Nelle whispered. She dropped her head into her hands, unable to stop the tears pouring down her face and through her fingers. “There’s still time!”
For a long while she was insensible to everything. She scarcely noticed the weight of Sam’s arm wrapped around her shoulder, scarcely noticed when he drew her to him. Eventually the storm of emotion subsided, and she realized her face was buried in his shoulder and his cheek pressed against the top of her head. He seemed to be murmuring something, but she couldn’t hear what.
Sniffing loudly, she sat upright, pushing him away. She stood then, her legs a little shaky, and grabbed hold of the doorpost for support. Sam rose as well and reached out to take one of her hands, but she refused to give it.
“I’ll help you,” he said. “They never told me what they sent you for, but I’m sure I can help. I’m good for a snatch, you know,” he added with a wry sidelong grin that was almost like his old self.
Nelle quickly shook her head. Despite the heavy shadow on the horizon, pink had begun to tint the sky above. Dawn came on fast now. Silveri would soon descend from his tower.
“Quick, Sam,” she said, stepping back into the chamber. She hurried across to the fire where she’d dropped his soaked shirt and plucked it up. Spying her quill and empty spellbook on the table, she grabbed those as well and, since she had no pockets, hastily stuffed them into her little satchel and slung it from her shoulder. After a quick look around to make certain they’d left no signs that might betray Sam’s presence, she hurried back to the door.
“We’ve got to get you out of here,” she said. “I can’t let him find you.”
“Can’t let who find me?” Sam looked down at her, the fear in his face intensifying to a startling degree. “Who else is here with you, Nelle?”
Nelle shook her head. There was no time to explain. She took Sam by the hand and pulled him outside, then softly shut the door. Her mind whirled with half-thought ideas. Where could she take him? Where could he go?
“Where’s your boat, Sam?” she demanded, dragging him away from the lighthouse.
“On the beach below,” he replied, and indicated the top of the cliff path, which he must have used to climb up to the lighthouse. He came to a hard stop, jerking Nelle’s arm and turning her to face him. “I won’t go back.” His eyes were huge and overly bright. Strange terrors seemed to swim in the depths of his pupils. “You don’t know what’s out there. You can’t know or you wouldn’t try to send me.”
Nelle stared back at him, sucking her lips in and biting down. Her journey to Roseward had been simple enough. From the mortal world, the island looked to be only a mile off the coast of Wimborne. In reality, it was much farther. She’d rowed out into the sea and passed through a veil of reality into this strange, otherworldly realm, but altogether the trip had taken no more than an hour or two.
Since then, however, the currents had carried Roseward farther on its cycle through the Hinter realms. Sam’s journey must have been quite different from her own. And, as close as Roseward now was to Noxaur and all the dark beings of that realm . . .
Although a shudder rushed down Nelle’s spine, she squeezed Sam’s hand encouragingly. “It’ll be safe to travel again in a few days,” she said. “I’ll have to hide you until then.”
Though where she would hide him, she couldn’t possibly say. Not at Dornrise, surely. The Thorn Maiden haunted those halls at night. He wouldn’t be safe there after sundown. Perhaps in the old harbor village? Maybe she could establish some sort of ward spells around him to keep him safe and hidden. She’d seen enough of Silveri’s ward stones, had even worked a little magic on them. Could she replicate the spell in the same way she’d replicated the flaming sword?
But first things first.
“We’ve got to hide your boat, Sam,” she said. “If he . . . if it’s found, I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep you safe. The master of this island will send you away at once. Back out into that.”
She waved a hand at the ocean, at the dark shadow on the horizon, turning to look as she did so. Some of the details had become clearer,