Page 16 of Compass Points
They made good time, even starting so late in the afternoon. After dusk, they veered off the road, to camp far enough away that no one should stumble upon them—a perimeter guarded by trees but clear enough to lay out their packs and have a fire.
Luc set to warming a meal while Rose unpacked her bedroll and blanket. It was warm in the valley. They’d be fine for the few days they traveled the main road. She worried more about when they headed up into the mountains to Compass Lake. It would get cold quickly at that elevation, though she was used to it from living on the Lake of the Gods. She’d brought a few long-sleeve tunics and a cloak.
She sat on her bedroll, watching Luc. It was time to dive in. He’d said this afternoon that he had a plan for explaining her presence to the other Compass Points, and she wouldn’t like it. She’d still been sorting through her emotions about Tara, the fact that Luc was the Suden Point, and that her weapons seemed able to defend against the mist plague when no others had been able to. She cut herself a break for not pulling this particular thread at the time.
She may still be able to run if she hated it. Either way, she took a deep breath and thought it was time to learn what it was.
“So,” she began. “Should we talk about your plan that I’m not going to like?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He poked at the fire. “I’d like to head this conversation off by saying I’m not trying to manipulate you. I can only think of one way the other Compass Points, and anyone else, would have no right to question you while you’re at the lake.”
A surefire way to know you were being manipulated was for someone to tell you they weren’t manipulating you. This was off to a great start.
“And that is…?”
“The only way to ensure that they have no right to access or question you is for you and me to be together.”
He let the word“together”hang there. She couldn’t help as her gaze veered directly toward his full lips and started to imagine what they’d feel like against hers. Would they be soft as they looked? Or hard and demanding like the rest of him? An unexpected blush touched her cheeks.
The fire must be warmer than she thought.
She caught his eyes as hers darted away from his lips. A smug smile curled at the corner of that dangerous mouth. She sat up straighter.
“Be together,” she repeated. “Are you going to add any clarity or definition to that?”
He couldn’t possibly mean romantically.
He sighed like he couldn’t believe she would make him spell it out.
She definitely would.
“It means what you think it means.” He wiped a hand across his face. “My people don’t put fancy titles on relationships, but we would need to appear romantically involved.” He sighed again. “It’s the only way that I can think of to shield you from the other Compass Points the way that you asked. A romantic claim, a potential partner for the Suden Point. That is something in which they cannot interfere.” He paused, letting her process.
She glared at him. “And you failed to mention this part of the plan when we made our deal back in the village? I remember something about me having choices?” She chastised herself more than him. She knew this was to be expected from the Suden Point.
Part of her wanted to believe his claims of mutual benefit, unified goals, and choice. He’d seemed so earnest in making them. But that was naive, and she knew better when dealing with a Compass Point. They thought only of power and what they could take for themselves.
“I’m sorry, Rose, truly. I take no joy in forcing us into this situation.”
That hit her, “us”—like this would also be painful for him, not just her. Would he be more uncomfortable than her since he knew the people they would lie to? Her mind spun. What if he had a romantic partner that he had to cast aside for this ruse? She didn’t even let her mind finish wherever that thought was going as her insides began to squirm.
“Walk me through why this is our only option. Why can’t I be a specialist of some kind? Or a survivor of the plague of mist?” As she said each of these aloud, she already knew why they wouldn’t work, but as if to preserve her sanity, Luc responded.
“Neither of those options will work, because there is no way that I could justify keeping you from the other Compass Points under the current circumstances. Everyone has lost someone to the mist. The Compass Points are supposed to be working together to find a solution. If I returned with a key, someone who had survived the plague, or someone who might know about helping us fight against it, I’d be required to introduce them to the others.” He glanced at her for the first time since he caught her staring at his lips. His dark eyes were piercing in their focus, as if they would extract her secrets by sheer force of will. “Now, if you were willing to tell me who you’re avoiding and why, I might be able to devise a different plan.”
“No,” she breathed, meeting his gaze. “I understand our position. I’m not thrilled about the situation we find ourselves in, but I also realize it will be worse for you to lie to your people. I’m only lying to strangers. So tell me what being with the Suden Point entails.”
“No more argument?” he asked.
The barest flash of what she thought was concern crossed his face when she mentioned lying to his people, but it was gone before she could be sure. He seemed to accept her surrender and returned to his easy confidence.
“That was too easy. It’s almost as if you don’t mind the disguise.”
Rose snorted. Was he flirting with her?
“I don’t expect we will need to do much,” he said. His focus dropped back to the fire, and he sounded tired. “We should be able to avoid any lake ceremonies. We’ll need to be seen together in Compass Lake Village, and you’ll stay with me at Suden house.”
Her mind raced at that last piece of information. What was the layout of the house? What did staying together mean? She’d be damned if she appeared to break first in this standoff with more clarifying questions. If he didn’t give details, she wouldn’t continue to press.
