The White Spell (Nine Kingdoms #10)(99)

“Quite charming, actually.”

Miach glanced at Acair, raised his eyebrows briefly, then turned back to her. “He has done some terrible things, you know,” he said seriously.

“Haven’t we all?”

Miach smiled faintly. “Acair’s level of terrible is quite a bit worse than the usual bit of misbehaving.”

Acair glared at him. “And that is useful, how?”

“I just thought it needed to be said before I let you through the gates. I believe I’m the least of your worries once you find yourself with them locked behind you. Don’t want you to be surprised by your lack of welcome. I’m not sure Morgan is terribly fond of you.”

“She can name the slight and I’ll apologize for it.”

“Will you mean it, I wonder?”

Acair looked at him evenly. “It is difficult for a man to change when everyone around him continues to throw his past in his face.”

“Do you want to change that past, I wonder?”

“Ye gads, nay,” Acair said without hesitation. “I’m simply pointing out that ’tis difficult to change one’s future when one is continually reminded of one’s failings. If I ever wanted to change, which I do not, I would find this unwholesome habit from so many to be quite off-putting.”

Miach looked at Léirsinn. “How have you managed to come this far with him? I think I would have smothered him in his sleep long before now.”

“Willpower and a very strong stomach.”

Miach laughed. “I daresay.” He turned to Acair. “I suppose you will behave if I let you inside, won’t you?”

“Wouldn’t think to do otherwise.”

Miach’s look of skepticism was hard to miss. “I suppose we’ll see, won’t we? At the very least, I think we should see your lady inside the walls. You and I can then speak privately. “

“You may speak freely in front of her,” Acair said, sitting down wearily on a stump across from them. “Ehrne gave her an exhaustive list of my adventures.”

“Ehrne?” Miach repeated. “When did you see him?”

“We landed on the wrong side of his border and please don’t force me to give you the details now. Let’s just say that Léirsinn has heard more than she needed to and anything she didn’t already hear is exactly the sort of thing you don’t need to tell her.”

Miach stared at him for several long minutes in silence, then looked at Léirsinn. “Has he been unkind to you?”

“Nay,” she said, surprised at the question. “The epitome of chivalry. Well,” she amended, “what he claims he can manage of it. I’ve little experience with it, so I’m taking his word that he’s not very good at it. I haven’t had any complaints about his behavior, though. He has bought me several meals, rescued me from what would surely have been my murder, and taken me to visit Hearn of Angesand. Heady stuff, that.”

“But,” Miach began slowly, “you realize he’s toppled thrones, left realms in disarray, stolen priceless treasures, and generally wreaked havoc simply because he could, don’t you?”

“Not recently, I don’t think.”

“That’s because he doesn’t have any magic he can use.”

“I don’t,” Acair said crisply, “which is, again, why we have come to your humble abode to find the man who can change all that. If we could leave off with the chit-chat, I’ll be about that, then we’ll be on our way.”

“Rùnach isn’t here,” Miach said mildly.

“I’m talking about Soilléir!”

“I knew that.” Miach winked at Léirsinn. “I’m annoying him because I can. I’m the youngest, you know, so it comes quite naturally to me. Don’t know why Acair doesn’t feel a bond with me over that.”

“You didn’t have my brothers,” Acair said darkly.

“You didn’t spend your youth with Adhémar,” Miach said dryly.

Acair paused, then nodded. “You’re right. You had it worse. Now, to the material point, which is where is that damned Soilléir? I want to talk to him and the sooner the better.”

“He’s not here.”

Léirsinn supposed that if he hadn’t had a decent amount of balance, Acair would have simply fallen backward off the stump he was sitting on. He gaped at Miach, his mouth working for several moments with no sound issuing forth, as if he simply couldn’t latch onto any useful thing to say.

“That bloody whoreson,” he managed finally.

“I believe he had business elsewhere—”

“He didn’t, damn him to hell,” Acair growled. “That vaunted sight of his told him, I’m quite sure, that I was stumbling after him as best I could. He is doing this apurpose simply to make my life hell.”

“Well, that might be possible,” Miach agreed. “I think I can find him, if you can give me a few hours. You can sit in front of my fire and keep a weather eye out for any of my brothers who might want to murder you.”

“At least I would have an idea who wants me dead,” Acair said grimly. “I’m honestly at a loss about anyone else.”

“I’ll leave you with ink and paper,” Miach said solemnly. “You can make a list. I think you can leave me off it, though.”