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I could wake her right now, ruck up her skirts, and the woman would be wet and moaning by the time I pushed inside her. A groan vibrated through my throat as I fisted my hands down at my sides.
I was weak when it came to her, but sex would be the one place I refused to give in. I would not tup her, not until she learned everything about me and my situation and was still willing to have me afterward.
Which she wouldn’t be.
Swallowing down my regret over what would never happen, I tore my gaze from her and scanned the interior of the tent until my focus fell to the jewelry she’d taken off last night. Not pausing to think my actions through, I decided they’d do fine. I swept up her wrist guards, necklace, and hairpin, then shoved them into a sack, cinched it closed, and pushed to my feet.
Exiting the tent, I let the flap fall behind me, and I strode through the dawn where ribbons of smoke from dying campfires floated up around me like whispering fog. The scent of burned wood and rich spices overtook the aroma of fresh dew clinging to moss-covered trees.
The drop in temperature made my skin prickle with anxiety as I stopped a passing man hauling two pails of water from a nearby stream and asked him where I could find Mydera.
He pointed out the way with a tip of his head, and I strode off with a brisk murmur of gratitude. Her tent flaps were flung open and her two pages—Wicket and Spice—stood guard.
As I approached, Spice bowed her head to me. “Mydera will see you now.”
Without pausing, I ducked down and entered.
“Farrow of House Scott,” Mydera greeted, sounding pleased to receive me. “I was hoping I might get a visit from you this morning.”
I scowled into the darkness of the tent until my eyes adjusted and found her sitting cross-legged on the ground with her hands resting palms-up on her knees in meditation. Her eyes were closed.
“You know who I am,” I said, my heart beginning to race with dread. I had never told her which house I belonged to.
Her lashes fluttered open slowly. “We have a few seeing eyes within our midst. And they were all quite anxious to report that the Bastard Betrayer had momentarily joined our camp.”
My jaw knit. I’d forgotten about being labeled that despicable term by Roloff, and honestly, I hadn’t thought I’d ever hear it again.
Who the hell had coined the phrase Bastard Betrayer, anyway? It was stupid as hell.
“And it appears,” Mydera went on, “that even the mages of the Dimway Forest will benefit from your many deceptions.”
I swallowed with no idea what that meant, but it caused my blood to congeal regardless.
“Do you know what I’m supposed to do?” I probed, holding my breath for the answer.
But Mydera merely chuckled. “Child, you know better than that. Prophesies are never so forthright. All they do is cause confusion and more questions, until there they are, complete and true as the sky is blue. So no. I’ve no idea what you’re supposed to do to save us all.”
“Is my heroic agenda enough to get you to help me, though?” I hedged.
She flashed a smile. “Depends. For what reasons are you seeking me this grave morning, my son? I should warn you now; I won’t commit murder. Not against anyone.”
“It’s nothing so sinister,” I assured as I tossed the sack I held onto the ground in front of her. Inside, Nicolette’s golden wrist guards clanged together loudly. “I merely need a couple items charmed. That’s your area of expertise, is it not?”
Mydera glanced at the sack. Then me. “I’m listening.”
I handed her a folded slip of parchment, saying, “This is what I require.”
She read slowly, humming and bobbing her head the entire time. “Interesting choices,” she finally said, glancing up. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me what you need all this for.”
“No, I don’t suppose I will.”
She smiled vaguely. “I didn’t think so.” She refolded my list and held it up between two fingers. “This’ll cost you, you know.”
I never had a doubt. But I lifted my eyebrows, regardless. “Even though I’m supposed to save your entire clan?”
“Being our savior has gained you an audience with me, plus the accommodations from my people for a day. But to attain your list of tricky charms, I’m afraid I’ll need more.”
Damn. I knew it would come to this. But it still filled me with grief. Biting the back of my teeth as hard as I could and already regretting my actions, I pulled the everlasting flagon from my pocket and showed it to her. My mother had told me to never part with it.
