The Blood Forest (Tree of Ages #3)(46)
“In time,” was all Niklas said in reply.
Anders frowned, thinking of the red-haired woman they’d met in the high wing of the Archive. Niklas had planned a meeting with her, but surely he didn’t expect Anders to come.
He glanced at his companion, noting his eerie smile on skin suddenly returned to ghostly pale. He knew the Travelers always kept their deals, but often not in the way one might hope. He was a fool to trust Niklas at all, but what else could he have done?
Sighing, he turned his gaze to the long road ahead. He was a victim of circumstance, caught up in a game he could not escape. He had never really believed in fate, but only an overpowering force like destiny could put a man’s life in such horrible shambles. His father had always told him destiny was a cruel mistress. His father was a wise man.
Chapter Ten
Bedelia chewed her lip, unable to deny her body the small expression of anxiety. She had been prepared to divulge everything to Iseult. To let him be her judge, and perhaps her executioner. Then they’d had to leave Badenmar so quickly she hadn’t the chance to explain herself.
Now he eyed her warily, clearly desiring a moment to speak alone. While she was grateful he hadn’t forced her to speak in front of their entire group, the prolonged tension was making her ill. She was more frightened of telling Finn the truth than she was of Keiren, óengus, and all of the Faie combined, but she refused to cower from her punishment. If Iseult did not kill her, Keiren would. She knew her fate. The least she could do was die with honor.
She glanced at Iseult and Finn. Finn was slumped forward against Iseult’s back, fast asleep. She must have been exhausted from whatever she’d done to heal Kai. Those details, however, would likely never be explained once they’d discovered her dastardly truth.
“I believe it’s safe to stop now,” Anna groaned. “Surely An Fiach will not be able to track us all this way over such rocky terrain.”
Bedelia was not sure about that, but stopping sounded nice. It was only late midday, but they’d been traveling since morning. Her legs felt stiff, her back was sore, and she knew the others must have been feeling the same, especially Sativola, who hadn’t undergone any miraculous healing like Kai.
Without a word, Iseult drew his horse to a halt and dismounted, then helped a sleepy Finn down from the saddle behind him, taking her effortlessly in his arms before walking a few paces and setting her down on the stump of a massive felled tree. She rubbed at her eyes, then hunched forward, encasing her knees in the drape of her cloak.
Everyone else dismounted, but kept their horses near should a quick escape be needed. Small rations of cured lamb and dried fruit were passed around, then everyone settled in on the rocky ground to rest their weary bones.
Bedelia avoided eye contact with Iseult, hoping he would not choose this moment to pull her aside. All she wanted in that moment was to be still, to rest her arms and legs, and fill her belly. Setting her remaining portion of fruit on the leg of her breeches, she lifted her arms over her head to stretch, keeping the end of Rada’s reins in one palm, though the animal was not likely to run off.
With a sigh, she began to lower her arms, then searing pain shot through her shoulder. Finn screamed and jumped up from her stump to rush toward her, but Iseult intercepted her and shielded her with his body.
Feeling dumbstruck as everyone drew their weapons, Bedelia looked down at her shoulder to see the shiny tip of an arrow protruding through the cloth of her tunic, which slowly became saturated with blood.
Finn screamed as another arrow cut through the air, narrowly missing her chest as Iseult spun her aside. Had An Fiach found them so soon? She caught brief glimpses of figures surrounding them, bows and weapons raised. She clung to Iseult’s arm around her waist, half wanting to fight against him to aid Bedelia, and half wanting to remain near him where she felt safe.
She whipped her head from side to side, trying to keep all of their attackers within sight. Their foe slowly closed in around them, revealing themselves to be not An Fiach, but the oddly armored riders they’d seen near the valley.
Their helmets were made of dull silver metal, curving upward artfully like symmetrical ocean waves away from delicate-boned faces. Their body armor was composed of plates of the same type of metal, with overlapping points like the scales of a spined lizard. One stepped forward from the rest, his narrow eyes intent on Finn. He lifted his odd helmet from his head, revealing large, pointed ears, and black hair like spider silk. His skin was as pale and smooth as a freshly made snowbank.
He knelt and bowed his head, obscuring his face with his silken hair. “Forgive me. I did not realize we were attacking one of the Dair until it was too late.”
Finn pulled away from Iseult, her hand raised to her mouth in surprise. Bedelia hobbled to Finn’s other side, arrow still protruding from her shoulder.
“Who are you?” Finn asked, hoping her ignorance would not incite further attack. They’d only fired a few arrows so far, but had ceased as soon as they’d gotten close.
The man before her stood, bracing his helmet beneath one armored arm. His eyes were a deep blue, reminding Finn of the sea right before a storm hit. “I am Eywen, and we are the Aos Sí,” he explained. “You have trespassed on our lands, a penalty punishable by death, but we did not realize one of the Dair would travel with,” he hesitated, glancing around at the rest of her party, “humans.”