“She wanted to come,” he whispered. “I told her she could.”
“Why?!”
“Please let it go, Keriya. As a favor to me.”
Keriya felt like screaming, but she owed Fletcher more than that favor. She swallowed her complaints and nodded. He bumped his shoulder against hers in silent thanks.
“All present and accounted for,” said Ilkhar. “Now, off with you. May your wanderings be blessed.”
With murmured farewells, the questers struck out, crunching through dead leaves and dried brush as they forged north. Keriya led them, which felt strange. She was flanked on either side by Max and Viran, which felt even stranger. In the hubbub of the past four days, there hadn’t been time to speak about personal matters with either of them. She hadn’t yet been forced to confront her tangled feelings.
“On we go,
