20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"W hat's your plan if you get caught sleuthing?" Esteban asked Caelus the next morning. They'd been going back and forth—more like arguing—about the plan for the ball for over an hour.

"If we have to go ‘sleuthing,' I assure you we won't be found," Caelus answered.

"You can't assure that any more than someone could the weather."

I had enough of listening to them debate every detail and stood from the couch. I made for my aunt's garden to get a much-needed break from their bickering. Neither commented on my exit. I wondered if they even noticed.

Caelus and I still hadn't talked about what had happened at Forgesong. Truthfully, I wasn't ready to have that discussion. There wasn't anything I could say to Caelus to make it better or take it back. It didn't matter how much I wanted his forgiveness; he didn't owe me an apology. The most I could do was help him if he'd let me.

I opened the door and took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet aroma of the various flowers blooming despite the dusting of snow. The guilt in my stomach eased only slightly in the fresh air. Whatever esprit Aunt Celeste had weaved kept them safe from the chill of the mountain. She favored jasmine, and I always thought it was in honor of Evryn.

It was the first time I'd come out into Aunt Celeste's prized garden since we'd been staying here. I'd been avoiding it because at one time, I envied her esprit. She could grow and maintain any flower or plant, even the ones not native to the climate of the cold mountain city. It was a beautiful power that I'd wished for when I was young. Once I'd received my gift, my envy multiplied.

I closed my eyes and let tendrils of lightning flow along my body. Peeking at the streaks gliding across my arms, I realized it was a bit ridiculous to have not seen the beauty in my power.

I continued to free the tempest within, my focus on not harming my surroundings. I'd been working on it when I had free time, as Thalia had instructed. The electric blue-white energy coiled down my legs and feet and back up, not scorching any of the blades of grass it met.

I tried moving a nearby garden rock with air. So far, when I'd tried, I hadn't been able to release my power and use air at the same time. Either the lightning faded or air never manifested. Caelus would've likely known how to manage both, but I doubted he was in an instructing mood.

When the sun had nearly reached its peak, the door behind me that led back into the den creaked open. Footsteps crunched behind me, but I didn't turn around, sure it was Esteban. If it'd been Caelus, I was certain I wouldn't have heard a sound and citrus would be in the air. Waiting for Esteban to speak, I tried once again to focus on moving the rock while maintaining the arcing energy, despite his presence.

His pacing sounded behind me.

I did my best to ignore it, but the rock wasn't budging.

Esteban's footsteps continued to rustle along the grass as I tried again and again.

Nothing.

I turned to face Esteban, giving up and letting the lightning wither away. "Something on your mind?"

"His plan is that of a fool."

I took a seat on the stone bench beneath a large red-flowering tree. "And what would you change?"

"For starters, a backup plan for if you don't win that silly event. And what happens if you win, get in, and someone recognizes you ? Because I'm certain you haven't discussed that with him," he said. "And why in all of Marunia did you plan on acting out being in a romantic relationship with him? You'll end up hurt."

"It doesn't have to be romantic." Though that was exactly the kind we had agreed on.

"And what of this gnome? The foolish boy says he's helping him attend but claims he's incapable of doing the same for me."

I blinked. "Stumbleduck?" He must have mentioned him after I left. "He never said anything about him coming."

Esteban let out a grumble of disapproval. "Of course," he sighed. "Help me in the kitchen. I can't take much more of this without food."

I nodded and followed Esteban. Cooking was how he relieved stress. But what else hadn't Caelus told me?

Caelus let out a long sigh, his back to the flame in the fireplace. "Alston is a part of the plan, like it or not. It was a part of the deal as my informant for when we win the invitations."

We'd reconvened in the den after eating, and I tried to occupy myself with the book I'd brought with me—my mother's favorite story. But I'd been barely able to pay attention to it with all their arguing.

I lowered the book at the mention of Alston—the name Caelus had called Stumbleduck before. "Speaking of him, you never mentioned we'd be helping him get inside the castle too," I said from where I sat on the couch.

He gave me a look, and I swore he was about to say You never asked. He seemed to think better of it and leveled his gaze at Esteban.

"And why does he want to attend?" Esteban asked.

I'd only met Stumbleduck briefly. He'd thrown an explosive metal toy at us. He wasn't exactly a subtle person. I'd hoped that meeting would be our last.

Caelus's jaw tightened.

"You don't know?" I asked.

"He has a history with Travok. Once we're inside, Alston won't be our problem."

"If he can attend, I think you can pull some extra strings, boy."

Caelus crossed his arms. "And what makes you think I have more strings to pull?"

Esteban shot me a look of annoyance before narrowing his eyes back on Caelus. "So, you haven't figured out how you're getting this Alston in either?"

Caelus's hands squeezed against his upper arm, and he began pacing. A finger tapped against his bicep.

Esteban appeared to be right.

Caelus continued to pace, placing a hand on his hip. He'd likely paced the same way when he'd come up with all this—the plan Esteban was now questioning every detail of. I was learning how much of it I hadn't known.

But I wanted Esteban with us at the ball too. Having someone else we could trust there—someone who could act like we belonged—would be a benefit. It would also ease my mind to have him there as a reminder that we'd be going home as soon as we found Teeg.

Esteban huffed a sigh and slid out of the armchair he'd been sitting in and headed for the foyer. I shoved my book to the side and followed him. "Where are you going?"

"Forgesong is assisting with the Frostfire Ball. I'm friends with the owner. Since the boy doesn't have answers, I'll call in a favor."

"That fixes one problem," Caelus muttered behind me.

Esteban spun around, shooting a glare past me to Caelus. "It fixes both of your problems, boy. I'll get that old gnome in, but you'd better be right about him."

"Will you be back before the contest?"

He shot me a grin. "Wouldn't miss it, girl."

Esteban exited the front door, leaving Caelus and me alone. I headed back to the den, stopping in the doorway. He was back to pacing, his brows pinched together.

"Your sister . . ." I started, wanting to get whatever conversation he wanted to have over with.

Caelus paused, his head snapping to me.

I shifted my feet under his intense gaze.

"Have you met with Perrin before?" he asked.

"Once."

"When?"

I folded my arms over my chest. "He found me. It was when I was headed back from the Temple of Evryn. He wanted to know the reason you were in the city."

"Yet you didn't tell him why then."

I nodded.

"And somewhere along the way, you valued vague information about Teeg and your family over my sister."

I narrowed my eyes. "I valued both, otherwise I wouldn't have told you at all."

"If you valued both, you wouldn't have said a damn thing to Perrin."

I took a step back. I'd regretted telling Perrin immediately and wished I hadn't. He had to know that.

"How is it you know so much about him?" I asked.

He averted his gaze. "That's not your concern."

I sighed and grabbed my book from the couch. "If you're going to withhold what you know, there's nothing left to talk about. Conversation over." I left the room, planning to avoid Caelus until Esteban returned.

And Esteban made it back like he'd promised he would—an hour before the treasure hunt event was to start. He stumbled into the villa, cheeks rosy. He explained that he and the owner had caught up over drinks. Caelus had to carry him upstairs before he tumbled down them.

It was going to take a miracle for him to be fit enough to take part in the event, and no amount of healing would help him recover faster. I'd tried once after he'd had a particularly lively night at his tavern, to no avail.

Unfortunately, I'd planned to ask Esteban what the city of Tiruhm treasured to use as a hint of what we might be looking for. Between last night and his questions about Caelus's plans, there hadn't been an opportunity before.

Caelus came downstairs moments later. "You seem . . . displeased," he said, descending the last few steps.

Displeased was a nice way of putting it. "What gave it away?" Thankfully, practicing with my power had the storm inside me dulled; otherwise my rising annoyance might've caused it to slip through. Thalia's earring might be to thank as well, but I wasn't sure and wasn't willing to find out.

There was a slight twitch at the corner of his lips, but he didn't answer me. "Think your luck has run out?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. Talking to him wasn't easy. I thought we'd avoid each other until it was time to leave. But winning the event was important. Leaving out any details he knew that might help us win would hinder him as much as it would me. "I guess we'll see," I said, heading for the kitchen. Wine. I needed wine. But unlike Esteban, I could control myself.

I could only assume Caelus followed me, since I wouldn't hear his footsteps if he had, but the faint scent of his esprit told me he did. I pulled out one of Aunt Celeste's more expensive bottles of red wine. When I turned, he was there, leaning against the kitchen doorway. I clumsily removed the cork, and he wisely didn't remark on my choice.

Once I had a glass in front of me and took a long drink of the sweet wine, he said, "Vinnie the Storyteller writes riddles every year for festivals across the kingdom. They're usually vague. Otherwise, it'd be too easy to make guesses and have a winner immediately. They'll elaborate on the rules once they announce the game."

He was being friendly. After our argument, it was admittedly surprising. I wasn't certain it would last. But we needed to work together. I swirled the wine in my glass. "And what stops someone from accidentally participating and winning by being in the right place at the right time?"

"I'd guess an enchantment will be placed on all those who arrive to take part and hear the rules firsthand."

My skin recoiled at the thought of having an enchantment placed on me. The last one had been the tenebrae- like bond Klareth forced onto me. The very one that had marked her as a protector, even though she was anything but. Caelus made it all sound so easy, like always, and I hoped it would be.