Chapter sixteen
That evening, Aiden finally gave up on writing.
He saved his document, stretched until his back cracked, and wandered into the living room.
Kael was sitting by the window with a book open in his lap.
He wasn't reading it.
His eyes were fixed on the forest outside.
"You've been staring out there a lot lately," Aiden said as he dropped onto the sofa.
Kael didn't answer immediately.
After a while, he closed the book.
"I have been thinking."
"About your missing treasure?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Kael's face.
"You remembered."
"You told me it was important."
"It is."
Silence settled between them.
Aiden didn't rush him. He'd learned that if Kael wanted to say something, he would—just not on anyone else's schedule.
Sure enough, the naga prince spoke again.
"There is someone I must find."
"A person?"
Kael nodded once.
"A friend."
That wasn't the answer Aiden had expected.
"You have friends?"
Kael looked mildly offended.
"I had many."
"Sorry. I just..." Aiden scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know why I imagined you spending hundreds of years ordering people around."
"I did order people around."
"So you admit it."
"I was very good at it."
Aiden laughed.
"I don't doubt that for a second."
For the first time that evening, the corner of Kael's mouth lifted.
Then his expression grew serious again.
"Among those I trusted was a goddess."
Aiden blinked.
"A... goddess."
"Yes."
"You mean an actual goddess?"
"Would I mention an imaginary one?"
Aiden opened his mouth, closed it again, then decided not to argue.
"What was she the goddess of?"
"The rivers and hidden springs. She watched over the waters that flowed through our kingdom."
"And you knew her personally?"
Kael gave him a look that clearly said of course I did.
"She visited the palace often."
Aiden leaned back against the sofa.
"My life has become so strange."
Kael continued as though he hadn't heard him.
"Before my imprisonment, I once helped her. In return, she promised that if I ever called upon her, she would answer."
"So you want to find her now."
"I do."
"Do you know where she is?"
"No."
"Do you know if she's even alive?"
Kael's golden eyes drifted toward the darkening trees.
"If any of the old gods endured, she would."
Aiden sat quietly for a moment, turning the idea over in his mind.
Then he asked, "And if we find her?"
Kael hesitated.
"She may know where something precious to me was hidden."
"The treasure?"
Kael nodded.
"It was separated from me long ago."
"What is it?"
For the first time, the prince looked away.
"I cannot tell you that yet."
Aiden studied him for a second before smiling.
"Fair enough."
"You are not angry?"
"I'd rather you tell me when you're ready than make something up because I pressured you."
Something unreadable passed through Kael's expression.
"You are unusually patient."
"I've been told that before."
"It is... pleasant."
The compliment was so quiet Aiden almost missed it.
He smiled anyway.
"So, how exactly do two people in twenty-first-century England go about finding an ancient river goddess?"
Kael considered the question with complete seriousness.
"We begin with rivers."
Aiden stared.
"That's your plan?"
"It is a very good plan."
"It is an extremely broad plan."
"There are fewer rivers than there are people."
"I suppose that's technically true."
Kael looked faintly pleased with himself.
Aiden couldn't help laughing.
"All right," he said. "We'll start with rivers."