“What happened?” I ask, needing to know what happened to Finn.
She doesn’t respond, just keeps walking with that vacant look in her eyes.
I try again, gentler this time. “Talk to me, Everly. I need to understand.”
For a moment, I think she hasn’t heard me. Then, her steps falter, and she turns to face me.
“I…” she starts, her voice cracking. She swallows hard and tries again. “We were picking mushrooms.”
I nod, encouraging her to continue.
She lets out a shaky breath. “Then...then she appeared. Out of nowhere.”
“Who?”
Everly’s eyes dart around, as if afraid someone might overhear. “A woman. She...she had magic. Air magic.”
Alvina?
She’s the only woman I know with air magic living in Karra. It has to be her.
“Was it Alvina?” I ask.
Everly’s eyes widen, and she jerks her gaze away.
Hades! We don’t need this right now. Not with everything else going on.
“I’ve known Alvina a long time,” I say as I continue pulling the litter, my muscles straining with the effort. “This is something she would do. She’s cunning and ruthless.”
Questions burn in Everly’s eyes as they dart back to me. “You know her?”
“Yes.” I continue walking for a few moments before speaking again. “What does she want from you, Everly? Alvina never does anything without a reason, and it’s rarely a good one.”
Instead of answering me, Everly keeps her attention diverted, focusing instead on the path in front of her.
“Everly, tell me what she wants with you.”
“No,” she says, her voice so soft I barely hear her.
No?
“Everly…”
She scurries around a log before falling into step with me again. “I won’t be the reason someone else dies.”
I lower the litter to the ground and reach out, snagging her arm and bringing her closer to me. “Listen to me. Don’t let Alvina threaten you.”
“She already has, Cenric.” Everly sniffs. “She has promised to hurt my family if I don’t obey her.”
I pull Everly closer, needing her to know I’m here for her. “I give you my word. I will not let any harm come to your family. Alvina may be cunning, but I have resources at my disposal. I can ensure their safety, even from afar.”
Unshed tears glisten in Everly’s eyes. The sight tugs at something deep within my chest.
“Confide in me,” I say in that same gentle voice. “And I will protect your family, but I need to know what Alvina’s plotting.”
Everly searches my gaze, her lower lip trembling. “I...I can’t...”
I tighten my grip on her arm, not enough to hurt, but enough to convey my resolve. “You can. I swear on my honor, on my life, that no harm will befall your loved ones. Let me help you.”
