Page 127 of By the Moonbeam and the Mist
“Rayna?”
“What are you doing here?” I asked incredulously.
Rodhi folded his arms against his drenched shirt.
“I could ask you the same thing, darling.”
“I’m…” I stared down at the jar that I had dropped in the mud, my eyes flicking toward that cluster of frog eggs. Thankfully, it had gone undisturbed. “I was just paying a visit to the river dolphins.”
Rodhi laughed through a smirk. “No, you weren’t. I know you weren’t because I just got off their backs after a nice long ride.”
I blinked at him. “A nice longride? From where? What have you beenupto?” I asked, my suspicion finally brimming to the surface. “You’re always sneaking off and disappearing nowadays. You missed the Cardina market…”
“Well, yeah, it’s the perfect time to do super secret things while everyone is distracted by fudge pops and sex toys. As you very well know, given that you’re doing something super secret right now.”
Rodhi nodded at my satchel and knife with eyebrows that were much too raised for his own good.
“Oh, don’t give me that look, Rayna.” He waved a hand. “Anyone with two good eyes can see that you’ve been sneaking around yourself. So what have you been hiding? I’ll spill my secret if you spill yours.”
I couldn’t believe this kid. I’d known something was up with him for a while now, but I hadn’t thought of it as any of my business if he didn’t want to share. Now, though, we were obviously locked in a stalemate—he knew I was up to no good; I knewhewas up to no good.
It would be pointless to try to look the other way.
“Fine,” I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut. How to tell him the truth in a way that didn’t reveal any confidential details? “I had a boyfriend last year, but everyone’s memory of his existence got erased, including mine.” I opened my eyes again to find Rodhi listening intently, his eyes sparkling with utter amusement. “But I recently re-met him, and I’ve been meeting up with him in secret every week. Happy?”
“Extremely,” Rodhi grinned. “ItoldWren you were getting laid in secret. She owes me another thirty coppers.”
“What? No, I— He and I aren’t back together in that way.” Every one of my nerves had perked up at the insinuation, though, so that wasn’t a good sign. Trying to force my sudden blush back down, I said, “But if you tell anyone that I’m evenseeinghim, I could actually get tortured and die a very cruel and painful death, Rodhi, so… please don’t tell.”
It sounded dramatic, but it was true. If Dyonisia heard that I was meeting up with him so casually or if Lexington discovered that my meetings with him weren’t just to try to steal that batch of pills….
To my surprise, Rodhi didn’t turn that into any kind of twisted joke. In fact, his face fell with something like horrified recognition.
“Oh. Is your not-boyfriend the pirate fugitive who’s been staying at that abandoned lighthouse north of Hallow’s Perch by chance?”
I froze.
Then attacked.
Throwing my knife into the mud so that I wouldn’t be tempted to use it on him, I yanked him toward me by his ear.
“What thehell, Rodhi? How did youknowthat?”
Something feral and monstrous had sprung alive in my chest at those words spoken aloud. If Rodhi Lockett, of all people, knew about Steeler’s whereabouts, then he wasn’t safe at the lighthouse anymore, and neither was Felicity. Both of them would have to—
“Calm your tits, Rayna,” Rodhi hissed, wrenching himself away. “I was literally just about to tell you my secret, which would have explained everything.” He rubbed at his ear with a wince. “By the orchid and the owl, your not-boyfriend’s a lucky guy—that’s a strong grip you’ve got there.”
I smacked his arm, and not in an amused, playful way.
“Explain yourself.”
“Okay, okay.” Rodhi raised his palms. “Do you guys want to come out now?”
I stared at him, sure he’d gone crazy as he raised his hands toward the rumbling sky.
Until, that is, five or six giant fishing spiders scuttled out from beneath his sopping clothes and settled on his shoulders and arms.
“What…?” I leaned forward for a closer look. “I haven’t seen any other spiders except for—”
