Page 61 of Shadow Master
“They have no choice,” Hyde said. “It’s our only hope of survival.”
Balan looked over his shoulder, and I followed his gaze to see Harmon, Lugh, and Abram a few paces behind us. Lugh had donned Brady’s feytech armor, ready for the trip, and Athos padded a few paces behind him, ready to carry him across sector three.
“I’ve never taken much stock in the league’s fanatical obsession with the talismans,” Balan said. “But I must admit, I do wish the eye you found had been active. Legend has it that the eye was able to wipe out armies. With it, we would have been guaranteed a victory.”
“Unfortunately, the person who hid it did too good a job. Now that we need it, we can’t get to it.”
“The advisors of old believed in fate and destiny,” Balan said. “The fomorian who hid the eye must have believed it would resurface in the right hands when the time was right.”
“Yeah? Well, he was wrong, and now we’re at a major disadvantage.”
“But if the mist is gone, we can join forces. We can fight. Fomorian, knights, and weavers together.”
“We have hounds, also.”
“Even better.”
The camp was far behind us now, the sconce light like fiery stars hovering too close to the earth. Lugh, Harmon, Abram, and Athos joined us at the border.
I nodded at them. “Are you ready?”
Lugh grimaced. “Do I have a choice?”
“No,” Abram said.
“What happened to ‘my liege?’” Harmon said with gravelly amusement. “You were kissing his ass earlier.”
“We needed him to complete the quest,” Abram sniffed.
And he’d been willing to die for it, standing in the path of Lugh’s blade if it meant the talisman would be found. Wow, that was dedication.
“Let’s hope we don’t meet again,” Lugh said to Abram. “Because next time, the woman may not be there to intercept my blade.”
Abram paled and backed up several steps. “Good luck.” He turned on his heel and strode quickly back to camp.
Sector two?Athos asked me.
I nodded.
Athos nudged Lugh and growled.
Lugh’s jaw clenched. I guess kings didn’t like being ordered about.
I met his dark gaze, a gaze that I’d fallen into on more than one occasion, one that had looked at me with love, but now glared at me with defiance.
“Do you want to be free?” I canted my head. “If you do, then you’ll do as I say because right now, I’m your only hope.”
He sighed and climbed onto the hound. “Does this beast know where—”
But Athos was already off.
“Let’s go, guys.” I took a few steps toward the border.
“Justice,” Harmon said.
I turned to look at him, and realization hit me. Athos had been his ride through sector three. He couldn’t make it through the mist without him.
“Shit. I’ll send Athos back for you. Just wait here.”
