It felt like around every corner something was about to jump out and kill her. Even still, it was hard not to appreciate what she was looking at. Tucking the book under her arm, she took the time to drink in some of the detail of her surroundings.
The marble floor had a crack that wove through it like an earthquake had ripped the room in two. Between the sections, snaked a little brook. The water was crystal clear and glistening as it burbled and ran between the rocks. She could see rainbow-colored fish, like koi, darting around underneath lily pads and between reeds.
Sunlight was drifting in through the cracked and shattered windows, filtered by the trees and vines that had taken their place.
Birds—several of them resembling macaw parrots—flocked from tree to tree.
“Careful,” Ibin whispered to her loudly for dramatic effect.“Birds.”
Ava shot her a look. “Har har.”
Ibin grinned and hugged Ava to her side. “I couldn’t resist, forgive me.”
“Look, it flew out of the wardrobe at my face, it scared the hell out of me.” She chuckled. She would’ve made the same joke if she were in Ibin’s shoes. Which Ibin didn’t wear. Ibin went barefoot, it seemed. Fae.
“You know,” Ibin started, trailing off thoughtfully. “Therearea lot of very handsome men and very beautiful women here in the Web.”
“Holy shit, you reallyaretrying to set me up.” Ava laughed harder. “I was joking, but you’re not! You’re hoping I fall for some fae freak-ball and make this easy for you.”
“Well…” Ibin scratched the back of her neck. “That’s not to say that it wouldn’t, but that isn’t the only reason, I’m also thinking of your happiness and your safety?—”
“And yours.” She rolled her eyes.
“If we both benefit, isn’t that best for everyone?” Ibin’s smile was nervous. Wavering. “What’s better than a deal where everyone wins?”
“One where I’m not a pet on a leash. Or in a cage. Or in a prison.” There was the bitterness again.
“Shame that we cannot all have what we want.” Nos was still walking ahead of them. His steps were stilted, and he moved with a slight limp.
“You’re limping. Are you okay?” She didn’t want him hurting himself, even if she didn’t like the cranky fucker.
“Old wounds.” He kept going.
Ava frowned. “War injury?”
Nos glanced back at her with his mismatched eyes—one vaguely white, the other vaguely orange. And in them, she sawentirecivilizationsof history. She realized how stupid she’d been to open her mouth. “No.”
“I—I’m sorry.” She had really stepped in it. “I didn’t think?—”
“No. You did not.” Nos faced forward again and returned to his silence.
Ibin placed her hand on Ava’s back and smiled in sympathy but said nothing.
The Web around them continued its impossible architecture. A stained-glass window melted into a wall of living moss. Vines twisted through marble columns that seemed to breathe. Sunlight fractured and reformed in ways that made Ava’s eyes hurt if she looked too long.
They walked for what seemed like ten or fifteen minutes without speaking. And the longer they walked without speaking—or meeting anyone—the longer Ava became suspicious that something was wrong.
Especially because Ibin wasn’t talking.
Or looking at her.
Something was up.
Especially with Ibin’s hints aboutmeeting someonethat she might like.
Only one way to know, she supposed. “Um. So, are we going to talk about where you’re actually bringing me? Or are we going to keep doing the supernatural equivalent of awkward small talk?”
Nos stopped. Turned. Looked at her with an expression that was equal parts annoyance and exhaustion. “And what, precisely, do you mean?”
