Page 119 of The Iron Dagger
“Send a party up to Herebore,” Falk said. “A dozen armed men, including your Recruiters. Report back what you find.”
Turnswallow nodded and turned to leave the room.
Hara surfaced from the vision.
“He has charged Turnswallow to come here with a dozen men. They will be here by this time tomorrow,” she said. They all looked at the dark sky and breathed in relief.
“Good, that gives us time,” said Gideon.
“But what will we do?” asked Alcmene.
“We must go to the fae realm to warn them,” said the fae man, and everyone turned to him. “We have had time to think and discuss it, and I believe this is the time.”
“But even if you warn them, where would the fae escape to?” asked Hara.
“We have many strongholds,” said the fae woman. “Some are more regularly used than others, but it is not unheard of for the court to uproot every hundred years or so. So long as the Rexina is there, the others will follow. Much like bees in a hive.”
“And the sorcerers? What is their fate?” asked Hara.
“The fae could offer them a place to hide at the new court, if my sister would allow it. It might sway her to see the faces of those she condemned. Otherwise, they are free to escape to Mycan, or south to Norwen and Lenwen where sorcerers are free to live as any other.”
“Now that the war is over, it will be even safer,” said Gideon. At Hara’s curious look, he explained, “The princess Alexandra is to be wed to the Steward of Norwen. He was disguised as a bard for the past year. Seith heard it from the palace.”
Hara couldn’t help the shocked gasp that escaped her. So Tom the bard was the Steward all along. She knew Alexandrawas noble, but she never would have guessed that she was next in line for the Lenwen crown. Consummate actors, the pair of them. It was difficult to pull her thoughts back to the conversation at hand.
“But if any of the sorcerers wish to come and aid us, we would greatly appreciate it. We are all magickind. And if Corvus finds any of us, there will be violent retribution,” said the fae woman. “Who knows? With that much magic aligned and pointed towards Corvus, we might have a chance to defend ourselves.”
“Desideria, can you See what will happen?” asked Alcmene as she turned to Hara’s mother. “Can you See if we will be safe?”
At Alcmene’s words, Hara’s mother placed her hands over her ears and shut her eyes, shaking her head back and forth.
“Won’t. Won’t look,” she muttered.
“Seith conditioned her to fear her visions. He hurt her,” said Hara softly, wrapping an arm around her mother’s shoulders until she felt her relax. “I don’t think she will willingly look for some time.”
There was a tone of outrage from everyone at the table, and Gideon’s eyes blazed in anger.
“I’ll kill him myself the next time I see him,” he muttered.
Hara shared in his anger, but she felt appeased knowing that, at the very least, there was a blast of molten fire trained on him in the form of Roger.
Conversation turned to plans for the coming day, and Hara held her mother’s hand throughout it.
They showed Hara and her mother to the hot spring so they could wash, and afterward Alcmene led them to one of thenew rooms she helped the fae create. It was hollowed out so that the ceiling and walls were circular and lined with whitewashed stone. Alcmene put out a new bed roll beside her own while Hara gently applied a healing spell to her mother’s leg again. The bruising was still intense, and her mother winced and panted as the numbing spell wore off.
The fae woman entered with a tray of teacups.
“Old recipe,” she said, passing a steaming cup to Hara’s mother. “It gives dreamless sleep and eases pain.”
Hara’s mother sipped her tea, and the fae woman left them. With a final pain-relieving spell of her own, Hara kissed her mother’s brow and turned toward the door.
“Wait,” said Alcmene, passing a steaming cup into Hara’s hands.
“Oh, thank you,” she said gratefully, gulping down the hot tea. “I could use a dreamless sleep.”
“It’s not for sleeping, my girl,” said Alcmene in her brusque voice. “It should last for a month, at which time you’ll need to find a new preventative.”
It took a few moments for Hara’s weary mind to comprehend her tutor’s meaning, and only at her mother’s chuckle did she understand.
