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I tossed the reins to Aisha and closed the distance between us as the rats dropped to all fours and started toward Latika.
She let out a sob of fear.
"Latika, listen to me," I said, slow but firm. "They aren't really there. It's… I believe someone with power is playing with us. I'm not sure who, or why, but we need to find out. That includes you. And Kerina. Those aren't really rats you're seeing." What were they then? Manifestations of power might be much more dangerous than vermin.
"They are not really there," I finished finally. "If you took a step forward, you'd walk straight through them."
Latika whimpered and took a step back instead. "They look hungry." Her voice wavered. She seemed ready to bolt off into the night in the direction the horses had gone. Only her training, and possibly the presence of her daughters, kept her from moving too far.
"They're not," Kerina said, her voice as hard as I've ever heard from her. "They're trying to scare you. I heard music. Where could that have possibly come from out here, apart from the bard?"
"It wasn't from me," Wesley replied. His eyes were on the spot in front of Latika, but judging by his confused frown, he saw nothing there.
"Exactly," Kerina said. "Someone is playing with us."
"I saw a woman," I said softly. "She told me where to go. Me, Latika and Kerina. We need to hurry."
"Then the rats that aren't rats might be to slow us down," Kerina reasoned. "It's working."
"I'm sorry," Latika said, her voice high. "Go on without me."
"The woman was clear, you're needed too," I said. I kept one eye on Latika and stepped toward the rats. Where I should have stepped on one, I felt nothing. For several seconds, I stood there.
Then a jolt passed through me. Blood thundered through my ears so loudly it was all I could hear. Power wrapped around me like a blanket, picked me up and tossed me several metres into the wide trunk of a tree.
"Mother fuck—" I slammed into the bark so hard the wind was almost knocked out of me. I hit the ground with a thud and a short cry of pain.
"Bain!" Kerina shouted.
"I'm all right," I mumbled. I pushed myself to my feet and stood unsteadily until my vision cleared.
"There's something there," I remarked.
Kerina snorted. "Something that isn't rats."
"It's weakening," Latika said. "I can see through them."
"The glow of power is fading," Kerina said.
I blinked and shook my head to clear it. She was right. The night felt a little darker. Shadows reclaimed the spaces between trees.
"They're almost gone." Latika's voice was almost as faint as the glow.
I rubbed my back. I would have bruises later, but nothing was broken.
I was sure of one thing. The power was stronger here. In the tavern, it couldn't have thrown me. Didn't want to. The rats were meant for Latika, but I had overstepped this time.
What then, did it mean when I saw the lift falling? Another attempt to slow us down? If so, it hadn't worked.
"All right, we've delayed for long enough. Wesley, you and the children take the horses. Return to Cape Massin and wait for us."
Aisha looked outraged. "I don't follow your orders."
"You followmine," Latika said. "Do as Bain says. If we're not there within the month, you know where to go to complete your training."
"Mother—" Erin turned pleading eyes to Latika, but she nodded. "We will do as you say. May Hades' blessings go with you."
"And with you," Latika said. Her expression was closed, businesslike. Leaving her children would be difficult, but she was an assassin. Nothing else would matter until the job was done, whatever it took.
