“Well,” Acair said, trying—and failing—not to feel a bit chuffed. “Well.”
Soilléir smiled. “I believe though Sladaiche assumed you didn’t know your father’s spell, he thought you would have it soon enough. If he had been able to befriend you, who knows what would have happened? He might have persuaded you to tell him what he needed to know. There have been many who have watched your adventures with more than a passing interest.”
“I’m certain I’ve keptyouup at night.”
“You have,” Soilléir agreed, “and nay, you may not have any of my spells. That would require the seven rings of mastery and then tests I’m not sure you would care for.”
“My heart is already broken,” Acair said lightly. “Not sure you could do worse.”
“I would break your soul, Acair.”
Acair managed a look of loathing that didn’t require all that much effort.
Soilléir only smiled placidly. “So to continue, the time came when Sladaiche turned his eye to the east and to your lady’s family. I believe his thinking was the same with them as with you and your brothers. When he realized her parents couldn’t give him what he wanted, he turned to the children. They were, of course, too young to be of any use at the time, but he was nothing if not patient.”
“So you orchestrated the rescue of them.”
Soilléir nodded. “I sent Iseabail and Taisdealach to other locales and arranged for Léirsinn to be sent to Tosdach. Sladaiche arrived the next day and because he feared what her grandfather might say, her grandfather was muted.”
“Why not slay him instead?”
“I can only suppose Sladaiche thought he might know something. He of course rifled through Léirsinn’s things but found nothing. But over the past pair of years, that patience had seemed to be on the wane. Fuadain was nothing more than a useful fool for him, but when I could see that ending badly, there was no choice but to act.”
Acair shook his head. “But why me?”
“Many reasons. Your encounter with him when you were a child was one. You obviously have the power—”
“From my grandmother—”
“From your grandmother,” Soilléir agreed, “which is something you might want to investigate later. Also, your house is built on the stables, as you now know, so he would have eventually razed it to the ground to look for what he thought might lie there.”
“You putmein harm’s way, without any power, putting Léirsinn’s life in dangernow, to face…” Acair found himself spluttering, but was at a loss for another way to express his astonishment. “What the hell were you talking about when you said I could walk where you could not?”
“What would you say if I said ’twas to walk within your own soul and find what lies there?”
“I would say that once I’ve had a decent meal and an equal amount of whisky, you had better have found someplace to hide.” He snorted. “What absolute rubbish.”
“The schools of wizardry are safe haven enough, I imagine.”
“Do you know how many times I’ve slithered over those walls and put my feet up in Droch’s solar?” Acair asked archly. “I’ve even had a wee skip about his bloody chess board and hobnobbed with the pieces too stupid to realize what his true game is.”
“So you have,” Soilléir said. “Next time you visit, come have a glass of wine at my fire. I’m sure we’ll find much to discuss.”
Acair rarely felt himself blindsided, but that someone would actually invite him in for simple conversation? ’Twas unsettling, to be sure. He fumbled about in the appropriate dresser for something nasty to say but found that particular drawer distressingly empty.
“I loathe you,” he said, because ’twas simply all he had left.
Soilléir only laughed softly. “Anything else you’d like to know?”
“Actually, there is. You told me not to find a spell, but to steal it. That, Your Highness, is a bit more egregious than a simple white lie.”
“I didn’t think you’d be interested if I told you to go find something and use it for good.” Soilléir looked at him gravely. “I misjudged you.”
Acair waited.
“I apologize.”
Acair looked about himself, then glared at the prince. “The world still stands, which is encouraging. But for that absolutely appalling mendacity, I believe I will require more than a simple apology.”
