“I’m sorry,” she managed. “Can we help you?”
She felt herself moving closer to Rori, draping the lingering essence of her glamour around him the way a mother hen uses her wings to draw her chicks beneath her. Seren let her magic simmer up a little, ready to use it for ill will instead of good if need be. Diluted menace and ill-purpose poured off these two men. It was the same dark coldness that showed itself in Brenn sometimes, only this murkiness felt more fiercely imbedded. Where she had been able to banish one man’s demons for a span of nearly a week, she was almost certain that such a feat would be impossible with these strangers.
The tall, older man let the hood of his cloak fall back. Cold blue eyes raked over her, leaving their chill behind. She fought the urge to shudder. Once through with scrutinizing her, his gaze flicked to Rori. Without warning, he flung his hand forward, throwing something in Rori’s direction. Seren gasped, but she wasn’t fast enough to block the object’s trajectory. But she didn’t have to. The projectile, a dark leather drawstring bag about the size of a coin purse, fell harmlessly to the snow. Rori had stepped out of its way just in time.
Seren shot her eyes back to the two men. The younger one was slowly running his eyes up and down her body, the press of his gaze so intense she could almost feel it, like worms crawling over her skin. The man who had thrown the bag was smiling, fire welling up in his blue eyes.
Panic and fear pierced Seren’s heart as a dreadful realization poured over her. It had been a test. They had been standing there long enough to see what she had done with Rori, had probably even overheard what she had said, and now they knew her secret.
“Rori,” Seren said, drawing herself up to her full height and telling herself to be brave, “go inside and wait for me there.”
“But–” Rori began.
Seren wheeled around, her eyes blazing and her voice holding more authority than she thought possible.
“Go!” she hissed, her fists clenched at her sides.
Whether it was due to the shock of her sudden fierceness, or the realization that he would not win this argument, Rori nodded and headed back to the house.
When Seren turned back around it was to find the men studying her once again.
“A pretty thing, despite the strange skin tone,” the younger man was saying.
Bile crawled up Seren’s throat. What were they going to do to her?
“Don’t be a letch, Baird,” the older man growled, giving his friend a nasty look.
The blond shrugged and snorted. “A man can look, can’t he?”
Seren had no desire to spend any more time listening to them argue.
“What do you want?” she snapped.
The bearded man plastered on a smile that oozed false kindness, and said in a lighter tone, “Is the master of the house around? We have business with him.”
Seren opened her mouth to answer, wondering if she should tell the truth. If she said yes, they would probably demand to see him. Or, more likely, it was another test. Did they really have business with Brenn, or were they gauging whether or not she and Rori were here alone?
Weighing her options, she took a deep breath and decided on honesty.
“Brenn isn’t home right now. He left early for a hunting trip, but he should be back soon.”
There. She had told the truth, but hopefully the possibility of his impending return might discourage them from doing anything nefarious.
“Oh, Brenn is it?” the one called Baird crooned. “Are you his lover?”
Seren felt her face flush.
“No,” she ground out.
“Then what are you doing here? I’ve not seen your likes around Dundoire Hollow before. Surely there are better prospects for you there.”
Baird ran his eyes up and down her body again and made to move forward. The older man reached out a hand and captured his arm in a vice-like grip. Baird threw him a nasty look but his friend shook his head once. The younger man opened his mouth, to snarl something at his companion, Seren guessed, but something the old man did made him cry out in pain and fall back.
As casually as a neighbor strolling over for a chat, the old man moved closer, leaving Baird to curl over his arm and whimper in pain. Seren swallowed down her fear. Whatever he had done, it had been done with dark glamour. She could feel it crackling through the air like lightning.
“Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier,” the man said in a calm voice, “I am Uscias, and this is Baird.”
Although he was doing his best to exude friendliness, Seren knew better, perhaps more than most. After living with people just like him for most of her life, she could sense an impending attack from a mile away. Just like her peers back in the Weald, this man fed her pretty words and approached her with gentle steps, all a ruse to hide the fact he was simply waiting, tensing for the perfect moment to strike.
Seren moved back as he moved forward. When he realized what she was doing, Uscias stopped advancing, his smile tightening.
“You have no need to fear me,” he said.
“I believe I have every reason to fear you,” Seren answered boldly, her eyes fixed on him.
In fact, Seren had been so focused on keeping Uscias in her sights, she didn’t notice a recovered Baird until he pounced. While the older man was distracting her, his younger companion had crept past her blind spot. He now had her in a tight grip, one arm clasped around her middle, the other pressing her shoulders to his chest.
Seren gasped and reached up to claw at his arm. Unfortunately, he had leather bracers strapped on beneath his long-sleeved shirt. There was no way she was going to get free.
Baird leaned down and pressed his face into her neck. He inhaled deeply and trailed his tongue over her skin.
Revulsion poured through Seren, and she tried kicking out with her feet. It was no use. Baird clearly had experience in incapacitating people. His hold tightened, just enough to make it slightly difficult for her to breathe.
“Behave, little lass,” he murmured against her ear, “and it won’t get any worse for you, or the boy.”
Upon hearing mention of Rori, she stopped her struggle. Pride urged her to fight this bastard off, but her concern for Rori was stronger.
Uscias, who had been watching the entire exchange, stepped in now that she had stopped thrashing.
“What was it you just did with the boy?”
Seren didn’t answer, so Baird squeezed her tighter. She gasped in pain as his arm constricted her ribs and attempted to flatten her lungs.
“I know the boy is blind. Everyone in Dundoire Hollow knows it,” the man continued. “We heard you on our way up telling him something about a gift you have, and now he can see?”
Seren shook her head, her pulse pounding in her temples.
“No,” she rasped. “You misunderstand. He had a headache, and I offered to try to make it go away with my glamour. It burns hot sometimes, and I thought maybe I could ease his pain with a little heat.”
Uscias donned that cold grin again and moved in close so his face was mere inches from Seren’s. “I can smell a lie the way a vulture scents carrion, lass, and you reek of it.”
He shot an arm forward then, moving much faster than a man of his age should be able to. His long, bony fingers, as ice cold as the snow beneath their feet, grasped her chin.
“I know Roarke will be gone at least until mid-afternoon, so there is no point in trying to tell me otherwise. He left before dawn, and the area where he plans on hunting with that fool O’Seanain is a good distance away. You and the boy are here alone, helpless and vulnerable. Now,” he drew back just a little, releasing her chin and giving her some space, “I want you to listen to what I have to say. Do not interrupt, for I will not repeat myself. Do you understand?”
Seren nodded to the best of her ability, swallowing back her fear. How did they know where Brenn had gone?
Uscias continued, “I have been watching this house and this property for quite some time now. I know when Roa
rke leaves and when he returns. I know how his routine differs from day to day. I know where I can find the boy most afternoons, and I know where to find you as well, my dear. And you have piqued my interest. It is only now that I understand why.”
Seren shivered at that. He had been spying on them? Was this the man responsible for attacking the chicken coop?
“The mistletoe,” Seren managed, ignoring his rules regarding interruptions. “There is mistletoe placed on the perimeter of the property. Mistletoe infused with the magic of a Druid.”
Uscias laughed then and stretched to his full height.
“Do you hear that, Baird? The stupid lass thinks Solstice mistletoe will keep her safe.”
Baird made some crude remark and let the hand gripping her ribs wander too freely. Seren bit her cheek, her rage and fear boiling up once more. She struggled against him and tried kicking his knee. Baird cursed and returned his hand to where it had been before.
Uscias clucked his tongue and refocused on Seren. “If Brennon Roarke thought to use my own mistletoe against me, then he is a greater fool than I give him credit for.”
Seren felt her heart plummet. So, this Uscias was a Druid. She knew very little about the spiritual guides of Eile, but it would explain the man’s advanced age.
“Enough talking, Uscias. Are we going to take her or not?” Baird growled.
A new wave of panic threatened to buckle Seren’s knees. They meant to kidnap her? What would become of Rori? What would Brenn think when he returned? Would Rori tell him about the men? Would he come looking for her? Would he even know where to look? But if Brenn did try to help her, he might get hurt. These men clearly hated him.
“No,” Uscias snapped. “If we do, the boy will inform his uncle of our visit. He’ll know we took her.”
“Well, then let’s take the boy, too,” Baird insisted.
Uscias shook his head. “He will know for certain we are behind it,” the Druid muttered. “I wish to avoid a confrontation with Roarke if possible.”
“Then what do you propose? We can’t just leave her here after what she’s heard!” Baird complained. “She’ll tell Roarke for sure!”
“Yes, we can leave her,” Uscias snarled, rounding on the young man. Baird’s grip tightened as he leaned back slightly. Seren whimpered.
The Druid returned his frosty gaze to the Fahndi woman. “And she will tell Roarke nothing of our visit because if she does, we will make life extraordinarily miserable for him and that little bastard he loves so much.”
Seren felt the color drain from her face. There was so much malicious intent in his voice that she believed him. The darkness she had sensed earlier unfurled behind his eyes, like black thunderheads on the horizon. He was powerful, she had no doubt about that. Far more powerful than her. As angry as she was at being handled so forcefully, the fear she felt for Brenn and Rori was stronger. She would do almost anything to keep them from harm.
For the second time that morning, she asked, “What do you want?”
“Very good,” Uscias crooned with a smile. “Your cooperation makes things much easier.”
Seren said nothing more, partly because Baird’s grip had tightened again and partly because she didn’t want to give the Druid the satisfaction.
“In three days’ time, you will meet us at the crossroads, beyond the gates of Dundoire Hollow. It’s an hour’s walk from Ardun, heading northeast on the main road.”
“And what is it you plan on doing with me?” she pressed, although she feared his answer.
Uscias’ eyes gleamed. “You will be preventing the premature deaths of Brennon Roarke and Rori O’Faolain. That is all you need to know.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” she hissed, struggling against Baird once again and managing to get one arm free.
Her glamour flared beside her heart, and she wanted nothing more than to unleash its wrath on these men. But she knew she didn’t stand a chance against the Druid’s power, and she had no idea what kind of glamour Baird wielded. Instead, she curled her hand into a fist and pounded it against Baird’s chest. Grunting, he took her assault before managing to grab her once again, pinning her arms to her sides. She gave up her fight soon after that. Right now, her only chance of keeping both Brenn and Rori safe was to agree to Uscias’ terms.
“Calm yourself, lass,” Baird said, his arms becoming steel. “Don’t want Roarke to come back and develop any suspicions. We’ll be watching and listening. If we get wind of his finding out about our little arrangement before you have a chance to leave for our meeting, then the deal is off.”
“Then why give me time to consider your offer at all?” she demanded.
“I believe in fair play,” Uscias answered, with a sniff.
If she hadn’t been desperately trying not to collapse into a puddle of dread and fear, Seren would have laughed.
“Fair play!” she cried instead, struggling to breathe against Baird’s grasp. “How is blackmail and threatening to commit murder fair play?”
Uscias shrugged, as if her question had been an overly tedious one.
“I will not kill Roarke if I don’t have to, as tempting as it is. He is an outcast in Dundoire Hollow, but he still has enough friends to raise a fuss if he turns up dead. I’d rather avoid the headache. And believe it or not, I loathe the idea of murdering a child, especially a half-blind one, but I will do what I must to get what I want.”
“And what is that?” Seren demanded.
The Druid’s smile was cold and calculating this time. “You’ll find out, little lass,” he replied, “in three days’ time. Meet us at the crossroads at noon. The main road will bring you there. Head east and continue past Dundoire Hollow. If you wish to protect your precious farmer and his nephew, you’ll be there.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Decision
The Druid and his apprentice had left hours ago, but Seren still couldn’t shake the cold that had seeped into her skin, despite her proximity to the fire. Instead, she paced, going over the events of the day in her head for what felt like the thousandth time. After evading her questions, Uscias had ordered Baird to let her go. The vile man had groped her one more time before dropping her like a sack of potatoes. If not for the fact Brenn’s and Rori’s lives hung in the balance, she would have kicked him in places that would stay sore for days. Instead, she’d scrambled through the snow until just out of his reach, glaring at both men as they wandered back to the main road like wraiths passing into the nether realm. Seren stared after them for a good fifteen minutes, just to be safe, then ran into the house to find Rori. She located the boy kneeling before the fire, his eyes fixed on the flames.
“Rori?” she called out softly.
“I can almost see the colors now, Seren,” he said with great wonder. “I can tell when one flame flickers to the right or climbs twice as high as the others.”
Despite the anxiety, rage and fear eating away at her, Seren smiled. She could not regret what she’d done for this boy. Even if she never brought his sight back completely, he would have at least this small gift to help him make his way through life.
She stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched, ever so slightly.
“They’re gone, Rori. You don’t have to worry anymore.”
“What did they want?” he asked in a small voice.
Seren took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had decided what to tell him before returning to the house.
“Oh, some business with your uncle about planting crops in one of his fields. They said they’d come back later when he’s home.”
Rori didn’t relax as she thought he might, and something in her gut told her he didn’t fully believe her story. But he didn’t question her, and she left it at that. A few minutes later he yawned, telling her he was sleepy. Seren jumped at the chance to be left alone with her thoughts.
“You know what, spending time out in the snow will do that, and I bet what I did with my glamour drained you even more. How a
bout you go upstairs and take a nap? I’ll wake you when Brenn returns from his hunt.”
“Aren’t you tired too, Seren?” Rori asked, regarding her with new eyes.
She nodded. “I am. But I think I’ll get something to eat before I get some sleep myself.”
Rori smiled, his eyes droopy, and stood up. He leaned in and gave Seren a hug. “I love you, Seren,” he murmured into her shirt. “Even if you hadn’t been able to heal my eyes a bit.”
The tears threatening her all morning finally rose and fell down her cheeks. She didn’t try to stop them this time. She didn’t have the energy. And Rori’s words had struck a chord deep within her heart. Only her mother had ever said those words to her. She never dreamed of hearing them from anyone else.
Now, as she wore a trench in the stone floor, those words burned brightly in her mind. She loved Rori, too. And his uncle. That thought brought her up short, and her breath caught in her throat. Did she? Love Brennon? Yes, she knew she did, on some level. But did she love him enough to give herself over to two men who planned to do gods knew what to her?
Seren stopped her pacing and took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind. She had to think this through. She couldn’t simply react on emotion alone. Turning and staring into the fire, she began to go over what she knew. The Druid and his friend had an agenda with regards to Brenn, one in which they were willing to kill him and Rori, if necessary. Due to their spying, and because of her own carelessness, they now knew she had a weakness, and they were willing to use that weakness against her. If she complied with their wishes, she would meet some cruel fate. She was certain of it. But if she refused, they would somehow hurt Brenn and Rori. She could tell Brennon, but what good would that do? Was his glamour powerful enough to fight off a Druid? She doubted it. The last thing Seren wanted to do was walk meekly into their hands like a victim. The new, reborn woman inside of her wanted to fight with tooth and nail, so much different than the young fawn she’d been the day she’d fled the Weald those many weeks ago.
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