Herbalists' Cache Got caught, both hands on the smoking gun

Did it feel as if Mae shielded herself in this moment? Yes—bringing Arric and the other man’s planned promise seemingly placed a buffer between them—as if Akavir would once more let her down, but it was okay… Because Arric had promised her.

He rumbled his consent—while he would have hoped for a more meaningful trip with Mae, it would be a lie to say he didn’t dread more silent moments just like this.

They had much healing to do.

“I’d like that,” he offered to her—and if Arric went back to the shores, it was possible he would need some backup after last year’s mishap.

He felt a small smirk tug at his lips at her admission—“Never liked the sand much myself. Or the salt in my fur.” But, it was something to explore—and he wanted to reassure her he wanted to show as much of the good in the world as he could.

Even if all he had done was bring about the bad.