A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #2) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,110

there’s no backing out, and the path forward will only be made easier the more knowledge I can get. “What type of sacrifice?”

“I’m not sure. Only that it’s yours to bear.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” I mutter, wishing for more clarity and knowing I’m not going to get it.

Arwen stands, a subtle indication our meeting is over, and I follow suit. She starts to turn for the door, but I reach out and touch her forearm. “Is there anything else you can tell me, no matter how insignificant you think it might be?”

I get a smile from her, big and bright, and she seems eager to tell me something. “Yes. I’ve seen very clearly… you can trust Carrick with everything, but he’s the only one who should ever know all your secrets. You should not doubt him.”

Great. The enigmatic mystery of Carrick Byrne, who I vacillate several times a day on whether I can trust, continues to grow.

If Arwen is to be believed, I can at least take that stressor off the table.

“Finley,” Arwen says, head tilted to the side. “May I ask one thing of you?”

“Of course,” I reply. She just gave me so much information that we’d have never found anywhere else.

“A lock of your hair,” she says simply. “I know that must sound odd and I don’t know why I need it, but I just know that I do.”

Yes… that’s incredibly odd, but if she feels like she needs it and I trust that Arwen wouldn’t harm me, there’s no reason not to. I have lots of hair.

I agree and Arwen cuts a piece about six inches long and holds the wavy lock up to gaze at it. “Perfect,” she says before laying it on the table.

To my surprise, Arwen puts her arms around me and pulls me into a hug. As she holds me tight, she says, “Good luck and may the gods grant you favor. I know you don’t ever want to return to Faere, but, if you do, I hope you will grace me with a visit.”

That actually touches me, and my arms go around her to return the hug. “And if you come to the Earth realm, you can visit me as well.”

Arwen pulls back, grinning at me. “I shall keep that in mind.”

She turns for the flap door, but something else strikes me. “Wait. Are there vampires and werewolves? Everyone has said no, but you told me there was an angel at my birth, so I’m just trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not.”

Giggling, Arwen shakes her head. “There are no vampires or werewolves. I promise.”

“Phew,” I say with a dramatic wipe of my hand across my brow. We’re both laughing as we exit the tent.

Pyke paces while Carrick stands casually on the other side of the fire.

It’s Pyke who rushes forth. “What did you see, Arwen?”

“That’s Finley’s story to tell,” Arwen replies softly.

“And it’s a story I am going to hold tight to for now,” I say to both men.

Pyke frowns, but Carrick’s expression remains placid, as if he expected no less.

“Can we go home now?” I ask him.

He smiles and nods. Turning to Pyke, he holds out his arm and after a moment, Pyke takes it to grasp at the forearm. He doesn’t seem pleased I’m not sharing Arwen’s scrying, but he does clap Carrick on the shoulder. “I’m available to help whenever. Just let me know.”

“Appreciate it,” Carrick says, and the two men break apart.

Pyke doesn’t approach as Carrick walks to me. He merely extends a low bow as he says, “You’re welcome back anytime, Finley.”

Fat chance, but I smile and thank him.

Carrick takes my hand, glancing over his shoulder at Pyke. There’s no shimmering curtain created the way Stan opened the doorway into Faere. Instead, Pyke merely balls his hand up like he’s holding something and throws it past Carrick and me. A glowing circle forms in the air. While I can’t see anything past the illumination, I know without a doubt Carrick’s condo is on the other side.

I give a last farewell glance to Arwen, who smiles back at me. Then I follow Carrick into the glow and back to the Earth realm.

CHAPTER 23

Finley

When we exit the portal created by Pyke, my hand tightly gripped in Carrick’s, we step right out into his kitchen in the exact spot from where Stan sent us through. Except it’s noticeably different in that it’s dark outside even though it was daylight in Faere. Also missing is