Harlow and I rushed our steps to keep up with Aramel's long strides. My mind was racing with questions and Aramel did his very best to escape them by keeping his attention forward and his body language closed off.
That did not stop me from gripping the back of his shirt and attempting to tug him to a stop. "Treasure hunting?" I asked, slightly out of breath. "Does that mean you know where your father's collection is?"
Aramel spun on his heels to escape my touch and raised a firm hand to silence me. "Don't worry, Brielle," he said tightly. "I know you're hungry, let's get something in your stomach."
I raised a single brow. "Hungry?"
"Yes," Aramel urged. "I just need a few minutes to prepare something, understand?"
"Not even a little bit," I hissed, losing patience.
Harlow placed a light hand on my shoulder. "His Highness's siblings probably have something for you to eat."
It took me a second, but I eventually huffed the reluctant understanding through my nose. Past Aramel, I could see a flickering campfire and a couple tents. The time for answers would need to wait. The fae and their ability to eavesdrop whenever they wanted was really inconvenient.
Upon approaching the campsite, I could see Vasati and Roz sitting shoulder to shoulder, perched on something large protruding from the dirt. Zarek stood with his arms crossed, staring down at a glowing fire. To my relief, Sayge sat on the ground across from Zarek, chin resting on his knees. His eyes were closed, and his shoulder no longer gushed blood. Realizing how worried I'd been for him did not bother me as much as it used to, and seeing him alive and sleeping brought me a form of peace I didn't know I needed.
Roz noticed our approach first, and he alerted his siblings with a nod of his delicate chin and widened eyes.
Vasati looked at us and smiled, whispering something to Roz that I could not hear.
Whatever she said made Aramel groan, "Placing bets...Why am I not surprised?"
"Bets?" I whispered. "What were they betting on?"
Aramel shook his head. "You don't want to know."
"Sure she does!" Vasati chirped. "I bet that Aramel would return with you."
"That's one way to put it," Aramel stated with a roll of his eyes.
"Anyway you slice it, I was right." Vasati held an open palm towards the notably silent Zarek. "Pay up."
I found myself fidgeting with my hands as Roz hopped to his feet and waved a hand over the dirt, making a large tree root erupt and form a new seat for Aramel and I. Sayge gasped awake from the slight shaking of the ground and rubbed the sleep from his startled eyes.
"Miss!" Sayge gasped. "I am so happy to see you up and about."
I smiled at my freckled guard, genuinely happy to hear his timid voice.
Roz gestured to the thick root. "Sit. You need rest and food." He looked at Harlow. "You too."
Harlow placed himself behind me as I settled onto the odd seating. "I prefer to stand if you don't mind," he said.
Roz shrugged. "Do humans not need rest? I do not think I've seen you sleep at all."
I could not help but look over my shoulder to see Harlow's reaction. It was true, in all my years with him, I'd never seen the man give into exhaustion.
Harlow smiled. "My gift sustains me in many ways, Your Highness. I sleep, but need far less of it."
"Fascinating," Roz hummed, handing me a bowl of steaming soup. "Still, this is not Prodia. You may sit and eat with us."
