. Be nice and take them off guard.”
“Is anyone else freaked out by this?” Javier asked. “The celestial told Rue he would bring her home. What does that even mean? Why is she special?”
“It doesn’t matter right now,” Jamie said. “Once we’re inside the golden city, we’ll have all the answers we need.”
The barn door burst open. “Up! Get up!” Shem clomped in, bringing the chill dawn air in with him. “We move out in ten minutes.”
People stirred at the back of the barn.
“What about food?” someone whined.
Shem stopped with his back to the barn. “You’re not the only ones who are hungry. Be thankful we have a deal.”
He strode out of the barn, leaving silence in his wake as everyone mulled over the implication of his words.
I pushed to my feet. “Gather your things. A little hunger won’t kill us. We’ll search for some berries and mushrooms on the way.”
“I know how to tell the difference between poisonous and edible,” Javier said.
“Me too.” Sissy joined us. “I’ll help.” She smiled shyly at Javier.
“Sounds good,” he said.
Bastian adjusted his sword holster. “The sooner we get to the golden city, the better.”
“How long?” Sissy asked me.
I had no clue. “I’ll find out.” I shared a meaningful glance with the guys. “Time to start the plan.”
Shem stood chatting to Sarq and Tumiel a few yards from the barn. They spoke in that language I didn’t understand but the cadences resonated within me like a melody long forgotten.
They stopped speaking as I approached and all three turned to look at me.
I offered Sarq and Tumiel quick, awkward smiles before locking gazes with Shem’s electric blues.
“Hi, um, can I talk to you for a moment?”
Sarq and Tumiel backed away, leaving me alone with Shem.
“What is it?” His tone was curt and abrupt.
Shit, was he still pissed about the rake incident? “We were wondering how long it would take to get to the golden city?”
“Well, that depends on your motley crew, doesn’t it? The faster you move, the faster we get there.”
I bit back the acerbic response that flew to my lips and replaced it with a polite smile.
His attention dropped to that smile, suspicion coloring his expression. “Why are you smiling like that?”
Fuck it. If I was going to play amenable, I needed there to be some element of truth to it. “Because if I don’t, then I might end up cursing at you.”
He snorted, the suspicion melting from his expression. “We should reach the gates in two nights if we make good time.”
I nodded. “Thank you. Also, we’d travel faster if we had food in our bellies.”
He slow-blinked. “There isn’t much game left alive in these parts, but Tumiel will forage for you.”
Tumiel, who had my sword. “I’d like to help him, if that’s okay.”
His brows shot up slightly in surprise, but if he was wondering at my change in attitude, then he didn’t voice his thoughts. “That is up to Tumiel.”
“Fine, I’ll ask him.”
He bared his teeth in a mirthless smile. “You do that.”
Thank God I needed to get close to Tumiel and not him.
We hit the road soon after. Tumiel hung back, making up the rear of the party, which meant I got accosted several times by people with demands of information and food before I finally fell back enough to be abreast of him.
He arched a dark brow at me, speaking without moving his lips too much, as if he didn’t want to show me his teeth. “What do you want?”
“What makes you think I want something?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sardonic smile. “Deductive reasoning.”
I’d planned on asking him if I could hunt with him, but now that I was here, other questions demanded answers. “What are you guys?”
He snorted. “Do you not have eyes? We are monsters.”
“No… you’re more than that. I mean, you’re intelligent.”
“And you think all monsters are stupid?” His eyes narrowed. “Animals?”
I met his gaze levelly. “Every monster I’ve come across is.”
“Then you haven’t met a real monster and you have much to learn.”
“You didn’t answer my question, though.”
“I know.”
Fuck. I didn’t have time for this. I needed that sword. I had to focus. “How long until we get to the gates?”
“Tomorrow at sunset if we make good time.”
“Okay. Shem said you’d hunt for us?”
“Yes. There is a meadow before the trees. There may be small game.”
“Can I help?”
“Have you hunted small game before?”
Crap. “No, but I’m quick to learn.”
He made a sound of exasperation. “I do not have time to teach you, not if you wish to feed your party.”
He really wasn’t making this easy for me. “Okay, then maybe I can…be your second pair of hands. Carry your stuff for you so you can be unhindered.”
His pace slowed and his stunning emerald gaze dropped to me, narrowing in suspicion before widening in revelation. “You’re a fool.”
Bollocks. I’d been rumbled. I kept my expression neutral. “What?”
“Don’t play games, little human. Not with us. Not with him. He won’t hurt you unless you force his hand. Do not force his hand. Adhere to the deal and all will be fine. For us all.” The last was said with a wistful longing that had my ears perking up.
“What do you mean? Why do you guys want me? Why did Shem make the deal with me? Why can I touch the sword?”
“So many questions swimming around in such a small brain.”
“Wow, that was rude.”
“Blunt and obvious, just like your attempt to get your hands on this sword.” He patted the wrapped sword at his side.
I plastered an innocent look on my face even as my pulse raced. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I merely wanted to—”
He grabbed my arm so tight I couldn’t help but let out a squeak of pain. “Don’t.” He sneered in my face. “Lie.”
My heart beat hard in my throat. “I wasn’t—”
He shook me sharply before hauling me toward him.
“Don’t make him hurt you.” He released me abruptly.
“Go. Back to your people. Spend time with them while you can.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but then he turned away, muttering under his breath words that I was barely able to catch. “They’ll be gone soon enough.”
He sounded almost sorry about that.
Why did he sound sorry?