by Kari Edgren
Elsie readjusted her grip on the cat. “Don’t know, sir. My older sister Anna was serving folks then, while I worked the morning pies. She’s in the kitchen now, so I can ask her if ye wish it.”
“Very well.” James eyed the struggling cat. “And you best lock that creature up as it seems to have mistaken my traveling companion for a rodent.”
The maid scurried away.
I studied the back of my damaged glove, in no way pleased by the comparison. Rodent, indeed. Drawing the damp leather from my fingers, I set the gloves aside and assumed a casual tone. “Why didn’t you tell me you were from Branbury?”
A slow flush rose into his cheeks, looking all the more red against the white line that appeared around his clenched mouth. “Because it is of no importance.”
Over the past few months, I’d seen the same discoloration enough times to recognize James’s rising anger. It served as a barometer of sorts, the blood climbing with the seriousness of the storm. Judging by the most recent marker, I should have let it go. And I might have if the man hadn’t just compared me to a rodent and acted as though it were my fault that the animals were insane.
“Your appearance has caused quite a stir amongst the locals. Though I must say you don’t seem very pleased to be here—”
His hand came down hard on the table. “Leave it, Miss Kilbrid,” he said with quiet fury. “I never intended for you to know this part of my life.”
What the other patrons may have missed from his actual words was inferred from the loud thud against the table. That alone had spoken volumes of his opinion toward me. Well, the man could do as he pleased, but I for one had no intention to participate in such a display.
“Suit yourself. I was just trying to make polite conversation.”
A thin shadow of guilt crossed James’s face. “Forgive me, Miss Kilbrid. I...” He stopped speaking, dropped his eyes to the table, and lightly tapped a well-manicured finger against the wooden surface. “I didn’t mean to lose my temper, but I am not comfortable discussing the particulars of my home.”
I nodded in acknowledgment of the apology. With nothing more to say, we slipped into a strained silence. A moment later the maid brought two steaming cups of wine. When she loitered at our table under the pretense of wiping up some invisible crumbs, I caught sight of a shy smile and followed her gaze to James’s profile. Thick fair hair was tied back at the nape, revealing the lines of a well-etched face. His nose was straight, his mouth pleasant when not set in a sneer. Dark brown eyes offered an interesting contrast to his otherwise lighter coloring. He was a handsome man by all means, though I had yet to see much of the underlying beauty that had so enraptured my friend.
A fat fly zigzagged a line between us, bypassing our steaming cups for another table with a bounty of crumbs and scraps. James must have felt the weight of my stare, for he turned suddenly, pinning me with those dark eyes. I forced a smile and moved my attention to the wine.
The maid returned with the platters of food, along with two rough linen napkins and forks. “Anna don’t recall seeing the lady ye asked about, sir.”
James frowned. “Thank you for inquiring, Elsie. They must have stopped elsewhere.”
She handed a knife to him for the joint of mutton that took up most of one platter. While James carved the meat, I broke off a portion of bread. “It’s possible they took a different route,” he said after a minute.
The idea disturbed me, as there had been some comfort to think that we at least followed the same road. “Perhaps,” I said, “but the end point will be the same. Deri is taking Nora to the oak grove in Wexford.” To free her mother, whom she claimed had been imprisoned by King Bres thousands of years ago.
“I hope you’re right, Miss Kilbrid.”
So do I, Mr. Roth.
We fell back into silence during the meal. The scent of food brought another fly to our table, and I used a napkin to shoo it from the mutton. It flew a wide circle around our heads, landing next on my forearm. I brushed it away once more when the little bugger lurched a hairpin turn and headed straight for me.
“Ouch!” I cried as it thwacked into my forehead.
The fly wavered, corrected course, and struck again. I swiped at it and felt a satisfying crack as my hand came into contact with the soft black body. Thinking that the end of it, frustration burst anew when a second later the creature hit my cheek.
“Blasted!” I cried as it circled again. “What is wrong with this place?”
James watched the continued onslaught, his mouth open and a piece of mutton suspended in midair. No doubt the man was startled, probably as much by the insect’s assault as by my flailing arms. After a near dozen strikes, he lowered the fork, though his eyes remained steadfast. Reaching for a napkin, he flipped the cloth just as the fly bounced from my other cheek. It crashed, backside up next to a wedge of cheese. Six legs flailed in the air as angry wings buzzed against the metal platter. James secured the nasty thing in the napkin and squished it.
Mortified, I dropped my gaze and tried to ignore the many stares from the other patrons.
Leaning closer, James spoke in a hushed voice. “Does this sort of thing happen to you often, Miss Kilbrid?”
I shook my head. “Never.”
Something was obviously wrong, even by my standards. And I had a sneaking suspicion that something was me, no matter how much I wished otherwise.
“Well, you are either the most unlucky person I’ve ever met, or something of a different nature has occurred today.” He tsked his tongue. “A dog, a cat, and a fly—”
My head snapped up. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
His disapproval turned incredulous. “What would you have me do? Turn a blind eye to three different attacks?” He tossed the soiled napkin on the table. “Coincidence ended with the last one, Miss Kilbrid.”
“I would have you leave it be.” I set my face hard as stone.
A minute of silence passed. “So be it.” He pushed back from the table. “I will see if Sam has returned.”
Folks continued to stare in open interest. I buried my face in a sip of wine when another fly buzzed over my shoulder, bringing me to my feet.
“Why don’t you stay by the fire?” James pulled on his gloves and reached for his hat and greatcoat. “I’ll return shortly.”
“I’d prefer to go.” With the way my nerves were jumping, James would have to nail my skirts to the floor to keep me in the room a moment longer.
“But—”
I grabbed my cloak and gloves, and swept toward the door before James could offer further protest.
The cool air and shards of sunshine did wonders for my spirits. The dog was nowhere in sight, and if the innkeeper’s son had returned, we would be about our way before another deranged creature had the opportunity to attack me. Soon the events of the past half hour would be nothing more than a bad memory.
James entered the stables a step ahead of me where we found a large curly-haired man hunched beside my horse. A foreleg was clamped against his knee, and I saw the glint of metal from the small sharp knife he used to trim the afflicted hoof.
“Hello, Sam Turner,” James said. “It appears you’ve not lost any of your skills since I’ve been away.”
Sam glanced up at James, his face an amiable reflection of his father’s. “Good day, Mr. Roth. I wouldn’t have believed ye’d really returned if my dad hadn’t sworn the truth on Saint Thomas himself. I reckon every tongue in the village will be wagging with the news come supper.” Sam flashed James a boyish grin. “Don’t worry, I’ll have this shoe fixed in no time, and ye can make a clean escape.”
“Thank you, Sam. We’ve still a score more miles to ride before nightfall.”
Sam nodded. “Heard ye was in a hurry to be off. Something about Lord Fitzalan’s betrothed.” He looked at me for the
first time. In a heartbeat, the grin turned to lead, and his hand stilled over the hoof.
My breath caught at the sudden change of expression—from sunshine to glacial. I turned to James, eyes pulled wide in an attempt to relay my surprise. Did you see that?
A deep crease appeared between James’s brows. “This is Miss Kilbrid,” he said warily. “We were attempting to catch up with the remainder of our party when her horse knocked the shoe loose.”
Sam grunted something indiscernible, then returned his attention to the hoof. The rough scrape of the knife sounded even louder in the ensuing silence.
James glanced at me. “I’ll get the saddles ready.” He started toward the gelding.
I now regretted leaving the inn. The patrons inside might have been curious, but by no means did they display the hostility that radiated from Sam. Even another fly attack would have been preferable to the trepidation that now tensed in my gut.
Instinct squawked a warning when I turned away from the man to follow James. In a heartbeat, the scraping stopped, and my shoulders tensed as though of their own accord.
“Miss Kilbrid!” James cried.
I jerked around just as Sam lunged at me. Stumbling back, I saw him come to a sudden stop, the small blade mere inches from my face. He struggled like a madman against James’s arms, which had clamped around his waist. Cords of muscle bulged in his neck, and an enraged roar broke free in a shower of spittle.
“Run, Miss Kilbrid!” James yelled, his voice strained from the effort to hold so large a man in place.
Sound advice, except if Sam got free. Then I would have a hoof knife in the back. A fire burst to life inside me. I looked into Sam’s red face and slammed a hand straight into his gut.
The man went slack. Losing the counter force, James fell backward, barely catching himself on one knee beneath the man’s full weight.
“God’s blood!” he exclaimed, then his eyes shot to the doorway behind me. “Watch out!”
I spun around, my hand flying up just in time to catch the arm of a curly haired girl. Deranged anger flowed from her eyes as she strained to thrust a butcher knife at me.
The sharp point grazed my nose. Power burst from my hands, and she dropped like a rag doll to the ground.
Chapter Two
A Game of Truth
The girl landed on her back with her knees crumpled at an angle from the sudden fall. The butcher knife rested in the dirt next to her open hand. Eyes closed, she appeared fast asleep. A small, satisfied smile pulled at my lips. Two people... Both out cold the moment their wandering nerve had been disrupted.
James sputtered a curse behind me. “What did you do?” he asked, more accusation than question. “Are they dead? Did you kill them?”
The smile dropped and I shook my head. “They’ve fainted is all.”
The horses stomped nervously in their stalls. James lowered Sam’s large body to the ground and pressed a finger into his neck in search of a pulse.
Knowing what he would find, I focused on the girl. From the mass of golden curls, I assumed her to be Elsie’s sister, Anna. She looked so innocent, I would have thought her incapable of such violence if not for the sting at the end of my nose. I removed a glove and gently dabbed at the wound. The pain sharpened as a drop of blood smeared beneath my finger.
James moved closer, the raggedness of his breath marking the distance. “What did you do to them?” he demanded.
I ignored him and knelt down next to the girl. Why did you attack me? Warming my hands, I reached toward the crown of curly hair.
James grabbed my arm. “Don’t touch her,” he said, hard as steel.
I jerked away, but his grip held. “Let go of me. I mean the girl no harm.”
“Then leave her be. If she has truly fainted, we will fetch smelling salts and water from the inn.”
The temptation to disrupt James’s nerves nearly overcame me. Exhaling a shaky breath, I held the fire at bay just long enough to explain my intentions. “I give you my word not to hurt her. Now release my arm, or you’ll be the next one lying on the ground.”
Angry blood shot straight to his hairline. His nostrils flared, and I could practically see the thoughts fly through his mind.
Yes, Mr. Roth. I’ve already done it twice. I could do it again...with a single touch.
The man proved braver than I expected. Or perhaps just more pigheaded. His grip remained steadfast as his eyes narrowed on my face. “First, you will tell me what you plan to do.”
It was a reasonable request. And as he had already seen my power at work, I would give him an equally reasonable answer. “I am going to read her memories in an attempt to better understand the purpose behind this attack. Then I will search her brain for any abnormalities or injury. When that is done, I will revive her.”
He stared at me for a moment. “This is no time to jest. Tell me honestly what you intend to do with the girl.”
I clenched my other hand to keep from screaming. “Oh, for heaven’s sake! What do you think I’m going to do? Turn her into a toad?” If I could have accomplished that little trick, I would have done it to James long ago. “I’ve told you the truth. Keep a hand on my shoulder if that makes you feel any better, but release my arm before it’s too late and we are discovered.”
James hesitated, though I sensed his resolve begin to falter. “How will you do it?” he asked.
My patience had reached its end. “We’ve not time for that! Will you trust me or not, Mr. Roth?” Power warmed my hand. Which direction it flowed first was up to him.
His grip released, then refastened on my shoulder. “As you wish, Miss Kilbrid.”
I sighed my frustration, not thinking he would actually make good on the offer. But it was too late now, unless I intended to knock him out, which would only prove his initial fear that I could not be trusted.
Very well. The shoulder it is then.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to help settle my own near-frazzled nerves. The pressure from James’s hand was more than a little distracting, and I did my utmost to keep focused on the girl as a stream of power flowed through the protective shell of her head. When the brain came into focus, I saw at once an abnormal dark patch on the outer gray layer near the front. At first sight, it looked similar to a cancerous growth I had healed several years ago. Moving my mind’s eye to the affected area, I jerked from a sudden shock of cold as though I had just plunged into a frigid bath.
Fingers tightened on my shoulder. “Miss Kilbrid...”
Every impulse screamed that I withdraw. The cold turned painful, and it was all I could do not to break the link. But the answers were here, in the very spot that repelled me. I could feel it just as sure as James’s grip. So rather than let go, I delved deeper into the darkness.
My teeth slammed together as a terrible shiver ran from nape to navel. Anna’s physical brain disappeared, replaced by an inky blackness filled with a thousand pinpricks of light. Except for the dark patch, which seemed to absorb the light around it. I grabbed onto the first blurred image that appeared. My skin crawled with icy revulsion, but I refused to let go. Slowly, the lines came into view, solidifying into the shape of a young girl. I gaped at the familiar face, at the pale blue eyes that gleamed with madness.
Deri...
I should have known. Everything cried the wretch’s name, from the random attacks to the overwhelming cold that set my teeth chattering. Another shiver tipped my balance, and I groped blindly with one hand for support when my fingers curled around something solid and warm.
“Miss Kilbrid...” James’s voice sounded so deep and slow it was nearly unrecognizable. “Selah...”
Deri’s face wavered, the lines blurring before the image swirled away in an indistinguishable fog. I let it go, having derived all I needed from Anna’s memories. When th
e physical brain snapped back into view, I bathed the dark patch with Brigid’s fire, the same way I would have treated any case of frost nip. The tissue thawed under the stream of warmth until it gleamed a healthy gray. I turned my attention to the gangly lines of the wandering nerve, smoothing the disruption from the affected fibers. Satisfied, I opened my eyes and waited.
Anna stirred. With a hand still on my shoulder, James leaned forward to watch her. Drawing in a soft breath, her eyes fluttered open. She blinked several times as the sleepy daze turned to panic in her face.
Her eyes darted from me to James. “Who are you?”
“Don’t be frightened,” I said.
She took in the stables next. “Why am I here?” Digging her elbows into the dirt, she attempted to back away.
James released my shoulder, but not until he tried to move did I realize that I had his calf in a death grip. When did that happen?
I yanked my hand away, and he knelt down next to the girl. “Don’t be alarmed. You fainted is all, right after you came into the barn.”
The girl stared at him, openmouthed with shock. “Yer...yer...” The words stopped as she scrambled to sit up.
“Mr. Roth,” he finished for her. “Now, Anna, I need you to answer something very important. A young girl named Deri came to your father’s inn sometime before sunrise this morning.”
My eyes flew to James. “How did—”
He held up a hand, cutting me off. “Anna, did this Deri tell you to kill Miss Kilbrid?”
Confusion clouded the girl’s face. “Don’t know what ye mean, sir.”
“Just before you fainted, you attacked Miss Kilbrid with a butcher knife.” James pointed at me. “Look at her, Anna. There’s blood on her nose where you pricked the skin.”
The girl did as instructed. Fear leapt in her gaze at the sight of the wound. “No, sir. I... I didn’t try to kill anyone.”
