“Fine,” I said. “The sooner we go, the sooner I can prove that I’m right.”
CHAPTER 16
The first fireflies of the evening lifted up from the tall grass and flickered in the evening sky. I climbed into the passenger seat of Silas’s car. Fernando climbed in through the back, but settled on seating himself on the center console between Silas and me.
Silas began driving.
“Cloud cow,” Fernando said, pointing.
I followed his direction and spotted a wandering sheep.
“I can see how you’d think it was a cloud cow,” I told Fernando. “It’s actually called a sheep. They’re raised for meat or dairy, like cows. Their fluffy cloud hair is what’s used for making wool socks.”
“Wool socks are good,” Fernando said. “Warm. Scratchy.”
“Exactly,” I said.
Silas glanced between the two of us before turning his attention back to driving.
“I’m fascinated watching the two of you communicate,” Silas said in a tone that didn’t even seem to be sarcastic.
“Fernando and I grew up together. Or at least, I grew up with him. He’s always been exactly this size,” I said. “We’re basically siblings.”
“Even so,” Silas said. “I would assume you’d have to resort to sign language or creating a language of your own with sounds you could both produce.”
“We do just fine,” I said, bristling a little.
“It wasn’t intended as an insult,” he said.
“Good. I didn’t take it as one,” I said, bristling a little bit more. Was I being defensive because I felt I needed to be on guard? Perhaps.
“Looks like the house is pretty far out of town,” Silas said.
Good thing I hadn’t been forced to walk. He was being civil. I should say something civil in response. “We appreciate the ride.”
“That’s nice, Lily.”
That’s nice?What was that supposed to mean?
“So you sent your friend Imogen to the library,” he said. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. “She and Madison believe the Trai Amulet is a key of some sort.”
I glared at him, burrowing my ire straight into his skull. “You spied on me.”
“You took a phone call in my hotel room. I’d hardly consider my casual witnessing to be espionage.”
“I went into the bathroom. It was private.”
“The walls must be thin.”
“Like the glass in your B&B room was thin? You should try different excuses if you’re going to keep spying on me.” I flexed my fingers on the edge of my too-short shorts, so as not to fold them across my chest.
“Fernando hear talking too,” Fernando said, clearly trying to help.
“What did he say?” Silas asked.
“That he thinks you’re a pompous potato,” I said.
“Harsh,” Silas said. “Is this true, Fernando? Do you think I’m a pompous potato?”