The Blood Forest (Tree of Ages #3)(22)

“Try to be calm,” Iseult instructed as he approached. “It will soothe her in turn.” He imagined the same principles would apply to dragons as horses. They could sense their master’s moods. If you wanted a calm, obedient horse, you had to be calm and in control . . . qualities with which Iseult rarely struggled.

Finn nodded frantically, clutching the writhing dragon in her arms. Naoki grunted and squirmed, but at least seemed to be aware of her mother’s delicate skin. She incurred no scrapes as Kai had.

Finn’s chest beneath her blouse and corset rose and fell with deep breaths. Her eyes drifted closed and the dragon began to calm. Iseult forced his own breathing to slow, though he knew they were running out of time.

Kai tip-toed further into the room and lifted a cloak off the small bed, then helped Finn gently wrap it around Naoki before guiding them both out of the room. Once they were all in the hall, Kai took the lead, stepping lightly on the wooden flooring as he guided them past the entrance Iseult had come through and down a narrow hall, ending in a door with a heavy wooden bar across it.

Together Kai and Iseult moved the bar, and the three of them, plus one dragon, hurried out into the darkening night.

Avoiding the main thoroughfare, they made their way toward the town gates where their companions would hopefully be waiting with extra horses. Iseult knew it was unlikely that Ainfean would have enough horses to suit everyone, but a few extras would do. Finn had already proven she was comfortable riding with her friend, Bedelia, and the other two women could double up as well.

A million other thoughts ran through Iseult’s mind as they crept through the darkness. They had gathered enough supplies in the remains of Migris to last them roughly five days, seven at most. He would have liked to resupply more before leaving the port town, but it was not worth the risk. If An Fiach was looking specifically for Kai and Finn, everyone was in danger.

That led him to another disturbing thought. Why would An Fiach be looking for those two in particular? It didn’t make any sense. The purpose of the Hunt was to track down the Faie.

Distant shouts suddenly caught his ear, bringing his thoughts to the present.

“It’s coming from the direction of the gates,” Kai whispered, his eyes darting about their dark surroundings.

Iseult nodded. “More soldiers were likely waiting outside. They may have stopped the others.”

“What’s our plan?” Kai questioned.

“I’ll scout ahead,” he replied, hating the idea, but knowing it was the best one. “Do not leave Finn’s side.”

Finn watched the whole exchange wide-eyed, clutching her dragon like a child.

He hoped he was making the right decision.

“We’ll continue on cautiously,” Kai whispered, more to Finn than to Iseult.

Still, he nodded, then took off at a jog.

Nearing the riverbank, he pushed his body to move faster. A row of buildings concealed him from the main road, but occasional doors opened in the backs of homes and establishments. To his left, the River Cair thundered, too wide and violent to be used as a possible means of escape. The shouting seemed to be dying down to be replaced by the low murmur of arguing voices.

Nearing the final buildings and stables before the gates, Iseult slowed, his hand on the pommel of his short sword. He peered around the nearest building to see a dozen or so figures silhouetted in the moonlight. He recognized Maarav first, arguing with another man, though he could not tell if the man with whom his brother argued was wearing the customary dark brown uniform of An Fiach. Several more men stood in a line, near a row of horses tied to a horizontal post.

“We are but simple travelers,” he heard Maarav explain, “hoping to make it to the next town before our caravan departs without us. The only way we will accomplish that is to travel through the night. We only stopped here to purchase more horses.”

“No one leaves until the Captain approves it,” the man said in reply.

Iseult sighed. Now that they’d drawn attention to themselves, there was no way Kai and Finn would be able to depart with everyone else. He was prepared to turn around to report his findings, when Maarav cocked back his fist and punched the soldier square in the nose. Chaos erupted, accompanied by the metallic sound of blades being drawn.

He debated going back for Kai and Finn, but adrenaline and instinct took over. He drew his blade and launched himself out of hiding and into the fray. They needed to end this before the other soldiers could rush out of the taverns and inns. Hopefully Kai and Finn would see what was happening, and would use the distraction to sneak out on their own.

Iseult’s blade met with another man’s, just before he could bring it down across Anna’s back. He couldn’t help but think, as he turned to knock another man in the head with the pommel of his sword, that he should have left Maarav and the others behind, escorting Finn to safety. A fainter, secondary thought coursed through his mind, that by the gods, it felt good to enter into battle again, for a cause that truly mattered.



Kai could hear the sound of blades meeting, and the thudding of footsteps as the fight broke out. Since Iseult had not returned to them, he knew he must have joined the fray, which meant the rest of their party was also involved.

“We shouldn’t go any closer,” he whispered, his back pressed against the wooden wall of a guard tower beside Finn’s.

“They may need our help,” Finn argued, moving to peer around the building. Naoki was beginning to struggle against her grasp. Finn had shown no change in attitude at his proclamation of love, and he half wondered if she’d even heard him. He truly hadn’t expected her to return the sentiment, but she could have at least said something. Of course, he’d only said that Malida thought he was in love, not that he actually was.