Page 79 of Silverbow
“Covwood,” Cedric answered.
Bade grimaced and the others stilled.
“What’s in Covwood?” Enya asked.
Cedric gave her a disbelieving look. “The witches, lass. It’s their stronghold. Haven’t you ever heard the stories?” Enya had heard plenty of tales of witches, but none that mentioned where they called home. “I don’t suppose I can convince you lot to join us?”
“What for?” Colm asked.
“There’s been talk of strange happenings.”
“What kind of happenings?”
“The kind you might expect from the witches. Nightmares come to life. People disappearing. Something’s stirring in Covwood, that’s all anyone knows. Pallas doesn’t seem to care, useless old bag. My uncle asked me to see for myself.”
Another unreadable look passed between the demi-elves.
“Afraid we’ve got to go east,” Colm said. “We’ve got business in Drozia. Send word to Leon with what you find, if you can.”
Cedric nodded. “Your Silverbow come to do for the horse lord what was done for the witch in Innesh?”
Enya’s heart skittered. “What did you just say?”
“They been stringing him up every day in the soldier’s square, making a spectacle of it.” Cedric spat on the floor and eyed her. “Seems the High Lord of Pavia is trying to bait in his bounty. It’s too bad he didn’t take his little show north with the wielders. My uncle’s been looking for an excuse to skin Peytar Ralenet for years. Wouldn’t tolerate that kind of thing in the North.”
Enya didn’t heed the warning Oryn conveyed in his tapping foot beneath the table. She threw back her chair and bolted for the stairs.He’s here.
“Was it something I said?” Cedric called after her.
twenty-one
Oryn
Oryn had planned to slip quietly from Windcross Wells at dawn. Now, if they saw the dawn without half of Windcross Wells burning, he would consider that a great personal accomplishment, just as he considered leaving Cedric Norvallen in one piece a great personal accomplishment. The man’s inability to keep quiet aside, he hadn’t liked how he looked at her or how her heart had done that little skip. At least mention of her father had thrown cold water on that.
He didn’t begrudge the girl her love for her father, but if Innesh and Trout Run were any indication, this night would not go well. Unlike Innesh and Trout Run, Windcross Wells had a wielder’s outpost and a full garrison of crimson coats, not to mention the High Lord who wanted her found.
So Oryn slipped out back to wait.
Enya Ryerson, vexing as she was, was predictable. The door at the back of the inn banged open, spilling lamp light into the dark stable yard. For a moment, it haloed her in gold, illuminating the bow slung over her back. She looked like a goddess of the hunt. Oryn shook that thought from his head as the door shut and it winked out. She scrambled down the stairs, muttering that strange list under her breath.
He let her get halfway across the yard before he called out from where he leaned in the shadows. “Going somewhere?”
She wheeled, belt knife in hand. He blew out a stream of pipe smoke, wondering if giving that back had been wise.
“You smoke?” It was an odd question, but she was stalling, eyes darting around the stable yard in search of a way out.
He chuckled darkly. “You hardly know me at allAnsel.”
“It’s hard to get to know stone,” she said coolly.
“Perhaps,” he answered, glad she could not see the smile that played faintly across his lips. “I am a gargoyle after all.”
“And you know me so much better?” She bristled.
He considered. He’d learned much about her on the road, but now did not seem like the time to point out her every quirk, just the ones that posed immediate danger. “Well enough to know you’d come this way. Though I find the little regard you have for your own life rather curious. Are you planning to storm the outpost? Alone?”
She huffed and tossed her braid over her shoulder.
