He shifted on his feet, his gaze dropping to where the toes of his boots met the blackened ground. “Do you really think she’d make such a vow? You may as well cut out your heart yourself and serve it to her on a feckin’ platter.”
His mother may be an evil, merciless witch, but she also claimed to care about the Danú. Although I didn’t approve of her methods, she had been nothing if not consistent in that. Never attacking humans beyond the borders of the Forest. Enacting penalties that were perfectly legal according to the treaty with Vellana. As far as I could tell, she had never broken a law.I doubted that she would attack us so brazenly.
“What other options do we have? If we don’t stop this, all our land will be dead.” And we didn’t have enough rations to support a quarter of our population, let alone everyone. “Our people will starve or be forced to move to Airren or abroad.” The number of Danú being killed on this island had doubled in the last few months. There were trials every day—even Sundays. Just this morning, I’d had to watch two leprechauns, a half-witch, and a wingless faerie strung up in Rosemire. The humans were angrier than ever, culling their land of “monsters.”
People who had lived peacefully and remained hidden for centuries had been exposed and executed.
Rían picked at a piece of lint that dared to make its way onto his black waistcoat. “They’re your people, not mine.”
Anger boiled in my gut, bubbling violently enough to break through the surface. “Enough of that shite. You may have everyone else fooled, but not me. I know you care about them.” Every time he returned from an execution, I could see the distress in his empty eyes. “Wouldn’t it be easier to have a simple conversation instead of wasting magic relocating every feckin’ cottage in the country?”
He couldn’t argue with the truth. And from the scowl Rían wore, he knew it.
He bobbed his head once, his hands fisted at his sides. “When?”
“I’ll send a letter to the Forest today.”
“And if she denies your request?”
I hadn’t a feckin’ clue. We’d tried creating wards around some crops a few weeks back, but the curse had consumed the plants all the same. Short of abandoning our land, I didn’t know how else to make this go away.
I gave his stiff shoulder a nudge. “Then I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
We followed the singed edge of the blight to make sure no one would be caught in its path for the next few days. Over a knoll, down into the valley, and around a bend, the song of the waves growing more pronounced with each step.
I kicked a pebble along with the toe of my boot, trying to figure out why things felt so awkward between us. I never thought I’d say this, but I missed my murderous brother. This melancholy one was so dull.
“How are the magic lessons going?” he asked suddenly.
I’d been spending a decent amount of time tutoring Aveen this week, but she hadn’t been able to call on her magic at all.
“Why don’t you see for yourself?”
His hands flexed at his sides. “No.”
“She could use your help.” Keelynn would be so disappointed to come back and not have her sister nearby.
“This conversation is over,” he announced, picking up his pace.
As if I’d allow him to dismiss me so easily. “You could be teaching her to save herself.” At least then he wouldn’t have to worry about Aveen being helpless in a fight. If Keelynn had magic, I’d be teaching her every trick in the book.
“You’ll be the one needing saved if you don’t stop harping on. She’s staying put.”
Our footsteps were lost to the pulse of waves and caw of black and white birds darting high above. A woman in a billowing black cloak stood at the top of the next hill, a basket swinging from her pale hands.
Rían caught my arm, his fingers digging into my bicep. “Do you see that?” he whispered.
“You mean the woman?” Why wouldn’t I see her? She was right there.
He dragged his free hand across his eyes, the color melting from his face. “So I’m not mad. There’s a woman on that hill.”
“I can’t agree with the first part, but there is, indeed, a woman on the next hill.”
Rían let out a string of vicious curses, tugging and dragging on his hair.Not mad, my arse.
“You there!” I shouted, waving toward the woman.
Rían dropped to the ground and curled into a ball in the long, swaying grass. “Stop that,” he hissed. “Don’t let her see me.”