Page 90 of Wind and Water
“It’s dragon wind. You should stop her, Liam. Wren will wear herself out.” Mother nudges me out of my shocked state.
Skirting around the outside of the room, I manage to avoid the dragon wind. I step between Wren and the footboard. “You can stop now, my love. She won’t harm you or anyone else.”
The wind strengthens.
“Wren, we will keep Dierdre from getting away. I swear to you, she will answer for whatever she has done.” Mother’s voice is barely loud enough to breach the roar of the wind.
I try to put my arms around Wren, but magic pulses from her like an aura, and I cannot touch her. “Please, Wren. Let her go.”
As if her arms are on threads, she lowers them slowly, and the dragon wind diminishes.
Father catches Dierdre before she hits the broken furniture strewn beneath her.
“She was hiding in the wardrobe. I opened it to see if my bag was in there, and she leaped out at me with some jeweled knife.” Wren doesn’t take her eyes off Dierdre. “The only reason she didn’t cut me is I clutched some of your clothes and pulled them down on her.”
“She’s a monster.” Dierdre’s mad eyes barely focus as she tries to pull out of my father’s arms. “You saw the wind. She’s a witch like Venora. You’ve made a mistake, Liam. Don’t worry. It’s not too late. You can still send her back to where she came from and make amends. She’s evil.”
Rather than defend herself, Wren crosses her arms and leans back against the bed. Her crystal eyes stay alert and leveled on her attacker, but she does not need to make her case.
Wren risked her life and her soul to be here, and she didn’t have to do it. “No one is sending her back, Dierdre.”
Holding up a hand for silence, Mother steps forward. “Dierdre Byrne, what were you doing in the wardrobe?”
“I was going to surprise Liam.” By the gods, she even manages a blush.
Raising an eyebrow, Mother crosses to the corner where a jeweled athame is stuck into the wall. “What was the ceremonial dagger for?”
Panic widens Dierdre’s eyes, then, an instant later, it’s gone. “It was hers.” She points a bony finger at Wren.
“Where would a human obtain an elven athame?” Mother’s voice remains calm and without accusation.
“How would I know? Perhaps she is more than she seems. She is here to ruin Domhan with her stealing of the next to wear the crown.” The wildness is back in her expression.
Mother grips Dierdre’s chin and stares into her eyes. “I’m going to be sorry to explain this to your father, child.” She turns to the royal guards standing at the threshold. “Fetch Captain Redmond to take her to the oracle. They’ll evaluate whether or not she can be rehabilitated. They will care for her properly.”
A guard leaves, his heavy boots pounding the floor.
“Patrick, hold her, please.” Father hands her over to the other guard. “How did she get in here? You said you sent her home with the guards.”
It hasn’t escaped me that one or both of those men must have either helped her or, at the very least, disobeyed my order to see her home. Without a breach of orders, she couldn’t have been taken all the way to her father’s house and returned here before Wren and I arrived. “I will begin an investigation immediately, Father.”
With a sigh, my father looks from me to Wren, who remains with her arms crossed and watching Dierdre as if another attack is imminent. “Wren, I am very sorry for the events of this night. We shall do better.”
Finally shifting her gaze, she nods at Father.
He looks at me. “Have the two guards held for questioning but wait until morning to deal with them. Stay with your mate. She’ll need to feel safe.”
Wren cocks her head and regards my father as if she’s seeing him again for the first time.
“You will all be sorry when she slits your throats in the night,” Dierdre shrieks.
Rían rushes into the room. He evaluates the state of the room and his officer, restraining the hysterical woman. “Your orders, Majesty?”
Mother repeats the order to take Dierdre to the mountain. “Give me an hour to summon her father. She can survive an hour in a cell, but make sure she doesn’t injure herself, Captain.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rían shifts his chin toward the door, and the two royal guards take Dierdre out while she struggles and screams about Wren being our doom.
With a long look around the room, Mother says, “A guest room was arranged for Wren down the hall. It might be best if you both stayed in there until this can be restored.”
