Chapter 95

A Familiar Place

*(Laura's POV)*

After finishing the last bite of my grilled fish, Augustus stood up, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. I watched him, still not entirely sure how I felt about his sudden offer to take me to his kingdom. But, as much as I hated to admit it, his presence had a strange sense of familiarity and security that I hadn’t realized I was craving.

He looked down at me, his usual unreadable expression softening just slightly. “Ready to go?”

I sighed, stretching out my legs before getting up. “I guess.”

Without another word, we began the short walk back to my temporary lodge. I wasn’t carrying much—just the bare essentials for someone who didn’t know how long they’d be staying. Augustus, of course, insisted on carrying my bag. I let him, too tired to argue, though I could feel his curious glances as we walked.

As we neared the lodge, he broke the silence. “So, what exactly were you thinking, trying to track down the rogue head alone?”

I looked up at him, my b