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“Another time,” he grimaced. “This friend is a while away.”

“Not in Kenton?”

“No,” he answered. “Dorser.”

She halted, lace grass swilling around her. Her forehead creased. “Dorser? But that’s—”

“A three-hour journey underground,” he finished. “Four if you’re slow.”

She narrowed her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest. Patrick wondered if she intended to look fierce instead of just beautiful. “I’d like to come.”

“No.” Patrick chuckled and continued walking on without her. “Not a chance.”

She followed. “Is it a woman you’re meeting?”

Patrick did not show her his smile. “Careful. You sound jealous.”

“Then why can’t I come? Are you still afraid I’ll run away?”

He considered the question carefully. “No,” he said. “And you don’t seem very fast, in any case. I’d catch you.”

A flicker of annoyance. “I’ll remind you that it took six months for you to catch me.”

“It took six months tofindyou. Catching you was simple.”

She stopped on the hill, braced her hands on her hips, which only drew his attention to them, which led to imaginings of how he’d span his hands around them, grip the flesh, lift her—

“Then I’ll make you a deal, Patrick Colson. Catch me, and I’ll let you be on your way to Dorser. But if I make it to the fence at the bottom of the hill, you’ll bring me along.”

Some keen sense of thrill was rising in him. On the air was the same scent of pollen and smoke he’d inhaled as a boy, and Nina looked spun from gold light. At any moment, the illusion would vanish. “Thenrun, Scurry girl,” he said. “I’ll give you three counts of a head start.”

Her eyes widened, as though she’d never expected him to take the bet.

“One…”

She took off, bolting downhill in waterlogged boots, arms windmilling, glee in her wake. He bit back a laugh. “Two…” he shouted.

Down, down, down she ran, and Patrick took his cap in his hand. “Three.”

There was a knack to running on grass-knotted terrain, and Nina didn’t have it. She was already nearing the bottom of the hill and the gate beyond, but Patrick gained on her quickly, throwing himself into the sprint. His feet traversed the ground with ease. She was almost within arm’s reach.

He heard her laughter, and he thought its sound could end a war.

The gate was a stone’s throw away, and he reached for her easily, finally, like it was the most natural command his body could obey.

But the ground beneath him suddenly trembled, and it lifted and cracked in the exact spot he was about to place his foot. He was forced to overcorrect and tripped.“Fuck!”

And Nina reached the gate, her whole body saved by the palms of her hands as she went hurtling into it. She turned with flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes, a smile the size of a continent.

Patrick looked up at her from hands and knees, one trouser leg stained green, his hands grazed. “You dirty little cheat.”

She spun in a circle, basking in victory. “Craftsmen have the natural physical advantage. I only evened the field.”

“Youtore upthe field, little coward.”

She laughed as he rose from the ground, brushing dirt from his hands. “A deal is a deal,” she said, exceedingly pleased with herself. “I’ll accompany you to Dorser.”

He shook his head, exasperated. “This friend I’m meeting—it might get dangerous.”