She stares at me for a few moments and then sets the hagstone back beneath my jumper, patting my chest as she does it. “Mayhap that is where your strength lies, Cary—in clearsighted advice that is not cowed by fear or prejudice. Remember my words.”
I nod. I might remember them, but whether they’ll ever make any sense to me is another matter.
Her eyes twinkle as if sensing my thoughts, and then she turns to Sigurd and Marin as they come towards us. “Any luck, dragon?”
Sigurd bows. “No, ma’am. The glass was not in the mood to play today. It fell silent after you left.” He gives me a glance that’s intense enough to know he’s assessing whether I’m okay. I offer him a smile, and he relaxes.
The old woman watches us. “Affection and love are a rare power in this world. They can enable the owner to accomplish great feats. But love that strong requires feeding and care. Always take care.”
We stay silent, and then her grandson bows. “We must go, Grandmother. Thank you for seeing my guests.”
“It was an honour, as always,” Sigurd says. He holds out his hand to me.
She stops me as I go to walk to him. “Seek the stone men, Cary,” she says. “They will tell you the next step on which you should place your feet.” She pats my arm. “But have a care. Man thinks that building his stone palaces and houses offers him protection from the sea, but stone is still nothing but sand, and to sand it returns, and the whole world of man shall be claimedby the sea again. Watch where you put your feet and take heed of your dragon.”
There’s a long silence, and then Marin says indignantly, “Well, if you knewthat, why on earth didn’t you just tell us?”
“And where is the fun in that?” she says, laughing. “Besides, I wanted to get to know the human, and I have found him to be both kind and steady with a clear eye. He is a rare one, Sigurd.”
When I look over, Sigurd is watching me steadily. His eyes glow gold. “I know that full well, ma’am.”
She pats my arm. “I think I will see you again, but remember, Cary—if you find a piece of sea glass, you can always talk to me.”
“Can I?” I say, startled. “Don’t you have to be magic to do that?”
She considers me, her eyes glowing faintly. “Mayhap you already are that.”
Chapter Twelve
I stand watching as Sigurd embraces Marin. “Thank you,” he says. “Leave this with us, and I will send word when we have any news.”
“Us, eh?” Marin’s eyes are twinkling.
“Hush,” Sigurd replies, a smile tugging at his full mouth.
Marin turns to me. “I shall see you again.”
“I hope so.”
He exchanges a look with Sigurd, which I pretend not to notice, and then moves back, clicking his fingers. A door next to us opens, and Sigurd and I walk into a small, windowless antechamber.
“Send word,” Marin says. “I shall get it to the king.”
Sigurd raises his finger to his temple in a lazy salute, and with a flick of his tail, Marin disappears back the way we came. The door closes with a thud, and I turn to Sigurd. “What now?”
“Now we go home.”
I sigh happily, and he kisses my temple, nudging me with his nose. Then he steps back to the door and speaks words in a strange language that raises the hair on the back of my neck.
Sigurd takes my hand. “Lean on me. The water will leave the room now.”
A moment later, there’s a sucking noise and the water drains away, slowly at first and faster and faster until there’s just a wash of seawater on the flagstones. The change upsets my balance, and I lean against him. There’s an audible pop, and I suck in a deep breath, relieved at how the air fills my lungs.
“Are you alright?” Sigurd asks. His voice is hoarse, and when I speak, my own is too.
“I’m fine.” I clear my throat. “Ouch. It’s like I’ve been gargling with saltwater.”
He reaches into his pocket and produces a hip flask. When I drink from it, I find it to be pure, clean spring water. We take turns until it's empty, and then he puts the flask back into his pocket.
