Lissandra dropped to the ornately pattered rug.
Anders rushed to her and knelt, then exhaled in relief to find her still breathing. She just seemed to be in a heavy sleep. He looked over his shoulder toward the guards, but they both faced forward outside the door, still as statues. What in the Horned One’s name was going on?
Niklas stepped fully into the room as the woman muttered a few more words. The doors slammed shut behind him, seemingly of their own volition.
“One of the Ceàrdaman,” the woman observed, curling the corner of her rouged lips. “How . . . interesting.”
Anders stood, glancing at Niklas in confusion. He still had his tanned skin and normal eyes. How had she distinguished his true identity? He would have asked her, if he didn’t feel frozen as that piercing blue gaze turned to him.
“And you,” she added. Using only her eyes, she looked him up and down, seeming to recognize him.
“D-do I know you?” he stammered, straightening his cloak to make sure his uniform was covered.
She rolled her eyes. “No, but I know you. Not that you’re special. I know most everyone.” She moved her gaze back to Niklas. “Perhaps you can offer me aid. I’m looking for a particular volume.”
“Ar Marbhdhraíocht?” he questioned.
The woman widened her eyes in surprise. “Why yes.”
Humming to himself, Niklas glided across the room to a shelf far from where the woman had been looking. He pulled out a massive, black volume, then walked back to the woman, thunking it into her waiting palms.
She looked down at the book like a noblewoman examining a fine jewel. Her eyes flicked to Niklas, then to Anders, then she clutched the book against her chest protectively. “I suppose I’ll be off.”
Niklas stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm, still hugging the black book. “Not quite, my dear. You have bargained for information from one of the Ceàrdaman. Now you must grant me a boon.”
She scowled at his hand. “I’ll grant you your death if you don’t remove your paw.”
Niklas tsked at her. “You may be powerful, girl, but you do not want to incur the wrath of the Ceàrdaman. We are . . . many.”
She glared at him, stepping back out of his reach. “What do you want?”
“I want to help you,” he explained, letting his hand drop to his side. “When I come to you next, I expect to be welcomed with open arms.”
The woman sneered. “I’ll open the door. How about that?”
Niklas nodded. “Acceptable.”
With a final scowl for both of them, she marched past Niklas and muttered words at the doors. They both swung inward. She muttered more words under her breath at the guards, and they remained perfectly still, never once looking at her.
“They won’t remember her,” Niklas explained, moving to Anders’ side. “And we should escape this room while the spell still lasts.” He glanced at Lissandra, still on the plush rug covering most of the floor. “She’s not likely to remember either. I recommend we leave her where she lay.”
Anders glanced at Lissandra, still confused. “I thought you were searching for a certain tome.”
“Yes,” Niklas sighed. “To give to her.” He gestured in the direction the woman had gone. “Now let us find your family. I’m sure they’ll offer you a fine meal.”
Anders’ stomach dropped, his thoughts torn away from the red-haired woman. Ceàrdaman and strange, magic-wielding women he could handle. His mother’s disapproving eye was another matter entirely. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he followed Niklas forward, resigned to his frightening fate.
Chapter Six
Finn woke up cold and alone. At one point during the night, she’d woken to relieve Bedelia from her watch duties, then later Bedelia had gotten back up to stand watch with Ealasaid, while Kai got some rest. Now the extra bedroll beside her was empty, but she could hear voices not far off.
She sat up and watched her breath fog the air. By the gods it was cold. Steeling herself against the forthcoming discomfort, she wiggled out of her bedroll and stood, straightening her breeches and corset. As Kai had suggested, she’d slept with her boots on, leaving her feet sweaty and sore. All for nothing, obviously, since they’d needed no quick escape.
Catching the sound of voices again, she hurried toward the noise, soon spotting the source. What she found filled her with joy. Perhaps her journey would not be derailed after all.
Seeing her, Iseult ended his conversation with Kai and approached. He smiled down at her warmly. A smile that, she was beginning to realize, was reserved only for her. “We thought we’d let you rest awhile,” he explained.
Maarav and his men stood several paces back, tending their horses. She spotted Iseult and Maarav’s large warhorses, along with four new ones.
“Naoki?” she asked hopefully, searching around for the dragon.
Iseult shook his head. “Kai explained what happened, but we did not see her.”
She held a hand against her stomach, and the sudden knot that blossomed there. Had she been killed?
Iseult placed a comforting hand on her bicep, and she allowed herself a shuddering exhale.
“I was worried you wouldn’t be able to find us,” she muttered finally, then glanced at the nearby horses, “but I see you’ve not only done that, but have gone far beyond.”
Iseult frowned and withdrew his hand from her arm. “The soldiers we fought were undertrained. It was not difficult to escape with the horses. We led them on a chase for much of the night, then circled back around to find you.”
Anna approached from the nearby trees, looking tired and irritable. “You’re welcome for that,” she said snidely. “It’s fortunate you’re so . . . shiny, else we might not have found you so quickly.”
Finn sighed, knowing Anna was talking about seeing her magic. It suddenly dawned on her that if Anna could see it, others likely could too. Was that how the Ceàrdaman had found her in Migris? And the Cavari who’d stolen her away through the earth? She stifled a shiver. She should probably learn how to hide her . . . shine, but the only person she knew to ask how was àed.
Iseult softly cleared his throat, startling her back into awareness. Reading her worries, he comforted, “Perhaps Naoki will still find you. She should be able to follow your scent from quite a distance.”
She nodded, but wasn’t hopeful. “Let’s go,” she muttered, glancing at Anna as she walked away toward the horses. She’d need to ask Anna more about her shininess, but in that moment, she didn’t have the heart. Later.
Nodding to herself, she walked with Iseult as everyone congregated around the horses. She ended up riding with Bedelia, while Ealasaid and Anna rode together. Anna had complained that it wasn’t fair that only the men should get their own horses, but she really couldn’t argue against the fact that she and Ealasaid weighed less than any of the men, except maybe Tavish, who had already graciously offered to share a horse with any of the women.
Finn, however, had not complained about riding with Bedelia. They had ridden together all the way to Migris once, and she took comfort in riding together once again. She’d formed more of a bond with Bedelia than she’d managed with either Ealasaid or Anna, and knew she could trust her. Soon enough Bedelia had managed to unsour Finn’s mood, though her heart still ached for Naoki. Still, they chatted happily as they rode through the woods, avoiding the Sand Road for fear of running across An Fiach.
It was clear that the threat of the Faie was heavy on everyone’s minds. It was not wise to travel through the woods, but they had little choice. Hopefully the next Faie they came across would be friendly, like the tree-like Trow. They seemed to like her, and could perhaps elaborate upon what the young Merrow girl had said, which she had yet to tell Iseult.
She glanced in his direction, but he was intent on watching their surroundings. Yes, she still needed to tell him what the Merrow girl had said, even though he knew better than most that all must fear the Dair.