Lia nods. ‘The Black Lake is somewhere in the Dark Realms, but no one knows where. It was lost in the tides of the void.’
'I've dreamed of it,' I say.
Lia’s eyes snap to me. 'You've dreamed of it? Of the actual lake?'
I nod.
'Tell me what you saw?'
'It was in a stark landscape. Gray rocks everywhere. And the surface itself was pristine, like black glass. I was warned not to touch it or to put my hands in it. There were yellow flowers.'
Lia smiles. 'I’ve dreamed of it as well. I suppose that means you have some tie to it.’
But then she grows somber.
‘Don’t tell anyone else,’ she advises. ‘The Underhill won’t like that someone could find it again.’
‘What would they do?’ I ask.
‘Have you killed, perhaps. At the very least imprison you in the Underhill so that you couldn’t tell anyone.’
I shiver. Silence pervades the space, and I suddenly hear the loud creak of someone stepping on a loose floorboard in the apothecary.
I glance at Lia, who’s staring at the door.
‘I think we should go to my home,' Lia says very quietly, her expression turning worried.
‘But it hasn’t been long enough,’ I argue. ‘You’re meant to stay on your back.’
Lia’s eyes dart around the room and she heaves a breath. ‘I…don’t like this. I think we should leave. Now.’
‘All right but?—’
‘Ah, both in the same place. That makes things easier.’
A fae steps into the healer’s rooms, closing the door behind him with a well-placed kick.
'Voss,' Lia snarls, her eyes narrowing.
She attempts to get up, but I shake my head at her.
‘What do you want, Enforcer Voss?’ I ask.
He looks at me like I’m vermin. ‘What I want is for human females to cease meddling in my affairs!’ he hisses.
I snort at him, eyeing the small knife on the table that I use to cut herbs.
‘Was it you?’ Lia asks. ‘Calder was adamant that he didn’t let Fiana’s agents through the Halsford wards. Avendel said he wasn’t lying. So, was it you, Voss?’
Voss’ grin is evil. ‘Calder is a fool. Useful to me, I’ll grant him that, but a fool nonetheless.’
‘You tried to kill me,’ I say. ‘You cast a conjure and hid my wounds so that no one would help me even if I was found.’
Voss laughs. ‘I knew they were already searching. It was a simple conjure. Should have pushed you into the river, but,’ he waves a hand, ‘I didn’t think of it at the time.’
‘Did you have me beaten beforehand, too? Why?’
His lip curls, showing his perfect, slightly sharp teeth. ‘You were deserving of some pain. All you humans are.’
