This had to be the Queen’s doing.
To what end? If the blight had spread on Airren’s side of the Forest, I’d understand her motives. But why would she attack the people she’d always claimed to want to save?
Only one person could answer that question, and I wasn’t about to speak with the Queen all by myself with my magic so feckin’ low.
First things first. I needed to ensure Seaney’s safety. Not that he’d be foolish enough to consume the blackened fruit, but there was no telling what this blight might do if it reached his cottage. Or beyond.
Focus on the task at hand. Maybe he’d incensed the Queen somehow and she had a vendetta against him.
I turned to Seaney, finding a grave expression that surely matched my own. “Have you had any interactions with the Queen?”
He appeared taken aback by my question. “Not a one, sire. I swear it. Never even met the witch.”
Feck it anyway. The only thing left to do until we learned more was to get him away from this place. “Who else lives in your cottage?”
“Just my wife and me.”
“We’ll need to shift your home away from this mess.”We. I almost laughed. I wouldn’t be shifting dinner, let alone a feckin’ cottage. “I’ll send my brother this afternoon.” He could shift a hundred cottages. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
“And the taxes?” Seaney asked, his face losing all color at the mention of my brother.
“You can’t pay them if you have no crop. Come to the castle if you find yourself in need of rations.”
“Thank ye, my prince.”
He really shouldn’t have thanked me yet. Not until I figured out how to stop the blight from spreading.
I told Seaney to explain the plan to his wife and asked Oscar to retrieve my brother. The two of them evanesced, leaving Ruairi and I alone.
The stress of all this shite only made my headache worse. I could’ve really used a drink, but that would have to wait. “You still need my help?” I asked the stone-faced pooka.
He nodded, transfixed by the blackened earth. I held out my hand, and together, we evanesced to a stone well surrounded by a lush forest. It took me a moment to place where we were: the portal near Hollowshade.
“This has to do withher?” I knew better than to say Aveen’s name when there was no telling who would overhear. If anything happened to Aveen, I would never forgive myself.
With a brusque nod, Ruairi brought me deeper into the woods, to where Aveen paced between trees, the skirts of her plain gray gown dragging on rocks and twigs.
When she saw us, she rushed over, her face flushed and eyes bright. “What took you so long?” Her eyes widened as her gaze bounced between us. “Something’s happened. What’s wrong?”
Since I couldn’t lie and had no intention of inciting panic, I nudged Ruairi with my elbow.
He stepped forward to lay a reassuring hand on Aveen’s shoulder. Oh, my brother would not have liked that one bit. Not that I’d be telling him how friendly the two of them appeared.
“Nothing,” Ruairi assured her with a gentle squeeze. “Just dealing with some rotten trees.”
She patted his hand, a smile gracing her lips. Then she turned back toward me. “How is he?”
“Don’t know. Haven’t seen him in ages.” The castle had been so peaceful. Granted, I had a lot more shite to do, but that couldn’t be helped.
Her brows came together. “You haven’t thought to check on your own brother?”
“If he wants to sulk, it’s no concern of mine.” When I felt down, all Rían seemed to do was annoy me. I feckin’ hated it. I figured I’d be the bigger man and leave him the hell alone.
Her eyes narrowed.
Aveen didn’t look at all like her sister, but there was something in her glare that reminded me of my wife.
I missed Keelynn so feckin’ much.