The White Spell (Nine Kingdoms #10)(65)

He pointed to a shadow in the corner.

There was certainly something there, but it didn’t look terribly intimidating. She rose and started toward it. Acair held out his hand to stop her.

“Don’t,” he warned. “The man who fashioned it is not one you would want to tangle with and his spells are a reflection of that, to be sure.”

“Soilléir?”

“The very same.”

“Is he so powerful then?” She looked down at him. “You realize that deep down I still think this is all rubbish, don’t you?”

“I know.”

She looked at him and tried not to be dazzled by the fairness of his face. She couldn’t help but wonder how many of his victims—alleged victims, rather—had simply agreed to whatever he wanted so he would favor them with one of those smiles.

She frowned, then avoided his hand and walked over to where there was definitely a shadow of something slouching in the corner. It did shift a little as she approached, which startled her. She gave it a stern look, which seemed to intimidate it into shrinking back from her. It folded itself into itself, then slid down to land in a tidy heap on the floor.

She almost joined it there.

“Ah,” she managed, “I think I’ll resume my seat.”

“Very wise,” Acair said.

She walked back to where she’d come from, then turned and sat down heavily. When had the damned place become so terribly cold?

“Who are you?” Her voice broke on the last word, but she didn’t imagine Acair would care. She felt cold and frightened and very, very lost. “In truth.”

He rose, took off his cloak, then walked across the dungeon and draped that cloak around her. He hesitated.

“I could sit next to you,” he offered. “Warmer that way, if the thought isn’t utterly repulsive.”

She studied him for a moment or two. “Not very good at the chivalry thing, are you?”

He sighed. “My manners are generally much better than this, no thanks to my mother. Blame her for their occasional lack and my father for my terrible arrogance and evil intentions. But given that I’m not completely without the odd, redeeming moment of pleasantness, I’ll sit next to you and keep you warm.”

“Fair enough.” She patted the spot next to her and found that she wasn’t unhappy for a bit of company. She considered for a moment or two, then looked at him. “Will they hurt my horse? You know, after they put us to death.”

“They won’t put us to death,” he said with a snort. “Ehrne will bluster about it, but he won’t actually do anything. At the very least I’ll see that you are set safely across the border. Once you’re there, go east to Lake Cladach. Seek out Prince Sgath and tell him what madness Ehrne is about. He’ll fetch your horse for you.” He looked at her. “He is my father’s father, but I’m not sure you should give him my name as a character, if you know what I mean. He is a good man, though.”

She felt her mouth become suddenly quite dry. “And you?” she asked. “What will they do with you?”

He pursed his lips. “Absolutely nothing.” He nodded toward the spell in the corner. “I am examining that beast there for flaws even as we speak. When Ehrne sends men to come fetch me, he will find them returning empty-handed . . . or not at all.” He looked at her seriously. “I don’t fancy ending my life here.”

She considered what troubled her most for rather a long time before she managed to look at him. “Is what the king said about you true?”

“Well—”

“Don’t you think that since I already heard a lifetime’s worth of your achievements upstairs, that thing over there won’t mind if you fill in the bits the lads upstairs missed?”

Acair looked at the spell folded neatly in the corner, then looked at her. He shifted a little on the stone, but not farther away, which surprised her. She didn’t argue. She was freezing and miserable and even rusty chivalry was very welcome.

“What the king said about me was true,” he said with a sigh.

“And those other two, er—”

“Elves,” he supplied.

She shook her head. “I refuse to believe it, but go on. Don’t forget what those other two said.”

He slid her a sideways look. “You don’t have anything approaching the proper respect for my terrible reputation.”

“You saved my horse, not once but twice. How bad can you be?”

“I’m worse,” he said, “something of which I was extremely proud in the past.”

“I don’t think you sound any worse than your average rich man’s spoiled son,” she said. “Ever lusting after power and gold.”

He sighed. “You weren’t listening very carefully, something for which I find myself surprisingly grateful.”

Actually, she had listened quite carefully, openmouthed and absolutely stunned at what she was hearing. If the king of the, ah, elves was to be believed, Acair had been cutting a swath across the Nine Kingdoms for decades, leaving behind in his wake destruction, the thefts of priceless treasures, and an ever-growing collection of important people who wanted him dead.

“How old are you?”

He looked at her in surprise. “After all you’ve heard, that’s what you want to know?”