“Their mistress likes pretty things.Which reminds me… Word is she isn’t happy you eradicated her pets from the isle.”Astaria directed the last part at me.
My lips pinched.“Too bad.The isle is mine now.”
“You know, instead of killing all the Red Caps, you could have had them switch their allegiance to you,” Astaria suggested.
“I don’t need monsters at my beck and call.”Perish the thought.I even eschewed human servants.
“You have none, and meanwhile, this past decade, she’s been accumulating a veritable army of them.I’ve yet to see, and can’t help a sense of trepidation, as I wonder what she’s planning,” Astaria mused aloud.
Nothing good, I’d wager.
Davina’s gaze bounced between us.“I’m sensing there’s something here I should know that will make sense of everything.I don’t suppose either of you will clue me in?”
I barked a quick, “No!”But Astaria smiled and said, “In case you hadn’t guessed by my lack of attire when I arrived, I’m a selkie who can see bits and pieces of the future, as can my sister, Fiona, who is companion to?—”
“Don’t you dare say it!”I warned, to no avail.
“Nessie.”
ChapterFive
I felt discombobulated,just like Alice after she tumbled down the rabbit hole.Bombarded with impossibilities and yet hungry to absorb all this new knowledge.A dragon, a selkie, Red Caps, and now…
“Nessie is real.”Be still, my beating Scottish heart.
“As if there were any doubt,” Alistair grumbled.
“It’s one thing to believe in a legend, another to find out it’s true.But why would Nessie be working with Red Caps or need treasure, for that matter?It’s not like she can spend it.”
“Are you going to tell her, or shall I?”Astaria asked, the woman ridiculously beautiful.Then again, stories had always claimed the selkies to be fair of countenance.Did I actually believe she and Alistair were truly only friends?I couldn’t have said why I burned to know for sure.
“I’ve already told Davina too much,” Alistair complained.
“And before long, she’ll be aware of even more secrets,” Astaria sang.
“Assuming I don’t eat her.”
“Would you stop with that?”I huffed.“That threat is growing old.”
“And so is all your questioning,” he offered with a stern glare, which I scoffed at.
“How else am I supposed to understand what’s going on?”
“That’s just it.I don’t want you to know,” he snarled.
Astaria laughed.“Oh my, this is even more entertaining in person than it was in my vision.”
“And pray tell, what else did you see?”Alistair snapped, his mood dark, which I sensed might be normal for him.
“You will embark on a journey,” Astaria firmly declared.
Alistair shook his head.“Like fuck I am.I’ve got work to do here.”
“You really shouldn’t argue with me.I see the future,” Astaria stated with a delicate wave of her hand.
“Possible futures,” he corrected.“And you obviously aren’t all-seeing, or you would have told me about her.”He stabbed a finger in my direction.
“I saw Davina coming to the castle; however, I chose not to mention it because you might have tried to avoid your fate.”
