Page 64 of The Shadow Path
“I’m nêrys ddraig,” Carys said. “Admittedly, it’s an unusual situation, but the magic does what it wants, I guess.”
“You feign ignorance of your blood? Fine.” Ruda turned her and pulled her close, wrapping a long arm around Carys’s waist as they waited in the middle of the column for the others to pass through. “Your secret is your business and has no bearing on the fae, but the queen must know if the Crow Mother has gained passage into the Brightlands.”
“I honestly have no idea who you’re talking about or where she might be.” Carys’s mind was spinning and she wanted to shout for Cadell, but she didn’t want to miss what Ruda was saying. “Are you talking about someone from Pauwau Aki? Many people from my home country revere crow gods. I can ask Laura if you want?—”
“Your lack of cooperation is not amusing.” Ruda dropped her right arm, turned in a circle, and gripped Carys’s hand again, tugging her close so they were face-to-face. “If you won’t give Queen Orla a direct answer, she has other ways of finding the truth.”
Carys dropped the innocent expression. “Then I suggest you tell your queen to find those other ways. I know about Regan. I know everything. And I have nothing to say to any of you.”
There was a gold glow that lit Ruda’s eyes for a dark moment, and then the music broke, the dancers clapped politely, and Ruda backed away.
“Lady Carys.” She nodded slightly. “It appears that Seren’s spirit is very much alive. I will be sure to let my queen know.”
Carys smiled and felt a curl of anger unfurl in her belly. “You do that.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cadell and Laura sat across from Carys in her bedroom the next day.
“The fae know what you are?” the dragon asked.
“Theysaythey know what I am.” Carys sipped her coffee and tried to calm her stomach. “Idon’t even know what I am, so they could say whatever they want and we don’t really have any way of disproving it.”
“The only one who may know the truth of your history and your magical abilities is your mother, who is dead.” Cadell glanced at Laura. “We need to speak to someone in Epona’s cult. Followers of the old gods sometimes have oral histories or records that?—”
“I know we both want to find out what the hell I am and why we bonded, but that’s probably not the main priority right now.” Carys’s belly rumbled and she groaned. “Why did I eat so much last night?”
Laura said, “Because the banquet lasted until three in the morning and there’s only so much you can dance?”
The food the night before had been a parade of roasted meats and crispy fish, creamed roots and vegetables, a dozen different cheeses, and honeyed fruit served across a dozen differentcourses that had stretched through the evening. Each course had been served with a different wine, ale, or mead.
Forget her assumptions, Anglian food was amazing.
And Carys’s stomach was in revolt.
Cadell’s appetite clearly hadn’t suffered. Earlier in the morning, he’d devoured the heap of venison sausage the maid brought and was currently picking at the bread as he finished his coffee.
Laura was nibbling on apples, but she was eating light.
“Coffee is it for me today.” Carys set down her cup and rubbed her temples. “I ate enough to last an entire week. What time is the meeting?”
Cadell stared out the window, a frown fixed on his face. “Captain Wynnflad is arriving midmorning with Godrik, purportedly to consult on the market rebuilding project.”
Cadell and Winnie had made their plans to meet the night before, passing messages to Godrik, Lachlan, and the rest of their secret alliance, but that was before Carys had gotten confirmation from Orla’s spokes-fae that a plan was very definitely in the works.
“I know you think that my identity and the source of my magic is important—and it is to us—but right now I think Orla’s scheming is the priority.”
“Orla and Cian, you mean.” Cadell nodded slowly.
Laura said, “From an outsider’s perspective, the Éiren and the fae do have an opportunity if they want to take the advantage.”
Cadell turned to her. “Explain.”
“The islands of Briton have suffered a series of unexpected transitions,” Laura said. “Seren was murdered, and the truth about her death?—”
“Which obviously is still a secret to most people,” Carys said, “but the royal houses all know what really happened.”
“Exactly,” Laura said. “That leaves Cymru without an heir right now.”
