breath. He instantly felt the sting of chastisement. Sometimes having the voice of Comdiu in his head made him forget he was talking to the Most Holy. A sense of humor his God most certainly possessed, but He didn’t seem to appreciate sarcasm. Eoghan pushed away from the wall and fell into the stream of travelers, following a few paces behind so the girl wouldn’t notice him.
She glanced down at a scrap of paper in her hands and then made a sharp turn at the next intersection. As she came to an alehouse from which loud music and even more raucous laughter spilled, she hesitated. He didn’t blame her. No girl belonged in a place like that.
He approached her slowly, not wanting to spook her, and touched her arm. “Miss?”
She spun and, before he could react, pressed a blade to the inside of his thigh. “Move along,” she said, her voice hard.
Eoghan froze, both because of her dagger’s proximity to a major artery and because her identity took a second to sink in. “Lady Aine?”
She stepped back and sheathed the blade, her threatening expression melting into one of recognition. “Eoghan.”
Her smile hit him straight in the gut, and she walked without hesitation into his embrace. He caught his breath before he could control his reaction.
“Comdiu is good. I was not looking forward to walking in there by myself.” She stepped back and a frown creased her forehead. “What are you doing here?”
“Comdiu sent me. Of course He didn’t tell me you were the one I was looking for.” His relief at Aine’s presence faded in favor of a sick realization. “Where’s Conor?”
“Gwydden, I think. We were separated in that storm that followed us from Tigh. I feared he was lost at sea, but I sense him now. He’s returning to Seare as well.”
She spoke with such authority he could not doubt her. “You can tell me when we’re safely away.”
“Indeed. I was supposed to lodge here tonight.”
“No. We can’t stay in here. Even with me standing guard, I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“Where, then?”
“The sidhe’s influence is much less outside of the city. Not as many people to draw them. I know someone who will give us shelter until we can head for Ard Dhaimhin.”
“Thank you, Eoghan. You are the answer to my prayers.”
Eoghan smiled and took her pack, but the warmth that crept into him at her gratitude felt like a betrayal. Aine was his best friend’s wife, practically a sister to him, given his relationship with Conor. He’d best remember that. If Conor thought his friend was harboring thoughts that were anything but brotherly about Aine, he would not hesitate to stick a blade into the most convenient part of Eoghan he could reach.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Aine followed Eoghan south through town, where he turned off the noisy and crowded thoroughfare onto a quieter residential street. She had insisted on trailing behind him like a meek serving girl, even though Eoghan hadn’t seemed pleased with the suggestion.
She had an ulterior motive, though. She had managed to conceal just how badly the dark magic in the city affected her, but the longer they stayed, the sicker and weaker she became. Eoghan was coddling her more than Ruarc ever had, and she didn’t want to give him more reason for concern. Until they were free of the reach of the worst concentration of magic, she would not draw an easy breath.
She thought she was managing well until she stepped into a particularly cold pocket, a sign that a sidhe was nearby. She stumbled on shaking legs and barely caught herself before she went down in the dirt. Instantly, Eoghan was at her side.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, but Eoghan shook his head.
“You can’t go on like this. The sidhe affect you too strongly. We’re going to need horses.”
“I have plenty of coin—”
“Don’t say that aloud.” But Eoghan seemed to be thinking. “Our best choice is to send my friend back to purchase them. It’ll draw less attention, and he’ll know where we’re least likely to be cheated.”
“Can he be trusted?”
“With my life. And yours.”
“I can make it. Just let me rest a few moments.”
Eoghan looked unconvinced. She didn’t need to read his thoughts to know he saw through her charade.
He kept up the pretenses to the edge of the city, his pace slow and steady for her benefit. Then, without a word, he swept her up in his arms.
“Please, put me down.” It was an uncomfortably intimate position, pressed against his chest, his arms