Page 67 of Bound Paths
“Oh, stop,” Rose said, gently pushing Carter’s shoulder. “I’m just going to present him with an opportunity to help resolve the problems on this continent that he did nothing to prevent.”
“Harsh,” Juliette responded with a wicked chuckle as they returned to Norden house.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Iam not your messenger!” Arie’s reply was predictable when Rose told him about his new assignment. It might have gone better if she’d asked him to go instead of telling him they had decided he’d go, but Rose enjoyed pushing his buttons.
She couldn’t hold back her laugh as she replied. “I know, Arie.” She put a hand on his arm. She’d found him once again in the kitchen when they returned. “It would help us a lot if you could work with Aaron on this. We need to know Celeste’s side of the story.” Annabeth hadn’t even been angry when Rose offered some of the pastries from the market. The cook seemed happy enough to see the house full again, her eyes lighting at the group of Compass Points and gods parading around her space.
“It could take Aaron weeks on his own. You could do it in days.”
His metaphorical feathers smoothed out at her words. “Fine, if you think I can help that much.”
Rose nodded. “He’ll be leaving shortly. It’d be great if you could either go straight to the house or wherever his father is to see if he has the book with him. Then you can bring it back to Aaron however far he’s made it on the trail behind you.”
Arie looked at Aurora. “I’ll be fine here, my love. We can be separated for a few days.”
He looked like he wanted to disagree, but Aurora arched a brow as if daring him to voice it. He didn’t.
“Everything okay in there?” Juliette asked from the dining room. Rose had let her and Carter start rereading the texts while she, Aurora, and Arie worked in the kitchen.
“We’re just about done. Tell Carter to clear away his stacks of books for now,” Rose called back. Arie and Annabeth had teamed up to make eggs and sausage when he saw the Compass Points returning. The warmed pastries were a nice bonus. Now, if they could just heat them briefly without letting it burn. Toasted was delicious. Burned was a travesty.
“Watch this like a hawk, Arie,” she said as she left to set the table. “If it burns, it’s your fault.” She swore she saw his body shake like it wanted to ruffle its feathers at her words. The flying would be good for him. He acted like he missed spending time in his favorite form.
Rose walked into the dining room with a stack of plates. Carter had not heeded her warning. She put the plates down and started stacking Carter’s books until he finally looked up. “Rose! That’s not how any of …” He was appalled that she’d ruined his organization, but he finally seemed to realize a meal was happening around him, and he was in the way. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’ll get them.” He quickly stacked his books as if trying to move the pile before anyone else could disrupt his arrangement.
The table was set, the meal was ready, and Rose’s steps quickened as she returned to the kitchen to see Arie cursing and pulling the pan of pastries off the fire with his fingers.
“I told you to watch it!”
“I got distracted with the sausage. You knew I’d get distracted.”
Rose smothered a laugh with her hand. Annabeth shook her head as she went about other meal preparations. The tray wasn’t ruined but perfectly toasted. Arie caught it just in time.
This felt nice. The Compass Points, Arie, and Aurora. Yes, they were set back in coming up with their next plan. But being with the people here reminded her of why she was doing this. She liked working with them. She likedthem. She wanted more of this future—she just needed Luc in it, too. Together, they could bring balance to the continent.
Her magic thrummed in her chest as she thought of the missing piece of her heart. SheneededLuc. Though still a revelation that she could connect with him on such a level in the heart of her magic, it wasn’t the same as bringing him home. She wanted him here.
Being with the Compass Points and gods gave her hope for a future however. Hope for the continent they were fighting to preserve.
“You smelledlike pine and cinnamon again this morning,” Aaron said as he walked out of Suden house. Rose flushed. She had no doubt why. Luc’s magic had been wrapped tightly around her when they’d met the night before. She wanted to explain the bond to Aaron but felt it was Luc’s news to share. Just thinking Luc’s name brought his voice to her head. After their physical connection last night, even communicating across realms seemed easier.
“You should tell him,”Luc said.
“It’s your news,”she hedged.“He’d want to hear it from you.”
“Where is he going?”Luc asked.
Rose filled him in on the next steps of their plan while Aaron readied his horse.
Luc sighed.“In an ideal world, I’d love to tell him, but I need him to do something for me, and the request won’t make sense unless you explain.”
Rose was intrigued, so she didn’t fight him. “Luc and I are bound.”
Aaron dropped his pack as he worked to secure it to his horse. It hit the ground with a slight squish.
“That’s not possible,” he said.
