Page 30 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“I know,” I snapped back, turning finally to face him.Don’t you think I am as well aware as you are of how mad it is to feel like this?

Ciaran stared at me, looking like there was something he wanted to say, but he held back.

“Last we spoke about it, you agreed to be respectful. What has changed?” I asked him reluctantly, and his eyes widened at me in confusion that I could not know.

That was before she repelled Rian even after being depleted in battle and before you abused his sanctity to protect her without any hesitation,he answered.

I almost killed you when you attacked her only a short time ago! You cannot be that surprised that I—

“Rian is ourleaderand yourcousin,” Ciaran cut in, and then he released a reluctant sigh as he glanced away in uncertainty of how to make me understand his point.Rian always said that you had the potential to be his counterpart with your magic.You’re a Light Wraith, Sage. You wield the Light of our Sylvan ancestors,he stressed, looking at me beseechingly.Even if you have not yet learned how to use it effectively, it is still there in you,Ciaran added sternly when I opened my mouth to remind him of this very fact.Ornella has immense power, and she certainly knows how to use it. Are you not afraid that she could use your magic through theanambond?

“No,” I growled aloud in frustration. “Why would I fear someone who risked their life to defend my family?”

“Because you don’t know anything about her or this bond between you that is so rare that all our people know about it comes from myths and legends. All we have to go on are stories about these bonded pairs who quite often destroyed one another and everyone around them!”

“Perhaps because those were the only stories that were worth passing down through the generations,” I pointed out stubbornly. “There have probably been hundreds of namelessanamwho lived perfectly ordinary lives.”

Ciaran looked severely disappointed in me as he tilted his head with a frown.

Sage, it is not like you to be willfully ignorant.

“What do you want me to say?” I demanded.

“I want you to acknowledge that it is important for you to know who and what she is!” Ciaran insisted. And then he hesitated, and I knew there was something more that he wanted to say.Aodhan said dryads can manipulate theiranam. They did it to him. Forced him to be bound to a female that he hated. Perhaps this dryad—

“No. They have to manipulate the bond at birth.”

“She told you that,” Ciaran argued. “She might not be a reliable source of information.”

“But my father is, and he has trusted the legitimacy of this bond from the very beginning,” I insisted.

“Carrick is… optimistic,” Ciaran pointed out with as much sensitivity as he could manage.

“Donotinsult my father,” I growled.

“I am not! But I think his sheer enthusiasm would likely outweigh any righteous caution.”

I drew in a deep breath for calm and held it a moment before releasing a long exhale through my nostrils.

“I understand what you want. I agree that we do need answers from Ornella. But did we not see the same battle last night? She gave her blood and magic freely to keep our warriors standing strong, and then she came back through the portal to get the rest of our people to safety. She stepped in front of Rian to defend us, and youstilldoubt her intentions?”

“We did see all the same things,” Ciaran assured me.But apparently I am the only one who has the good sense to be afraid. Sage, she is so much stronger than Aodhan, and he was a prince of the Ruadhán and the grandson of Danu herself!

She said dryad females are stronger than males.

“You are missing the damned point!” he hissed at me in frustration.

“I’m not missing the point, Ciaran, I merely refuse to treat her like a villain after she saved the lives of every single person that I love the most,” I maintained.

“How am I treating her like a villain just by wanting to know what she is?”

“Because she does not want you to know!”

“And you don’t find that suspicious?” he demanded.

“No. All I know is that she has spent most of her life running away from her past. She knew that revealing her power might make us question her, but she chose to do it to save my family. Iknowthat we need answers from her, but I have found her to be much more forthcoming when she feels safe enough to share on her own. Be patient.”

Ciaran stared at me, his eyes wavering between mine as he processed my resolve against his logic.

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