Page 143 of The Shadow Path
Lachlan answered, “He’s coordinating with my father in Alba.”
Winnie blinked. “Oh, so you really are it.”
She didn’t have to sound quite that disappointed. Carys still had a dragon.
That dragon was simply flying ahead of her because he would not be going through a suspicious fae gate opened by a wandering fae prince who was reluctantly helping them.
And he wasn’t exactly thrilled that Carys was going through it either, but she had orders from Dafydd.
Carys turned to face the front of the barge as it headed up the foggy Tamis. They were accompanied by Winnie’s personal guard of sixty soldiers along with horses for Winnie, Dru, Carys, and Lachlan.
The rest of the massive barge was filled with the wild fae that had aligned with Dru over the past week.
There were fae of every size and shape riding on the barge. Tall creatures who looked more like trees than people. Flyingsprites that buzzed overhead and squat creatures who looked more like rocks or tree stumps than anything human.
There were fae that reminded Carys of ellyllon and others that were tall and graceful. There were fae with wings and some with hands that looked more like roots.
A few wore their hair in long braids, and some had no hair at all.
And all through the river, beside them and below them, she could feel magic. Mermin and serpents. Otters and selkies. Carys even thought she’d spotted what looked like a kelpie on the edge of the fog.
It was a hodgepodge of an army, but Carys hoped they had more magic than it looked like. She’d seen pictures in Dafydd’s library of fae armies, and they looked terrifying.
The drifting scent of rotting carcasses told her they were heading deeper into Anglian farm country where there weren’t as many dragons to burn the animals that had died.
Dozens of barges filled with Anglian troops moved silently behind them.
“Where is the fae gate?” Lachlan asked Dru.
“Just up ahead.”
“And why is it on the river?” Winnie asked. “I’ve never been through a river gate before. Does it go from water to water? Is that how it works? Or are we going to end up stuck in the middle of a forest somewhere, standing on a bunch of boats?”
Dru cracked a smile, his gleaming teeth contrasting with the blue sigils that grew darker and darker the farther they moved up the river. “You are amusing, Lady Wynnflad,” he said. “My power is greatest on the water. The gate that I have created will take us to the Saris Avon. From there your soldiers will only have a few miles to march.”
“Good. Do you have any sense where your brother is?” she asked.
“Not right now.” Dru’s eyes narrowed on a fogbank that appeared before them. “But soon.”
Carys turned and stared into the fog.Cadell, we’re going in.
I still don’t like this.
You could always shift and?—
No.
Carys smiled despite the grim atmosphere of the morning.Is King Harold in the air?
He is in the war coracle with Lady Anwyn.
Good.
The surly human is with me. He complains constantly. Is he always going to be like this?
Might not be as bad once we’re out of mortal danger.
Carys saw the fog grow so dense it was as if they were walking into a wall of clouds. Lights flashed behind the dense mist, and Dru began to sing a low song as the barge silently approached.
