Smolder (Crown of Fae #3) - Sharon Ashwood Page 0,44

his own four paws. He strutted beside Morran, a male among males.

“This is a good place,” Kifi said, pulling herself up onto Leena’s shoulder.

“Why do you say that?” Leena asked, wincing as whiskers tickled her ear.

“The other cats know there are many women here, and they have gentle faces.”

“You can share memories with the local cats, too?”

“Many here are descended from temple cats. They have some gifts.”

“Are you their leader now?”

“For now,” Kifi said with evident satisfaction. “I journey to meet the Queen of Cats, and do not aspire to rule this kingdom.”

“No?”

“This is not my home. Still, I was victorious, and it’s wise to celebrate victories as they come. Finding the wolf was a win.”

“Very true.” Leena wondered how much of a win it truly was. Finding Anna had eliminated much guesswork, but they were still a long way off from curing Fionn.

Anna led them through the back gate, where there was less commotion. Despite her dance training, Leena was slightly out of breath after the brisk pace.

“Make yourselves scarce,” Anna said to the cats. “Animals aren’t allowed inside.”

Offended, Kifi crawled back into the pack, which Leena partially closed. When she straightened, adjusting the straps of the pack on her shoulders, she noticed a figure dart from the trees to the foot of the building. A sick sense of urgency assaulted her. She elbowed Morran, pointing to the shadowy junction where two walls met. A black-cloaked figure scaled the stonework, almost invisible in the dusk.

Anna followed their gaze and swore. “Barleycorn’s on the top floor. That’s where he’s headed.”

“You know the hospital,” Morran said. “Take the inside route. I’ll try to stop him from here.”

For a fleeting moment, Anna balked, as if she had no intention of taking orders. Then she gave a quick nod before sprinting for the door. Morran pulled Leena out of sight behind a stand of oak trees, crouching low.

“Wait here,” he said, then he was gone.

Leena watched him ghost across the lawn, resentful at being left behind. Kifi shifted inside the backpack, poking a paw into her kidneys. Mo sat beside her, his ginger fur dulled by the fading light.

“Uh-oh,” he said. “Hard hats at three o’clock.”

Workmen rounded the corner, continuing their check of the building and grounds. Within seconds, they were going to cross paths with Morran.

“That’s my cue,” Mo said, then he, too, bounded across the grass. Suddenly, the tomcat was between the workmen’s feet, arching his back to be petted.

“Whoa there, boy,” one of the men said, reaching down to stroke the thick orange fur. “Watch where you’re putting your paws. There’s broken glass around.”

Mo bumped his head against the man’s hand, asking for more attention. Morran ascended the wall unseen. Leena decided she wasn’t about to wait where she was, and quickly but calmly entered the way Anna had.

Once inside the doors, Leena was swallowed by bedlam. Staff scurried to and fro in carefully controlled chaos. Leena took her time crossing the entry, listening carefully to the conversation of the locals. Her powers were recovering from crossing the Shimmer, and the spell that enabled her to understand the human language was slowly starting to work. By the time she found the stairs, she’d learned the power outage had the staff working double time. Leena sympathized—she’d felt the same when fever had struck Eldaban and sent half the city to the temple doors.

There was light in the stairs, but not much. Leena summoned a flame, letting it hover over the palm of her hand, then climbed until she reached the fourth floor. Then she pushed through the door to the ward.

A paw poked her in the back. “Put me down.” Kifi’s muffled voice emerged from the pack.

“I thought you liked to be carried.”

“I did. Now I don’t.”

It was a cat’s answer. Leena unzipped the pack and let her out. “Just stay out of sight.”

Kifi didn’t answer, but moved like a black phantom at her side, tail puffed. The place was deserted, dark, and eerily silent. An unnatural scent hung in the air. Leena moved as silently as she could, listening intently for the usual restless moans and rustles of the sick ward. None came. There seemed to be no patients here.

For a disorienting instant, Leena wondered if she were caught in a bad dream. She’d left everything behind except the small bundle she’d carried to Juradoc’s camp. Then she’d come here with only the clothes she wore—and now she didn’t even have those. Only her knife and chatelaine were stuffed in