“I have every right. Fletcher wanted me to protect you. That’s why I’m here.”
“Fletcher would want me to finish the mission. He trusts me.”
Something flickered in Danisan’s inscrutable eyes. “You and I both know that Fletcher sometimes trusts where he shouldn’t.” With that, he began trudging uphill, taking Seba away from the water, the mission, and hope for Allentria’s future.
“How dare you!” She writhed in his grip with renewed energy, causing the sure-footed elf to stumble on slippery rocks. “You can’t do this! I came here to find myself.”
Seba froze, and so did Danisan. The words hung in the air, echoing in the sudden, eerie stillness. Her injured head and battle-addled brain had betrayed her.
“I mean . . . to find the nereids,” she said, though it was no use.
“You have succeeded
