Page 43 of Bound Paths
He scoffed. “A researcher who did such a thing wouldn’t deserve their name.” Aaron stood, tucking in the chair and moving toward the exit.
Rose trailed behind him to the door. “You can stay,” she offered hesitantly to his back. “The Compass Points value your perspective.”
Aaron turned and seemed to evaluate her offer. Unsure if it was genuine. “I need to go continue my search. A big piece of this is still missing. I can return this evening, though, with any additional information I find.”
“Sure. That would be great.” She didn’t expect Aaron to have the same trust in the Compass Points as Luc had come to. The last time he saw his brother, Luc was still contemplating what to tell the Compass Points, so Aaron’s knowledge was outdated. “We came to trust each other on our journey,” Rose added. “The others trusted Luc as well.” She shrugged. “Well, mostly.”
Aaron gave her a doubtful look. “I would challenge you on that, but the entire village is abuzz with the fact you and the Vesten Point were seen coming out of Osten house yesterday. No one can remember the last time the Compass Points conversed outside this room.” He glanced around the Norden library where the Compass Points usually held meetings. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I know something has changed. I do hope it’s for the better.” He shrugged. “I’ll be back later when I have more information.”
Rose saw him out, hoping she could soon prove to him and the rest of Compass Lake that it was for the better.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“You already tried to cross?!” Arie shouted as Rose turned the corner and was visible to him and Aurora in the dining room. Arie and Annabeth must have reached some agreement, because even as the god and goddess were seated with the food Arie had prepared before them, more plates were arriving from the kitchen.
Rose put her hand on her hip. “Don’t act like you thought I would wait.” She pointed to the dishes laden with eggs, bacon, fruits, and pastries. “Who is all this for?”
Arie shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. She was still getting used to him making such a gesture. It felt too human—too common for the shapeshifting being who was her best friend. “Annabeth insisted. And I hoped you’d at least take a minute to try to research where you were going. Texts about the realm beyond the veil are few and far between. I figured you’d search for at least one, giving us time to catch up with you.”
“We’re doing research now!” Rose replied, gesturing back toward the library.
Arie sighed loudly and dropped his head down on the table. Rose didn’t miss Aurora’s sympathetic smile as she patted Arie’s shoulder through his overreaction.
“Aaron brought some very specific texts. Journals from villagers in Marcil—apparently, the governor’s daughter made a deal with Cassandra to protect the village.”
Rose tested out the Lady of the Veil’s name. The name felt powerful—as she knew the ruler to be from their brief encounter.
“Really?” Arie raised his head and tilted it with interest, and she could once more see the movements of the bird form he usually held. “What did it say?”
“I thought you guys weren’t supposed to help us?” Rose tapped her chin playfully. Even though she was unsure where exactly Arie and Aurora fell on this question. “I also didn’t wait for you because I figured, as with stopping Aterra, we’d have to do this ourselves.”
“We were only a day behind you,” Arie replied, avoiding her question. “How did you even make the crossing already? I figured it would take Carter days to come clean about his abilities.”
“I was pretty proud of him as well.” Rose smiled again, marveling at their progress as a team. “I may have pushed him a little, but he told us on the ride back.”
“Now he decides to start sharing information,” Arie mumbled as he shook his head.
“I still had to ask,” Rose offered. “He was just much faster to cave than he had been about his other abilities.”
“Okay, so…” Arie didn’t finish the sentence, waiting for her to fill in the blanks about their attempt to cross beyond the veil.
“I’m sure Aurora already told you,” Rose said with feigned exasperation. “We tried, roots shot from the ground to hold us, veil cats chased us. The Lady of the Veil was kind of scary. We didn’t want to become prisoners, as I suspect Luc and Aterra are. What else do you need to know?”
“You didn’t speak with her?” Arie asked, his elbow on the table; he let his hand fall, palm upward in a gesture that begged for patience.
Rose’s eyes widened. “Did we speak…” That wasn’t the question she’d expected. “No. She met us moments after we arrived. Her magic felt a little unhinged as roots tore through the soil to ensnare us, and a host of veil cats with very large teeth were growling angrily. We didn’t have time for introductions.”
“I see,” Arie said.
Rose put her hands to her temples, wondering if there was another way. The roots trying to hold them had been her breaking point. They would have been at the Lady’s mercy.
“How did she know we were there?” Rose looked between Aurora and Arie. By telling her about the dagger’s power, Aurora had already indicated that the Gods knew something about how the Lady ruled her realm.
“Cassandra’s control over her domain is very different than ours over the continent,” Aurora said. She gave Rose and Arie a grace period, allowing them their usual give and take, but her calm insertion steered them back to the business at hand.
“How so?” Rose asked.
Arie sat up straighter and glanced at Aurora. He appeared unsure—like he didn’t know what Aurora would say.
