“Damned if I know. But based on how much she’s grown in the past week, I’d say she’s got no shortage of whatever it is.”
He pursed his lips, taking a knee to pet the lanky shadowcat. “I think you might just be right about that.”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Sir Skeptical?” Elyria grinned. “I’m always right.”
Cedric let out a low laugh. “Any word from Kingshelm?” he asked after a moment.
She frowned. “I’ve sent off a few sparrows. Nothing with details of exactly what happened last night, in case they’re intercepted. But to inform Kit that some of us are returning. I’ve yet to receive a message back, so I don’t know if they’re being received. Perhaps my magic has finally reached its limit.”
Sid stretched in Elyria’s lap, large paws kneading one leg in a way that might have been an attempt at reassurance. Then, with rapt fascination, Cedric watched as sharp, shadowy claws emerged and dug into Elyria’s thigh.
“Ow!” Elyria yelped, pulling the cat’s paw from her leg with a jerky motion that led Cedric to believe she was holding back from tossing the creature off entirely.
“I think she was trying to prove a point,” Cedric said, trying his best to smother a laugh. “And I don’t think you need to worry about the limits of your power here. She is proof enough, is she not?”
Sid dipped her chin twice, like she wasnodding, and Cedric once again found his head shaking with disbelief.
Elyria’s emerald eyes narrowed, first on him, then on Sid. “Point made.”
Cedric saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He stood, turning to see Jocelyn emerge from around the side of the building, leading Fjaethe and Polonius from the stables.
“All set, Joss?” Elyria called.
Jocelyn nodded. “The village council has oh-so-graciously loaned us a larger wagon.”
Elyria scoffed. “Loaned?”
“Given. For our trouble,” Jocelyn continued, a dark laugh breaking from her lips on the last word. “I’ve hitched it to a couple of the horses.There’s more than enough room for Sir Tristan to shepherd our patients—and our prisoner—back to Kingshelm.” A beat of silence. “Are you sure we shouldn’t all return?”
Elyria’s head snapped up. “What?”
Jocelyn didn’t flinch. “Three of us are injured. Four, if you count your furry-ishfriend, there. Now the two of you want to send Tristan back to the capital while the rest of us forge ahead to Elderglade. ButI just...I don’t know. I have a strange feeling about it.”
Polonius exhaled and shook his mane. Cedric’s brow furrowed. “What about it is giving you pause? If anything, Audaxus’ ramblings only confirmed our inclination to visit the sylvans. And I was set to leave for Elderglade today anyway. We were always meant to separate.”
He couldn’t keep his gaze from flicking to Elyria, whose jaw ticked as she continued picking at the roll in her hands, little more than a mass of crumbs now.
“The only difference is in the makeup of the parties going in either direction,” he finished.
“Right, but that was before last night. Before we hit a rather massive bump in the road here on our search for Malchior.” Jocelyn swallowed. “I recognize it is not my decision, nor my place to even suggest it, but I think the smart thing would be to head back to Kingshelm and regroup.”
“And here I thought ye relished a challenge, lass,” said Thraigg, who strode out from the inn clutching a small plate in his broad hands, a rasher of bacon piled on top.
Cedric watched with amusement as Elyria pulled her legs in—eyes wide, Sid grumbling—and sat up straight, darting her hand toward the glistening meat.
“Fuck’s sake, Rev. Get yer own,” the dwarf muttered, pivoting so his back was to her as he hopped down the stairs, keeping the plate out of reach.
Elyria stuck out her tongue at the dwarf, then turned to Jocelyn once more. “Last night is nothing if not a confirmation that we are on the right track with Malchior. Why would we turn back now?”
“To live,” Jocelyn answered, matter-of-factly. “This was all one giant trap. Malchior knows about us. Knows aboutyou. And if he?—”
“Exactly, we’ve lost too much time already,” Elyriasnapped, and Sid bristled, hopping off her lap. “Who knows how much ‘later’ there will even be after this. The Cult of Malakar is embedded so much deeper in this realm than we could have thought. If Malchior gets to the other half of the crown before us, if he claims its power, there will truly be no stopping him.”
“We’ve been operating a step behind him all this time,” Cedric said. “We need to press on to Elderglade if there is any hope of getting ahead.”
Thraigg grunted in agreement.
“A large ‘if.’ ” Jocelyn crossed her arms. “And the word of one half-delirious paralyzed prisoner muttering about ‘damn greenies’ is not enough to bet our lives on.” She cupped a hand around her mouth and shouted, “No offense, Shep!” toward the inn.
