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There was some serious animosity between the two, so she knew somehow Niamh must have figured out what had happened between her and Declan.
Kessler scowled from the corner, obviously agitated he had been summoned from his forge for some mystery meeting, and Bryn couldn’t say she blamed him.
Jace settled on one side of her as the chair next to her was pulled out by Declan only for Niamh to slip into the seat before he could himself, giving him a pat on the hand and a thank you.
Sage let out a small laugh as Declan gave Niamh a quick look of irritation before moving to stand next to Kessler along the wall. Everyone ignored the open seat at the head of the table near where Justin was currently sorting papers.
“I adore Declan as a friend, but anything more is exhausting,” Bryn murmured to Niamh as the woman tapped her bloodred fingernails on the table, everyone around them talking among themselves as they waited to find out why they’d been called here.
Bryn watched Travis poke his head in to summon Justin, the room quieting as they watched the exchange before whispered conversations started again when Justin left the room.
“They all are, darling,” Niamh said, looking back at Bryn with her dark, almost black eyes, and Niamh shrugged. “Best to not mess with them in the first place. Live a long life and acquire many animals.”
A small laugh left Bryn as she shook her head.
“I don’t exactly see your place full of animals. More of ‘do as I say, not as I do’?” Bryn asked, relaxing as much as she could with the fear of what she may find out in the next few minutes hanging over her head.
“Oh, there are animals there, I just make sure they are kept in hand.” Niamh winked as Justin walked back into the room looking unsettled.
Clearing his throat, everyone quieted as Justin looked over the room, Mr. Rafferty coming in behind him and closing the door softly. The sounds of people milling about outside had quieted down substantially as well.
Bryn looked at who all was gathered with her in the room aside from Justin. Jace and Niamh were next to her, Sage and Caden across the table. Declan and Kessler leaned against the wall, and Mr. Rafferty stood next to Justin at the front of the room.
The only thing they all had in common was their friendship with Bryn as far as she knew, and even then, not all close friendships. Her heart stuttered as she wondered if this was it. The moment when their alliance with Bryn put them in peril.
“I’ve asked everyone but us to leave the office,” Justin stated.
At his words, everyone else in the room straightened but Mr. Rafferty, who obviously already knew what was happening.
Justin leaned forward, his hands on the table as he gathered himself before looking up at everyone through his blond hair. Shaking his head, he pushed away from the table, running his hand along the scruff of his jaw.
Stalling.
“This information stays in this room. I wouldn’t even be telling you all, but our governor here thinks it’s best.” He motioned to Mr. Rafferty, who stood tall with his hands in his pockets. After he gave a nod for him to continue, Justin turned back to the room to finish what he had to say.
“Immediately after the sandstorm dissipated, two people not from here were found by the gate. Jace here”—waving to Jace and earning a nod in return— “checked them over and found no illness, hell, they didn’t even look like they had been wandering the desert. No horses or other form of transportation was found around town.”
Justin waited a beat for them all to take in what he had said. Bryn felt guilty that she was relieved it had nothing to do with her, but when a person lived in fear for so long, it was habit to assume the worst.
“Two people.” Justin held up two fingers as if to clarify. “One a male in his mid-twenties and an elderly woman who could not have possibly survived desert conditions.”
“Then how in the hell did they get here?” Declan asked. “Teleportation?”
A few of the group laughed, but Justin was not one of them.
“If I believed in that sort of nonsense, I’d say that was the only explanation.”
“How were they dressed? Could they be from Tanwen?” Sage asked, and Bryn could see the hope in her eyes that maybe family or someone from her birthplace might have come for her.
“Like nothing I’ve ever seen. Weird cloaks with animal fur around them, and not from any animals I’ve seen in my lifetime. Their clothes are all stiff and look like it could cook a person in ’em if they stayed out in the sun for more than a minute. The old woman called it wool. Belts with purses on ’em...”
“Even the guy?” Kessler asked, earning a nod from Justin.
“Even the guy, but his belt was rope. Weirdest clothing I’ve seen, but when have I last roamed the country looking for the latest fashions?” Justin shrugged.
“Why are we here?” Declan turned to look at his father as he said this, but Justin was the one to answer.
“Here’s the thing. The old woman seems to be looking for her kin.”
