Standing up, he caught Annis by the arm. She barely noticed him though, as she stared into the trees. And when the warriorfollowed her gaze, his expression changed. Wonder filtered over his rugged features.
“Shit,” Lara muttered as she got up. “It’s the corpse candles. Lower your gaze to the fire … anddon’tlook behind me.”
Cailean growled an oath. Gaze averted, he rose to his feet and moved toward Annis and Roth. Then, keeping his back to the dancing flames, he faced the captain and counselor. “Shake it off, you two.”
Neither answered. Instead, Roth tried to push past the chief-enforcer. His lips were parted, his eyes shining. The faerie lights had him.
The ‘crack’ of Cailean’s palm colliding with his cheek echoed around the glade.
Roth stumbled back, while Cailean caught Annis by the shoulders, shaking her. “Annis!”
She blinked, surprise rippling across her face. “What—”
“Corpse candles,” he cut her off, turning her sharply around.
Rubbing his stinging cheek, Roth also turned his back on the flames.
Lara glanced over at the Shee then. They watched the unfolding scene with interest; of course, corpse candles didn’t affect them. They could stare at the lights with impunity.
Mor raised an eyebrow. “You resisted them … how?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “A year ago, powries used corpse candles to lure me into a trap.” Anger flickered to life under her ribs then. Of course, the powries were Mor’s servants these days. Had the Raven Queen ordered that attack? “But tonight, it’s different.”
“How?”
Lara shook her head, confused. “I don’t know … I still feel their lure … but it just …washesthrough me.”
Her companions all looked puzzled by this.
“Maybe it’s the fire magic?” Ren suggested hesitantly, even as she took care not to glance up from the fire lest the faerie lights ensnare her. “It might be protecting you.”
“Or perhaps it calls to them,” Annis added. Her round face was pale, her expression shaken.
Lara didn’t answer. Instead, uneasiness twisted in her belly.Or could it be another sign that something is wrong with me?The lapses. The blanks. And now her surprising reaction to the corpse candles. It could all be connected.
“How many of them are there?” Cailean asked, his voice sharp. He’d placed a hand over his eyes.
Lara glanced over her shoulder. More lights winked into existence then. Moments later, they illuminated the surrounding pinewood. “A great number now,” she replied. “Keep your gazes averted or—”
The snap of twigs and the tattoo of running feet intruded then. Like skittish fawns, the corpse candles scattered.
In a burst of movement, Mor and her Ravens all sprang to their feet, blades sliding from scabbards. Likewise, Lara and her escort all drew their weapons, swiveling toward the noise.
And then Alar appeared.
Face glistening with sweat, he carried a young woman over one shoulder, while another lass followed close behind. Both women had long flaxen hair and wore voluminous black cloaks. Their hoods had fallen back, and bronze glinted at their throat in the firelight. Bed-slave collars.
“What’s this?” Mor greeted him.
“I’m coming with you,” he gasped, lowering the trembling lass to her feet.
“Who are these two?” Lara demanded.
Alar glanced her way, straightening up and pushing hair from his face. “Duana and Eithne. They’re mac Og’s daughters. Beathan and his second took them as bed-slaves. I didn’t want to leave them there.”
His explanation made something jolt deep in Lara’s chest. An instant later, heat washed over her. Surely, she wasn’t relieved that these women weren’t his?
Mor made an irritated sound in the back of her throat. “You were supposed to bring a small escort ofwarriorswith you.”
