“Oh! Right! Humans.” She giggled and turned around, facing the wall. “Ibin told me to stay with you if you woke up.”
Probably in case she wasn’t really herself anymore. Or if she was already Serrik’s pet…thing.Putting Book down onto the chair by the fire, Ava dropped the towel and pulled on a clean-ish set of clothes from her bag. She wasn’t quite ready to commit to wearing the Renaissance faire clothing that was stocked in the wardrobe. Shoving everything else back into her bag, she picked up Book again now that she was ready to go.
The familiar weight of it was oddly comforting, even knowing it might be part of whatever was happening to her. “You can turn around now.”
Bitty turned, relief washing over her features when she saw Ava dressed. “How do you…feel?”
“Like shit.” Ava smirked. “And starving.”
“That’s understandable after eight days.” Bitty’s smile was as cheery as it could be, resting at the edge of fear. “Let’s go get you some food from the kitchen. It’ll be a little while before you can talk to Ibin and Nos, anyway.”
“Where are Nos and Ibin now?” Ava tried to keep her voice casual. Nos and Ibin were not her friends, either. She had to be suspicious of everyone. Even this supposedly powerless, tiny fae.
“They’ve been taking turns watching over you. Ibin just left to get some rest a few hours ago. Nos is…” Bitty trailed off, looking uncomfortable.
Oh, good. “Nos is what?”
“He’s been researching things. Looking through old books and scrolls. He seems worried.”
She was worried, too. Maybe for the same reasons. “Worried about what?”
Bitty looked away. “I should really let him tell you. But him and Ibin aren’t…”
“Aren’t what?” Ava took a step toward the tiny fae, who flinched. Oh, man. She wasnotused to being the scary one in the dynamic. It felt kind of gross, honestly. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Bitty’s wings fluttered anxiously. “It’s not my place?—”
“Bitty. I’m past the point of caring who gives me the bad news. Please tell me what’s going on.” She sighed. “I’ve had enough thrown at me, I just want to know what I’m walking into once I go out that door.”
The little fae looked genuinely distressed. “They’ve been arguing. A lot. About what to do with you. About Serrik. I don’t know all the details, I swear. They don’t tell me everything.”
Before Ava could respond, the door opened. Nos stood in the entrance, his mismatched eyes taking in the scene—Ava standing, Bitty looking guilty, Book tucked firmly under Ava’s arm.
“I heard voices.” His voice was carefully neutral. But Ava caught the flash of something…in his eyes. Relief? Concern? Calculation?
“Yep. Sorry. I’m alive.” Ava matched his empty tone. “Bitty here was just filling me in on a few things.”
Nos shot Bitty a look that made the tiny fae’s wings droop.
“I see.” His gaze returned to Ava. “We have much to discuss.”
“Clearly.” Ava held Book a little tighter. “But first, I want food. And then I want the truth.All of it, Nos.”
Nos’s expression didn’t change, but his posture stiffened just the slightest amount. “The truth is rarely simple in the Web.”
“Fuckingtry me.” Her grip on Book was turning white-knuckled. She eased off her anger, and forced herself to relax. “Everyone has been lying to me,buddy. That includes you. And now, I want to know what you’ve been withholding from me.”
Their eyes locked, a silent battle of wills. Finally, Nos nodded.
“Very well. Food first. Then we talk.” He stepped aside, gesturing for Ava to proceed him through the door. “Bitty, do inform Ibin that ourguesthas awakened.”
Bitty nodded quickly, her wings buzzing briefly as she darted past both of them, disappearing down the hallway. She was clearly eager to be done with the conversation.
Honestly, so was Ava.
As Ava passed Nos, he spoke quietly, so only she could hear him. “Whatever happened while you were unconscious…there are things you need to know.”
Ava met his gaze. “I’m counting on it.”
