The Last Sídhe

5 - Trust

The boat Shayne led us to was of a decent size, drawn up onto the damp shore of the Rene. Rushes gathered along the edge of the water, green stems rustling against one another with each breath of wind. A thick screen of trees cut the area from the rest of An Hainn; it felt oddly isolated, locked in its own world.

With the town's buildings nestled out of sight, Aeden seemed more at ease. He picked up his pace and strode to the boat's side, tossing a careless glance at Shayne. "It's small."

The blond man smoothed his hair, lips pressed into a tight smile. "It floats."

"Then why is it not in the water?"

"That's not how"—Shayne took a breath, clearly struggling to keep his voice polite—"That's not how boats work."

I rolled my eyes, left at the edge of the clearing. "Aed—Conan, come here."

"What?" he asked, reluctantly pulling away from Shayne. He glanced over one shoulder, keeping an eye on the man.

"You're acting like a child."

He shrugged. "It's part of my charm."

"It absolutely is not." I grated one boot into the wet dirt, leaning heavily on my walking stick. "Stop pestering the man."

Aeden shifted his bare feet, as if taking part in a dance only he knew. Finally, he looked up and flashed me a false grin. "Anything for you, Mae."

A sigh brushed past my lips. "You're still nervous, aren't you?"

"Aye," he said reluctantly, clasping his hands behind his back. "I don't trust him. I told you this."

Despite myself, I flinched at the edge in Aeden's voice. I met his gaze, letting my thoughts sharpen. Finally, I drew my necklace up and over my head. Brushing my thumb over the pendant, I held it out. "You know what? I'm in the mood to gamble."

He cocked his head, puzzlement taking place of bitterness and fear. "What?"

"Take this. Don't lose it," I said, pressing my necklace into his hand. "I'm betting that we will get to the other side safely. If you're right and something terrible happens, you can keep it and hold it over my head as much as you'd like."

Aeden's eyes flickered down; his fingers curled around the pendant, almost hesitantly. His lips moved, forming the real reason I'd let him have it. Strength.

"Well?" I pressed.

A pause. His lips twitched upward into a dazed sort of grin. "No deal. I'd hate for you to lose your necklace. But"—he ducked his head and put it on, allowing the cord to fall around his neck—"I may as well hold on to it for you, since you seem so desperate to give it away."

I looked him up and down. The tangled roots suited him, in that wild way of his. "If you took the time to take care of your hair and clothes, it would look nice on you."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Behind Aeden's shoulder, Shayne seemed to finish his inspection of the boat. He shucked off his shoes and shoved it into the river, leaving behind a dark trail of upturned mud. The boat lifted, pulled along by the Rene's currents. It was good that he'd taken his shoes off; the water reached past his ankles at that depth.

"See? It floats, Conan," Shayne declared, holding the hull to keep the boat in place.

I sighed and limped my way to the boat, muttering a few curses as my boots sank deep into the mud. Shayne dragged the vessel a little closer, but I'd still have to step into the river. Annoyance flickered through me. Hadn't my shoes been through enough?