The Call in my chest tells me Rose is moving again, and I head for my drake without thought. Her emotions have beenoffsomehow all day, and it’s making me antsy.
“We’ll keep close and wait for an opportunity.” Prae swings up onto her drake. “Ugh. What is this skirt? How am I supposed to ride with so much fabric in the way?” She tugs the long brown cloth from side to side, then glowers at it and takes a blade to the hem, carving two long slits up either thigh. That done, she pauses, then sniffs delicately at her shoulder. “I evensmelllike a fairy. This is awful.”
“Prae, focus.”
“Right.” She pulls a map from her satchel, spreading it out over the neck of her drake and beckoning me closer as we begin to ride. “As I was saying, we know they’re heading east, crossing the Renfraw to visit some of the larger villages in the hills before she travels to Pavellen. We can follow until they reach the river, then split off and reach the city before them. Avoiding those villages cuts three days off the journey, and we can use the time to make a little gold, get ourselves set up.”
“I thought you just said we had to keep close and wait for an opportunity?” I demand, steering the drake back onto the road with a careful check to make sure there are no fae around.
“Have you got a better plan?”
“Actually,Ido.” Both of us draw our swords, aiming them in the direction the feminine voice came from.
I know that voice. Where is she?
The drakes hiss as a dogwood tree warps in front of us. Her glamour falls away to reveal the high priestess herself. Her hair drips white petals as she walks calmly towards us, unperturbed by our weapons.
My blade lowers, but I don’t put it away. Rose and her Guard are still a good distance ahead, but I don’t for a second believe that the head of the Temple of Danu is alone.
“I have a proposition for you.” She steps into the road, calm and collected despite the threat we pose.
“Will this one end with my cousin as your Nicnevin’s mind-controlled puppet?” Prae’s tone is cold, her sword still high.
My cousin doesn’t forgive easily.
“I will not apologise for attempting to protect my queen,” Kitarni retorts. “I chose the path I felt would keep her safe, as I am doing now.”
“You mean you’re going behind her back. How noble.” I sheathe my blade, crossing my arms.
“I don’t have time to argue with you.” Kitarni’s lichen-covered brows draw together. “Answer me plainly: are you following Rose because you plan on kidnapping her again?”
I look back at Prae instead of answering, asking her silently if she wants to take the lead here. She spent a week with the fae while I was in my cell. She must have a better understanding of the high priestess’s motivations.
“We’ve cut ties with Elatha,” Prae admits slowly, and my jaw clenches at the unexpected offer of trust.
Then again, we’re all on the same side now, aren’t we? That’s going to take some getting used to.
Kitarni isn’t so stupid as to believe that means we’re pledging our loyalty to the fae. “And what are your intentions towards the Nicnevin?”
Survive. Earn her forgiveness. Maybe not in that order.
I swallow back the vulnerability contained in those answers and instead say, “We’re not going to hurt her, if that’s what you’re worried about, priestess. I won’t let my father near her again.”
Kitarni turns and nods to the empty space behind her. That quickly, another glamour drops, revealing Marl—Bram—and two horses.
“We will travel together to Pavellen.” She adjusts her robes, heading for her horse. “We have much to discuss.”
That doesn’t sound ominous at all. “Why should we go with you?” I ask, taking the reins of my drake to stop it from getting too close to her horse.
The serpents would happily eat the pretty fae ponies if given half the chance.
“Because I’ve been listening to you both for the past hour, and it’s clear you don’t have another plan.” Kitarni climbs gracefully into the saddle, her limbs seeming to lengthen to give her the height required to reach it, then shrink back down when she’s in place. “So either follow us, or don’t. Your choice.”
True to her word, she urges her steed forward, Bram following behind her with a last long look at me.
I recognise that look from the time we spent together in the Deep Caves. It’s a warning to keep up or suffer the consequences. Back then, when I was a teenager, the consequence would’ve been being eaten by a tunnel wyrm.
I think I’d prefer that to the unknown threat he’s warning me of now.
