One Salt Sea: An October Daye Novel

That statement gave me something new to worry about. “How long was I out?”


“About five hours. It’s late afternoon.” Jin looked into my face, studying my pupils. “You were suffering from hypothermia, and had a minor concussion, as well as an impressive number of scratches and bruises. I sang away the worst of it; you healed the rest on your own. You’ll live, especially now that you’ve had some sleep.”

“Good. Where are my clothes?”

“Wouldn’t you like a sandwich? Maybe some coffee?”

“That depends. Do you want me to go storming through the knowe in my nightgown while you’re making snacks?”

Jin glared, shaking her head. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to make you go back to bed and take it easy, is there?”

“Jin, even under normal circumstances, getting me to ‘go back to bed and take it easy’ is borderline impossible. Right now, I need to go and yell at Tybalt until my throat bleeds, I’m working under contract for the Luidaeg, and we’re technically at war with the Undersea. If there’s ever been a time when I was inclined to ‘take it easy,’ this isn’t it.”

“I could make you go back to bed,” she said.

I paused. She probably could. I’ve seen Jin knock Sylvester out when he was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack, and he’s a pureblood. I could argue . . . or I could tell her the truth about why Tybalt and I were outside, alone, when the Goblins came.

“Rayseline has Gilly,” I said quietly. Jin stared at me. I kept talking. “She broke into my daughter’s bedroom, and she took her. Gilly’s mortal parents are hysterical; I’m not much better. I think she’s probably with the sons of the Duchess of Saltmist, which means that if I want to find my daughter, I have to find them. If anyone’s going to stop this war, it’s going to be me.” I balled my hands into fists, wishing desperately for something I could hit. “Now, please, Jin. Where are my clothes?”

She sighed, wings vibrating and sending a gust of glittering dust into the air. “They’re in the middle drawer of the dresser, along with your knife and the jacket you were wearing. You’re carrying some pretty potent magical items, you know.”

“A girl likes to be prepared.” I was already moving toward the dresser. If Jin didn’t want to see me naked, she could leave.

Jin sighed again, sounding defeated. “Just be sure to see His Grace before you leave. He’s worried about you.” With this dire statement hanging between us, she closed the door, leaving me alone.

Jin wasn’t exactly telling the truth when she said “my” clothes were in the dresser. My jacket was there, along with my knife belt, but everything else was new, courtesy of the wardrobes at Shadowed Hills. At least whoever picked them out wasn’t trying to dress me like a girl this time, or an escapee from the Renaissance Faire—it was just a fresh pair of jeans and a dark green sweater too soft to be anything but cashmere.

“I am not paying to have this dry-cleaned,” I muttered, yanking it on. Ignoring the door, I shrugged into my leather jacket and pressed my hand against a small, decoratively-carved panel set into the wall.

A door opened under my hand, and I stepped through.