Queen of Wands (The Tree of Ages Series Book 4) Page 3

  So was he.

  Óengus wrapped his cloak more tightly around himself. Blasted Snow Queen. Did she have to let her powers run amok? In front of him, Oighear addressed a gathering of Aos Sí. She seemed an inhuman goddess dressed all in white, standing in a snowfield of her own creation. He supposed the description was fitting, given she’d come back to life after a killing blow.

  While he supposed if anyone could help him regain his shadow it would be a Faie goddess, he still felt a measure of remorse at abandoning Keiren. Not that he felt any love for the wicked sorceress, but she was the one who had stolen his shadow to begin with. Surely she was the best chance of restoring it. At one point he wouldn’t have cared, but as he’d grown older, he began to fear what might happen if he died without his shadow. Would he end up stuck in this blasted land like a phantom, never able to truly move on?

  He shook his head, lifting one foot out of the snow, then the other, though it did nothing to warm his toes.

  Oighear continued addressing her warriors. They were to scour the countryside for Faie, recruiting them or enslaving them. He scowled. At least Keiren didn’t make him stand in the snow with Faie.

  Oighear glanced back at him, as if sensing his thoughts. “Gray Lord,” she began, a smile curling the corners of her pale pink lips, “Please step forward and tell my men what you know of Finnur and her companions.”

  He cringed, both at the title, and her request. Though it was true he was descended from Clan Liath, he’d lost any magic that accompanied his heritage long ago, and he was tired of talking about that blasted tree girl. At least he’d finally found out why Oighear and Keiren were so obsessed with entrapping her. She was the rightful Queen of the Dair Leanbh, and Oighear had let her slip through her icy fingers, right along with the Faie Queen’s shroud.

  He stepped forward with a sigh, prepared to divulge the paltry amount of information he possessed. If his shadow was not restored soon, perhaps he’d defect and ask Finn to help him. The girl surely was foolish enough to believe any lie he might tell her. She travelled with assassins and thieves, after all.

  Chapter Three

  Maarav leaned against the side of the inn, his hand lifted to shield his eyes from the sun. Though his height and black hair made him stand out in the crowd, most of the townsfolk had grown used to his presence, so none paid him any mind.

  He focused on the conversation he’d been listening to, hoping for new information.

  “I saw them again last night,” a woman said. She was manning a small table filled with fresh baked bread, attempting to sell her loaves to anyone who walked past.

  The woman to whom she spoke took the loaf offered to her and exchanged some coin. “I haven’t seen any Faie, but I heard the Alderman is planning to do something about it. It was those magic users that brought the Faie here, and we all know what the solution is.”

  Maarav stroked his chin in thought. He’d heard the rumors of Faie sightings over the past few days. None had neared the burgh that he knew of, but they’d been spotted around the farms on the outskirts, and livestock had started to go missing. The townsfolk would be expecting the Alderman to do something about it soon.

  Ealasaid appeared from around the side of the inn, huffing and puffing. Her curly blonde hair was a staticky mess, and mud stained the hem of her simple gray dress. Though she looked a fright, he couldn’t help noticing the way her dress color accented her stormy gray eyes, nor the way her freckles stood out against her pale skin in the harsh sun.

  She reached his side, then leaned against the wall next to him. “What are you doing out here?” she asked. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

  He held a finger to his lips to quiet her, but it was too late. The two women at the bread stall turned to glare at him, then the customer hurried off, loaves in hand.

  “Ah,” Ealasaid observed. “Eavesdropping again?”

  He glared at her. “If you must know, yes. It seems the Alderman has grown uneasy with the recent Faie sightings. He’ll be looking for someone to blame.” He looked at her poignantly.

  She scoffed. “What do I have to do with it?”

  He rolled his eyes. “You’re the leader of An Solas. When the Faie come around, magic users are always the first to catch the blame.”

  She frowned, then looked down at her feet, her lips sealed in a tight line.

  He could have punched himself. Her family had been murdered by An Fiach for that very reason. “Ealasaid—” he began.

  “No,” she cut him off with a deep breath, returning her gaze to his, “I understand. And you should probably get away from me as soon as possible before you end up just like my family. Being a magic user has its drawbacks, but it’s nothing compared to what happens to those we care about.”

  They were silent for several moments. She rarely spoke of her family, and when she did, he was never quite sure what to say.

  “So,” he began hesitantly, “Are you trying to tell me you care about me?” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her.

  She scowled at him and punched his arm, then laughed.

  Good, he thought. At least she’s smiling. He wasn’t used to caring if women smiled, but Ealasaid was different. “I’m not going anywhere,” he assured. “Being around a magic user keeps things interesting.”

  She snorted. “Interesting, huh? I would have chosen a different word.” She paused for a moment, then continued, “So the Alderman may be preparing to finally act?” She leaned back against the wall to gaze at the growing crowd in the market. “I suppose An Solas should find a new burgh before he decides to kick us all out without supplies.”

  He shook his head. “I doubt there is a new burgh to find. Civilization is more spread out in the South than it is in the North. We’d have to travel halfway to Sormyr to find another burgh, and even then we cannot say what condition that burgh might be in.”

  She turned her gaze up to him, lifting her hand to shield her squinted eyes from the sun. “So what do we do?”

  He peered out at the distant estate, surrounded by high walls and guards. He’d heard that Alderman Gwrtheryn rarely left the grounds. He’d feared the Faie long before they started showing up across the land. It would be difficult to sneak past his guards, but . . .

  “I think we should have a word with our good Alderman,” he explained. “Perhaps he can be reasoned with.”

  Ealasaid snorted. “Your kind of reasoning usually involves daggers and intimidation.”

  He laughed. She knew him well. “Yes, it’s fortunate we have Slàine and her assassins at our disposal.”

  “Killing the man won’t gain us any favor with the people,” she argued. “If anything, they’ll chase us off themselves.”

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Then I suppose it will be up to you to bat your eyelashes and win him over to our side.”

  She glared at him, but he continued to smile. An Solas had grown since word of their battle with the Cavari spread to the nearby villages. So many magic users had been displaced by An Fiach, and jumped at the opportunity to actually be accepted for what they were. Soon they would have an army. A small army, but the fact that most could wield frightening magics made them more effective than the militaries of the great cities. If Lord Gwrtheryn came to his senses, they might soon have a fortress.

  He knew war was coming whether Slàine, Finn, or Ealasaid wanted it or not. When it hit, he planned to come out on top, no matter what.

  Finn stroked Loinnir’s soft mane as she rode, marveling at the shimmering white tendrils. White like snow. She could see why Oighear had chosen the unicorn as her prized mount, once upon a time.

  She glanced at Kai riding next to her, his gaze cast down in thought. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was thinking about their shared dream. She most definitely was. Kai’s reminiscence had been eerily similar to hers, save her mother’s presence in her dream.

  Both visions had ended the same way, with Oighear’s icy grip around their throats. Yet, it didn’t
make any sense. Oighear was dead. At least, she thought she was.

  “Someone up ahead,” Iseult muttered.

  Naoki chittered nervously, looking up at Finn in the saddle as if hoping to climb atop Loinnir’s back, but she’d grown too large to ride with her.

  “Go play,” Finn suggested, gesturing toward the tree line, but Naoki simply continued to stare, slinking along beside her.

  With a sigh, Finn raised her gaze to a lone figure coming into view down the road. He was on foot, and wore a heavy brown cloak, but that was as much as she could distinguish. At least a lone man likely would not be capable of harming Naoki.

  Iseult rode on ahead to intercept the man before he could reach them, while Bedelia sidled her horse up beside Finn’s, opposite side where Naoki trotted. Peering toward Iseult and the man, Bedelia reached over her shoulder and partially unsheathed the sword resting across her back.

  Loinnir halted without any more prompting as the rest of their party closed in around her. Perhaps they were being overly cautious, but they’d seen few travelers since embarking on their journey, and those they saw tended to travel in large groups for protection. A lone man on the road was an odd sight.

  Not liking Iseult venturing forward on his own, Finn narrowed her gaze toward the distance. If the man held weapons that might cause Iseult harm, she would call up the earth around him . . . or at least she would try. Even with her returned memories, her magic still often eluded her unless the moment was dire and she could act without thinking.

  The figure continued walking toward Iseult, and soon was near enough for Finn to make out his features. She gasped, then darted her gaze to Kai.

  “I can’t believe he’s not dead,” Kai mused, his gaze still on the distant figure, now intercepted by Iseult.

  “What in the Horned One’s name is he doing this far south?” Anna hissed.

  “Likely returning to his parent’s Archive,” Kai suggested.

  Sativola cleared his throat. “Am I supposed to know who this fellow is?”

  “He’s a friend,” Finn blurted, feeling the need to stand up for Anders.

  “More of an acquaintance,” Anna corrected.

  “More of an annoyance,” Kai scoffed. “One that might still be a soldier of An Fiach.”

  Finn clenched her jaw. She’d forgotten about Anders’ alleged involvement with the organization. What she hadn’t forgotten was Óengus’ affiliation with An Fiach. He and his men might still be hunting her, though she’d seen no sign of them since leaving Port Ainfean. What might Anders do if placed under Óengus’ command?

  In the distance, Iseult nodded, then turned his horse around and trotted toward them, leaving Anders to jog in his dusty wake.

  Finn’s fingers trembled as she clutched the locket around her neck. Something didn’t feel right. Though she was glad to see Anders, if only to inform him what had become of his sister, she could not trust his presence. She no longer believed in coincidences.

  Loinnir shifted her weight from side to side as Iseult neared them. He waved his arm, gesturing for them to retreat from the road.

  “We’ll rest for a while before continuing on,” he called out.

  Finn began to obey, then tugged gently on Loinnir’s reins as Iseult reached her and cut off her off, keeping her behind from the others. “I implore you to trust nothing he says,” Iseult whispered, leaning toward her shoulder. “We do not know where he has been, nor with whom he has allied himself. That he made it this far south alive suggests he had help.”

  Finn nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat before following the others off the road. Sativola and Anna had already dismounted ahead to begin rationing out their food. She hurried Loinnir forward, reaching the others, then dismounted. She handed her reins to Bedelia, then sat next to Kai on a large rock to receive her portion of food. As she took a bite of dried apple and chewed, her gaze lingered on Anders, who finally reached them, panting heavily from trying to keep up with Iseult’s horse.

  She was unsure how to approach him. Did he blame her for the loss of his sister? Did he blame them all for continuing on their adventure without him? His cheeks were hollow, and he moved as if his bones ached. He’d obviously not fared well in his travels.

  “Erm, greetings,” Anders muttered, leaving the road to stand awkwardly amongst them. He opened his mouth to say more, then sighted Naoki, who perched behind Finn, staring at the intruder.

  “Is that,” he began, then shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He blinked a few times, then looked at Naoki again. “Is that a dragon?”

  Kai snorted, then took a bite of his hard piece of bread. Mouth half-full, he smirked up at Anders and asked, “Get left behind by An Fiach then?”

  Anders frowned. He glanced at Naoki again, then shook his head. “I parted ways with An Fiach after learning what type of organization they truly are.”

  The group’s gazes fell hard upon him, while Finn grew increasingly antsy. He’d been their friend once, and now they were all treating him with suspicion, when perhaps they should have been celebrating the fact that they’d all survived thus far. They could at least stand to be polite.

  She cleared her throat. “Please sit,” she offered, gesturing to a heavy log Sativola was dragging across the ground for seating.

  Sativola frowned at her for offering his log, but simply dropped it and walked away in search of another.

  Anders watched Sativola’s massive back as he retreated, then sat, glancing again at Naoki.

  “You claimed to have valuable information,” Iseult grumbled as he approached, finished checking over the tied-off horses. “Speak it, then be on your way.”

  Finn watched as Anders fidgeted in his seat, smoothing his hands across his cloak, then lifting them to run his fingers through his red hair. “I have news about Àed,” he said finally.

  Finn’s heart fluttered, but she forced it to still. How on earth would Anders know anything about what had happened to Àed? Bedelia had known, but only because she’d been present when Keiren turned him into a tree. The only way for Anders to know such information would have been to learn from Keiren herself. Still, she found that unlikely. How would Anders have come in contact with the elusive sorceress?

  “Go on,” Iseult said calmly, moving to stand beside Finn, near Naoki.

  How he remained so calm was beyond her.

  Seeming to gain confidence, Anders lifted his gaze. “The Ceàrdaman informed me, one named Niklas, to be more precise. He is hoping to gain favor with Finn, but feared she would not give him a chance to speak if he came in person.”

  Iseult nodded, then looked to Finn while Kai muttered under his breath about blasted, fork-tongued Travelers.

  “I have met Niklas before,” she informed the group, seeing no reason to keep the information secret. “He approached me at Maarav’s inn in Migris. He offered me partnership.”

  “But I was with you in Migris,” Bedelia interrupted from her perch on a rock near Anna, then blushed. She’d been with Finn in Migris because she’d been working for Keiren, but Finn had forgiven her for that, even if Bedelia hadn’t forgiven herself. “I was with you,” she began anew, “and I never saw any Travelers. In fact, the city was up in arms over the Faie at the time, one of the Ceàrdaman would have been arrested on sight.”

  Anders shook his head. “Trust me, they go where they please, especially Niklas.”

  Iseult cleared his throat. Standing with arms crossed, he directed his icy gaze down at Anders. “Back to your information.”

  “Ah yes,” Anders replied. “I’ve been told something very important. Only the caster who has imprisoned Àed can set him free.”

  Finn’s stomach churned. Kai met her gaze and shook his head. They both knew who the caster was, and that there was only one person who might be able to find her.

  They both turned to look at Bedelia.

  She sighed and shook her head. “She will not free him willingly.”

  “Then we will kill her,” Iseult stated ma
tter of factly.

  Bedelia whipped her gaze toward him, her eyes wide. “You cannot!” At his scowl, she quickly added, “Not because I would protect her, but because she would kill you. She is more powerful than anything I have ever seen. Her magic could rival even Finn’s or Oighear’s.”

  Not reacting at all to Bedelia’s words, Iseult turned back to Anders. “What else did this Niklas say?”

  Seeming oddly excited to relay the next batch of information, Anders began, “He hoped to arrange a meeting with Finn and her party. He believes he can be of use.”

  “And what would he ask in return?” Anna spat, crouching somewhat apart from the group. “Last time we dealt with the Travelers, they told Finn a story and kidnapped me in return. I’d rather like to avoid being in their care once more.”

  Anders’ gaze rested on Finn. “Niklas believes war is coming . . . if it isn’t already here. He believes you will be an instrumental force in the outcome, and would like you to favor his people in the choices you make.”

  Finn shook her head. The Travelers could be useful, but she did not trust them. “There must be another way,” she muttered.

  “At least meet with him,” Anders pressed. “Hear what he has to say. I believe he may be able to change your mind.”

  Iseult snorted. “I imagine you’ll be accompanying us to this meeting?”

  Anders hung his head and wrung his hands, then mumbled, “Well, I do know the way to the meeting place. It will take another full day’s journey to reach it, perhaps a little longer.”

  Iseult looked back to Finn.

  While she appreciated him deferring to her judgement, this was not a decision she wanted to make. If it was all a trick, it would be her fault when her entire party fell to the Travelers’ mercy. Yet, if it was not a trick, it just might be the only way to save Àed. After all he’d done for her, she owed it to him to try.

  “Fine,” she decided finally. “We will meet with him.”

  Anders’ shoulders slumped in relief. Finn realized she was clenching her jaw again. Why was he so relieved? What did he have to lose or gain in setting up this meeting? Why was he even involved with the Travelers to begin with?