Shadowburn (2)

Chapter 37

"Why?"

Sin arched a brow at him, leaning over his study desk. "Because it's a beautiful day and there's no reason to waste it inside."

"Except for the fact that I don't go for walks in nature, and there are books in here." He raised his legs, putting his feet on the desk. "Staying inside would not be a waste."

He had a valid point. But she really wanted to go for a walk. And it would be so much more fun if he was with her.

"Just for a little while, then."

"I don't see how this benefits me, Djin."

She tapped her fingers against his desk, looking at him for a moment. "It... would be good for your health?"

"My health is fine. Plus, I have actual work to do." She knew that. He'd been looking for a way to find Skylar and his child for the past three days. Sin knew she shouldn't interrupt him and that it was important.

But she couldn't make the insistent voice in the back of her head shut up. It kept telling her that she needed to go on a walk with Andreas.

"Ten minutes," she said, tugging on the toe of one of his boots.

"We would be out and in with that time limit. No," he said, and looked back at the book in his hands.

"Please?" She asked, softly, tilting her head at him.

He dropped the book and stared at her. "Did you just say 'please' out loud?"

She stared back at him, blinking. "I think I did. I really want to go for a walk."

"I honestly don't understand your sudden fascination with nature walks, or why I have to be privy to them. Won't the elf suffice?"

Sin shrugged. "I don't understand it either. That's why I want you to come."

"You're impossible." He sighed heavily. "You have ten minutes."

Sin gave a cry of delight, silently wondering when she'd turned into such a child. She didn't understand it any more than he did, but she'd gotten what she apparently wanted. She grabbed his hand. "Wonderful. Let's go."

He grumbled, but let her pull him along as she led him down the stairs and out the front door. She scanned the woods for a moment, then pointed toward the river with a grin. Andreas sighed deeply.

She didn't particularly care--odd, that. Everything about this was odd. Since when did she go on nature walks?

Sin didn't have a clue, all she knew was that she wanted to.

They walked between the trees, Sin practically skipping along as she breathed in the scent of the forest. She really did love forests. Didn't explain her sudden joy, but it was something. When they reached the river, Sin walked along the bank, hopping over stones and jumping in and out of the water. Scotty watched her with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, and she just grinned at him.

Until they went around a bend in the river, and suddenly the forest was covered in... streamers? And not a foot in front of them stood a man in white robes. Under an arch? An... everything flooded back into Sin's head, all the things she'd had Thorn take away so she could keep this from Andreas. It had been ridiculously difficult to convince her brother to help her, too.

Sin's grin exploded as she pulled Scotty forward until they were directly in front of the priest, then looked up at him impishly. "I win."

"This was your plan?" He sighed very deeply. "To trick me? I should have known."