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“Nothing. I’m just planning. Someone in this intrepid band of misfits has to do it.”

Sure. The forests on the island were dangerous, and they needed to be smart about their route.

However…

Skye looked past her, to where their packs were lined up against the wall, each one with every strap neatly coiled and fastened like they were about to pass inspection.

Their weapons had been cleaned and polished to a shine.

Even the hayloft floor, once covered in dust and straw, had been swept clean.

“Was I not supposed to notice that you’ve been stress-cleaning?”

“Have not.”

Skye took her hand, tracing a thumb over her knuckles, where the skin was rubbed raw from too much scrubbing. He arched a brow but said nothing, letting the gesture speak for itself.

Taly sighed and hung her head. “I’m just nervous, okay. I don’t know if you noticed, but a few things have changed since I last saw Ivain and Sarina.”

She gestured up and down her body, and,hell, that was an invitation. He took his time drinking in the view.

“Skye,” she snapped when it became clear his attention had wandered.

He dragged his gaze back to hers. “Right—being Fey now, what a nightmare. I’m sure Ivain and Sarina will be justdevastatedyou get to stay with them instead of dropping dead literal millennia before they do. I know I am.”

She fixed him with a look sharp enough to draw blood. “I lied to them, Skye. I lied a lot. What if they never forgive me?”

“You lied to me too,” he pointed out. “I forgave you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but…”

“What?”

“We both know that doesn’t count.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a man. As horniness goes up, the threshold for forgiveness goes down. That’s just math.”

Skye huffed. “That’s… an interesting way to put it. Slightly offensive.”

“Am I wrong?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Skye grabbed her before she could wriggle away, pulling her back down and throwing a leg over hers so she couldn’t escape.

With her reluctant yet undivided attention, he said, “Ivain and Sarina love you.”

“Exactly, Skye. Most murders are committed by people who knew the victim.”

“Seriously? They’re pissed, Taly, not homicidal. Besides, if they wanted you dead, they wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble to get you back.”

“Unless they wanted to finish the job themselves.”

“Taly.”

She sighed. “Okay, fine. Maybe they won’t kill me.” A pause, then softer, “But that doesn’t mean I don’t end up killing them by association.”