Page 70 of Song of the Shadow Prince
“Nice.” I nodded. “Do you think you can do us another favor?”
He laughed, his eye twinkling. “You don’t even have to ask. Yes, I’ll stay here.”
I sighed in relief. “Thank you so much, Garrick! I could kiss you right about now!”
He held up a hand. “Please don’t.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s just a saying, dude. I didn’t mean I was actually going to do it.”
“Good.” He eyed me warily. “Anyway, you two should probably get going. Dusk is approaching and I didn’t see a carriage, so I assume you walked here?”
“Yes, we did,” Maeve answered.
“Go before it gets dark,” he said. “I’ll search the house for the coin and send a raven once I find it.”
“Thank you, Garrick, truly.” I took Maeve’s hand and led her to the door. “We’ll be in touch.”
Maeve and I stepped out of the house and started down the road just as the sun was setting. The temperature had steadily dropped, and since we didn’t have cloaks, we huddled close and hurriedly walked back to the west side of the Northern District, very much aware of the eyes that undoubtedly followed.
The path back to the Ryder residence took us through a quieter, more secluded part of town where the sounds were muted and the usual hustle of daily life dwindled as people retreated into the warmth of their homes. The occasional bark of a distant dog or soft clatter of a cart rolling over cobblestones punctuated the stillness, reminding us that even in the cooling evening, life continued unabated.
We passed under arching branches of ancient, gnarled trees, their leaves a vibrant tapestry of fall colors. A brisk wind whipped our hair and whispered through the leaves, making the branches creak and sway. The sound was both soothing and eerie, as if the trees were speaking in hushed tones.
Despite the beauty of twilight hours, a palpable tension rested between our shoulder blades, an unspoken awareness that we were being watched. The sensation was unsettling andwe quickened our pace, our footsteps echoing sharply against the stone pathways. Every shadow seemed to stretch towards us with grasping fingers, every flicker of movement in our peripheral vision made us glance back, searching for any sign of followers.
“My lady?” Maeve whispered.
“Shh.” I hurried her forward.
The taste of fear was subtle but distinct, a metallic tang at the back of our throats as we navigated the dimming light. Fear wasn’t an emotion I gave into often, but Mirabelwasa witch. I wasn’t delusional enough to believe I could overcome her unless we fought in hand-to-hand combat. Honestly, I was surprised she didn’t stay behind to search the house on her own. Why would she follow us home? Maybe she knew Garrick and didn’t want to tangle with him. Either way, she was with us now.
Another curve in the path, and the Ryder residence came into view. I nudged Maeve forward. “Go!” I urgently whispered.
She turned to face me, her expressive eyes wide and confused. “My lady?”
“I’ll be there soon.”
Fear etched her face, but I gave her a reassuring look and pushed her toward the house. I sighed in relief when she entered the estate. Spinning on my heels, I turned to face the seemingly empty street and clapped my hands.
“All right, you can come out now!” I called out. “You followed us all the way here, you might as well make yourself known.”
After a moment or two of silence, Mirabel slunk out of the shadows and walked closer. Wearing a long black dress that seemed to pull color from the gloom, the enigmatic witch’s dark eyes flashed. “You knew?”
I snorted. “You were fairly obvious, Mirabel.”
The witch frowned. “But you’re human! You shouldn’t have been able to tell I was there. If I’d known, I would have concealedmyself with magic.” Her eyes narrowed, displeased she wasn’t as stealthy as she thought she was.
“Do that next time,” I said with a chuckle. “Now what do you want? You followed us all the way home, so you obviously want something.”
Mirabel crossed her skinny arms and bristled. “You don’t trust me,” the witch stated matter-of-factly.
I shrugged but stayed silent.
“You enlisted Garrick the Betrayer, of all people, to ward your home from me. You know I cannot fight him off!” she scoffed.
I tilted my head and smirked. “I didn’t realize you were someone I needed to fight off.”
She opened her mouth and closed it, then opened it again. “I didn’t mean—”
