Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,11

or deny. “My business is my own, and that of Lady Eville.” He stood up and gathered his leather armor that had been piled in a corner. “If you would be so kind as to lend me a horse and help me on my way, I will be forever grateful.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I snapped. “I’m not kind.” I grabbed his satchel and stormed toward the door. He wobbled after me, his hand going to his bandaged side as he gasped in pain. I slid the barn door open, relieved to see that Honor and Lorn weren’t around.

“Miss, miss,” he called after me as I quickened my pace. “My things.”

I walked across the bridge, my feet echoing along the wooden boards. Beneath me, the rumble of Traygar the troll’s breathing soothed me, knowing that he was guarding us still. I turned when I reached the other side of the bridge and watched as the stranger followed me, pulling on his overshirt, his boots tucked over his arm, his sword hastily slung across his back.

With a satisfying grin, I tossed his satchel into the mud on the other side of the bridge, past our second ward.

“There you go. You’re on your way.” I dusted off my hands and flung my braid across my shoulder. “Go that way.” I pointed toward the town of Nihill.

He slowed next to me and gave me a curious look. “You’re an odd girl.”

Odd? I hated being called odd. I was always the odd one.

It took every ounce of my being to not curse him right there. No, wait a minute. Maybe I would. I came up next to the man, gave him a pat on the shoulder and whispered.

“Confundus.”

He blinked and looked at me in surprise, as if he were seeing me for the first time.

“Lady Eville lives far beyond the town. Go that way.” I pointed before turning and walking across the bridge, my braid swinging with each of my happy steps, glad that I had gotten rid of the problem with a spell. If lucky, he’d go into town and forget the very reason he came here.

When I got to the other side of the bridge, I turned and waggled my fingers at him. He looked down at his belongings and began a slow tread into town.

By the time I reached the barn, Lorn and Honor were running out of it in alarm.

“Where’d he go?” Lorn asked. “What happened?”

“I sent him on his way,” I said innocently. “He was looking for someone.”

“Who?” Lorn said.

I rolled my eyes. “Who do you think? But it seems like no one wanted him here, and you were terrified of us interacting with him. So I took care of it. A spell and a packed lunch, and he’s off. He’ll wander until he forgets what he was looking for and head home.”

Lorn looked across the bridge toward town. “I have a feeling he won’t easily forget, despite how powerful your magic is.”

“He will,” I said confidently. “Now, who’s hungry?”

Chapter Four

I thought Mother and Lorn would be angry with me because I made the strange man disappear without telling them, but they seemed wary, yet relieved. Three days went by and the stranger didn’t return to our doorstep. Mother spent her time in our sitting room, scrying the kingdom of Rya through the large black mirror that hung on the wall, but instead of a moving picture, it showed only fog.

Even hitting the side of the mirror didn’t clear the image. Rhea had gone to her workshop and come back with two long rods she attached to the mirror and claimed they boosted the magic within it.

“They look ugly,” Maeve whined. She waved her fingers over her forehead. “Like bug antennae.”

“Well, it may look dumb, but it will work.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Maeve flopped in the chair and hung her leg over the arm.

“Ladies, don’t slouch,” Mother chastised from her high-back chair.

Maeve pulled her leg down, properly tucked her dress around her thighs, and folded her hands in her lap. “I never said I wanted to be a lady.”

“Of course, you want to be a lady. What else do you want to aspire to be?”

“A dragon.” Maeve cackled, and her eyes glittered dangerously.

“Not in the house,” Mother warned. “Plus, you haven’t passed your shifting tests yet to transform into anything larger than a swan. And you, Aura, need to work on your shielding.”

I stilled like a prey animal sensing the predator about to strike. I knew what