Page 16 of Tangled Power
“Let’s get going, Rose. We’ve lingered too long.”
Nodding, Rose pocketed the coin and tried to remove evidence of their activity. “He’s definitely going to know we were here,” Rose said.
“That’s not really my problem, is it? You’re a Compass Point now, Rose. You’ll have to think on your feet when he confronts you tomorrow.”
Rose scowled.
“I already have second-hand embarrassment just thinking about your response. It’s good you have the night to come up with something.”
She couldn’t help her gaze lingering on the bushes as they left the garden. She swore a yellow-green glint flashed in them as she turned to walk back to the safety of Suden house.
“So, this is your artifact? The Burning Coin, right?” She’d put it together as they left. She couldn’t sense Vesten magic from it, but she could feel its heat. Rose had been on edge thinking about what she carried the entire walk back.
“Do you want me to give it to Carter?”
“I want you to study the Vesten magic.”
Not for the first time, Rose wondered what Arie was up to. “Do you know what you’re doing? Not giving this to him will be a major slight, and with you gone, he’ll take it out on me.” Rose had grown used to trusting the shifter god. But she couldn’t even feel the Vesten magic in this—how could she study it? She said as much and added, “I want to unite the Compass Points, not further sow distrust among us.”
“Of course I know what I’m doing. I’m a god. And you’ll feel the Vesten power in the coin once you start to understand it.”
“That’s circular logic, Arie.”
“You’re already making progress.”He chuckled.
Rose sighed. It was too late to put it back. She’d have to play it by ear with Carter.
“I think you’ll need to know all of the elements to succeed.”
She tried to process what that meant. She guessed it tied back to the Compass Points’ powers working together. Her weapons-making magic and her dual elements left her uniquely positioned to help with this. She sensed and understood more magic than most.
“This coin is the best representation of the Vesten power I have. Once you understand it, you can give it to Carter.”
“You intend for me to give it to him eventually? That won’t be awkward at all…” Rose thought about the yellow-green glint in the bushes. She feared the Vesten Point would have a lot of questions for her in the morning.
“Of courseI want you to give it to him. It amplifies his power. I’m sure he’ll need it. But only when you’re ready.”Arie paused uncharacteristically.“I have a favor to ask before you give it back.”
She couldn’t help but tense at his words—what else would he ask of her?
“I want you to use the coin as a source to make him a weapon on your journey.”
Rose turned her head to stare at the bird on her shoulder. “Is that an official request from a god?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“No, Rose. It’s a request from a friend—one who has your best interests in mind. I think you’ll need to make weapons for all the Compass Points before this is through, but I leave that up to you. I just wanted you to have the means to evaluate the Vesten magic without being at Compass Lake.”He gestured to the coin in her hand.“This should do it.”
“Fine,” she said, feeling its heat in her fingertips. She’d already come to the same conclusion as Arie. Each of the Compass Points would need one of her weapons, but he didn’t need to know that. She might have told him if he’d explained his plan before making them steal onto Vesten property. “I’ll do what I must to give us our best chance of success.”
“Good job pretending you didn’t intend to make him a weapon anyway,”Arie said, spreading his wings.
Rose hmphed. He knew her too well.
“Now, I do hate to run, but I hate goodbyes more. I’ll see you soon, Rose. Be careful.”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he flew off through the trees.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Luc couldn’t take his eyes off Rose as they started the slow ascent to the mountain pass from Compass Lake Village. While he held the reins with one hand, his magic bounced a stone gently in the other. His power was behaving this morning, but the day was still young. No matter what she said about just needing to slow down, or her overdoing it—it angered him that his magic caused her to pass out yesterday. He thought his magic was protective of her, especially since their conversation on the beach. Overwhelming and exhausting her was the exact opposite of that. He sighed. It was back to its usual disappointments. His power acted with a mind of its own on occasion, especially where she was involved. He would concentrate even more than usual to keep it from slipping its leash.
