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Pan smiled. “I like him. He offered to help and made no demands.”

If he’d known Pan was a god, he might have made some demands, like magic he could use? What were next week’s lottery numbers? As well as the other more serious things he should ask for, such as fixing the world. He was sure that if that was possible, Pan would do it. No one wanted this current mess.

“He also tastes nice. Not everyone’s lust tastes nice.” Pan glanced at Web. “Do you sleep with everyone who offers, or do you have tastes?”

Liam laughed. “Oh, he definitely sleeps with everyone.”

“Shut up.” Web shot Liam a glare. “I should’ve gone and checked out the farm.”

“You could’ve, but you would be wrong.” Pan pointed across the lookout.

Noah walked over expecting to see a dragon and was disappointed by the thin coil of smoke and a few knocked-over trees. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“Dragons knock over trees, usually to make a nest, sometimes to be defensive, other times in rage. The smoke might be from a camp or the remains of a dragon’s fury. Either way, it’s something.”

And from the way Pan was speaking, that’s where they were going. They were not going to make it home by dark, so it was a bloody good thing Liam had brought the tent.

Liam held up the map. “That’s pretty close to where Noah’s fish landed.”

Web snorted and shook his head. “It’s not Noah, it’s the fish. I told you it was cursed or something.”

Pan frowned. “What makes you say it’s cursed?”

Web flicked a glance at Noah and gave him a smug smile as if he’d won a battle. “Because as soon as he started using that to douse, he became more accurate.”

“A cursed fish? Can I see it, Noah?” Pan held out his hand.

Noah wasn’t sure that he wanted to take his necklace off, but he pulled the fish out of his shirt for Pan. “It’s old. A Victorian snuff necklace, so it opens.” He demonstrated the way the head flipped back. “There’s nothing in it now.”

Pan walked over but didn’t try to take the necklace. He lifted it off Noah’s chest, so the little silver and turquoise fish lay in his palm. For a heartbeat, Noah had a silly thought that it was going to gasp for breath and start to flop around.

“Where did you find it?”

“I sometimes go to deceased estates and auctions and stuff. Or the pawn brokers if I go to Cardiff or Bristol. There are lots of cool old things, but I only buy the ones that I…I don’t know.” He shrugged, not sure how to explain how he knew what to buy. “That I vibe with or something. Maybe I’m attracted to cursed objects.”

Pan placed the necklace back against Noah’s chest instead of letting it drop. “Perhaps. But I’m very interested in the rest of your collection.”

Behind Pan’s back, Web rolled his eyes.

He’d taken Web and Liam to an auction happening in Cornwall about six months ago. They’d spent the afternoon looking at all the bits and pieces that were available to buy. Everything from antique desks to a tiny sewing kit, complete with an ivory thimble. He didn’t sew, but there’d been something about the kit that he wanted. So he’d bid, and that had been enough to make Web bid.

To avoid a bidding war, Noah had let him have it. He had no idea what had happened to it after Web brought it home, and it was now a thorn in their friendship. Sometimes, everything was fine, and other times, it was as though Web was jealous of everything Noah had.

Including his friendship with Pan.

He didn’t know if it was because Web had been raised by his father, after his mother had disappeared…like legitimately, disappeared, missing person situation, or if Web just liked being the center of attention.

It wasn’t as though Noah was trying to take that off him. He’d much rather be in the shadows and ignored. If he was being ignored, it meant he wasn’t doing anything wrong, and he could do his own thing. So he hadn’t planned on becoming the main singer of their little trio. That they’d become more popular once he’d started singing was another thorn.

And now it seemed Pan was set to become the third.

“It’s not dangerous?” Noah asked, not sure if Pan could sense magic or a curse on an object.

“Not to you, or you’d know about it already. Objects with magic are very choosy about who they are handled by.”

“Is there a way to make them like you?” Web tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

Pan pressed his lips together and considered him for several seconds. “Not usually. The only way is to destroy the magic. Which often destroys the object.” He nodded at Liam. “Will the trail on the map take us there?”