“That would be the stables.”
She nodded. “Yes, definitely the stables.”
“Then ‘tis a horse talking to you, not a man?”
“Maybe.” She shrugged, dubious. “Or perhaps one of the stable boys?”
He had no idea what to make of that but saw she wouldn’t abandon going to the aid of whoever had contacted her.
“I know a way to the stables without going through the courtyard.” He looked at her in warning. “But you must remain very quiet and watch your step. ‘Twill be dark and slick.”
Riona gestured at the wall she had just scaled down and rolled her eyes. “I think I can handle it.”
She best, or it would be their ruin because Raghnall wouldn’t be so trusting twice. Thankfully, as he took her hand and led the way, she did as asked and remained silent the whole way along the moat to the back of the warriors’ quarters, then on to the stables. It worked in their favor that more of Raghnall’s men were out patrolling than usual. It would work against them, however, when they fled the castle altogether.
“I need to know who called you here,”he said into her mind.“If ‘twas one of the stable boys, which one so I know who to keep awake.”
“Meaning you're going to what? Put the others to sleep?”
“Ta.”
“Convenient.”
“And risky.”It would be wiser to kill them on sight rather than chance even a dash of magic, but they were young and innocent, so he wouldn’t.“Yet necessary.”
“Whoever reached out to me says he’s in a stall.” She edged along in the darkness, then stopped and cocked her head before she looked over a stall door and gasped. “Ohno.”
Declán peered over the stall at the large black warhorse lying on the ground struggling to stay alive. “You cannot mean Aodh’s beastie, Caith?”
“I do because that’s him.” She looked at him with her heart in her eyes. “I don’t know how I’m going to help, but I need to get in there. Somehow, someway, he needs me.”
“’Twould undoubtedly mean using your druidess magic.” Which could very well draw the enemy in no time. What choice did they have, though? Aodh’s horse helping her was too coincidental to ignore. So he gestured that she stay put until he returned. “Don’t go to him until I get back.” He shook his head. “There’s no way to know how he might respond, and we must stay quiet.”
She nodded.
“Ta?” He narrowed his eyes. “I have your word?”
When she nodded again, he made his way to the front of the stables, relieved to see only one stable boy dozed in a pile of hay near the front entrance. Rather than use even a minimal amount of magic on him, he snuck close and pressed two fingers to a strategic location on the lad’s windpipe until he slept soundly.
While not overly surprised, much to his frustration, in the short time he was gone, Riona had broken her word, snuck into the stall, and knelt beside Aodh’s horse.
“Sorry.” She blinked back tears when she looked up at him. “I just couldn't leave him alone for another second.”
“’Tis all right,” he grumbled. It would have gone against her druidess nature to do otherwise. He sighed and knelt on the other side of the horse, upset by what had been done to the animal. He knew it had been injured days before but had no idea Raghnall had kept it alive. What purpose did that serve?
Mayhap this purpose, he realized as Riona placed her hand on Caith’s forehead and seemed to communicate with him. Obviously, Caith was more than just a horse. Why else would he have put Riona before his own safety? Because he sensed she was right about that.
Truly, it was a wonder he was still alive because he clearly hadn’t been given food or water for days. Nor had he received any medical care. Declán rested his hand on the horse’s chest only to confirm the worst. His heart barely beat.
“How I wish I were Shannon right now,” Riona whispered as she gazed at Caith. “I have no idea how to help you, friend.”
Are you sure?” Declán murmured, sensing something. A stirring beneath his fingers that came not only from Caith but Riona. “Because I have a feeling....”
He trailed off when Riona’s eyes glazed, she pressed her forehead to Caith’s and started chanting in a much older form of Gaelic. Sensing this was betwixt her and the horse, he went to remove his hand but froze when an overwhelming sense of familiarity washed over him. A plea from another time and place that he keep this horse safe because he meant the world to her.
Declán blinked against the sensation, only to realize Riona’s clothing had changed. She now wore a beautiful blue dress the exact shade of her eyes. Eyes full of blue light when they opened and met his moments before Caith leapt to his feet.
He wasn’t sure what baffled him more. That Caith seemed fully healed or that he was not quite the same as before. While still a sizable, impressive horse, he wasn’t as large as he’d been previously. Where before he would have been far too large for Riona to ride, now she could at least manage him.
