Hence the use of Uncle Quinn as an anchor.
Yes. His gaze flicked briefly to the man in question. He was once a priest, was he not?
He trained as one, but never completed it.
Then why do you not go to him for information about the priests? He would be of more use than your Aedh.
I flicked a hand toward them. Riley needs him more. And to be honest, I’ve endangered enough people by including them in this fucking quest.
There are casualties in any war, Risa.
Yeah, I snapped back, but if I can avoid those casualties being my friends, I will.
He didn’t say anything to that. But then, he was well aware that anything he said would more than likely just make me angrier.
After several more minutes, Riley sighed and pushed to her feet. Quinn rose behind her, one hand under her elbow, steadying her. Her face was pale and her eyes haunted.
She brushed damp tendrils of hair away from her face, then said grimly, "These things were not willing recipients of the magic that changed their beings and their souls."
"It was forced onto them?" I said, not entirely surprised. It would explain the madness in their eyes, for a start.
She nodded and leaned into Quinn. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lightly kissed the top of her head. I smiled a little wistfully, and half wondered if I’d ever find a man to hold me like that.
"They were homeless before the change, and they don’t remember much beyond being held captive underground for a long period of time."
Meaning they weren’t Razan, which matched the fact that they weren’t tattooed like the other Razan we’d caught or killed. "And they have no idea where that was?"
She shook her head.