There was nothing to do but wait for the company to halt and for the King to climb down from his mount.
As he approached our garden gate, I glanced around nervously, looking for my little sisters.
Sorcha was dead, but she had never collected the forfeit for my failing to uphold our agreement—one of the girls.
Did the terms of a witch’s bargain extend past her own life? Did this Earthwife know about it?
Tindra and Turi must have still been at the beach. I prayed they would stay there with Papa and that I would be able to lie well enough to convince our visitors I lived here alone.
Mind to mind, I asked Kem,How many people can you transport with your Evanescing glamour?
I’ve only ever taken one passenger,she answered.And only short distances, within the castle, as I did with you.
Okay, so that wouldn’t work, but I still hoped she could help me.
I need a favor from you,I said.In a few minutes, I’ll say goodbye to you, pretending you’re another villager. I want you to walk to the beach and look for my sisters. Get them as far away from here as you can. Hide them. Please.
Of course, my lady,she said.I’ll try.
“Your Majesty,” I said out loud when Stellon reached me. “What brings you this far from the royal city?”
He smiled at me warmly. “You, of course. We didn’t get to finish our conversation at the palace. And now that Pharis is not here to interfere, I hoped that we could talk.”
He gestured toward the open cottage door. “Could we go inside and speak in privacy?”
I darted my eyes at Kem, who was staring wide-eyed at Stellon. “Certainly. My friend was just leaving.”
To her, I said brightly, “Goodbye then. And thanks for the lovely chat. I’ll return the visit soon.”
Please find them,I pleaded with her silently.Keep them out of sight.
She snapped to attention and gave me a forced smile. “I look forward to it.”
She held her skirts and curtsied to Stellon with a breathy, “Your Majesty.”
Then she walked through our garden gate and down the street toward the beach. I went into the cottage, and Stellon followed, closing the door behind him.
As soon as we were alone, he pulled me into an embrace.
“I missed you, Firebug.”
The intimate contact shocked me. Did he still consider us betrothed?
“I know Pharis made you leave with him,” he said. “He stole our father’s Compeller glamour when he died. I’ll bet he didn’t tell you that.”
“There were lots of things he didn’t tell me about,” I said, “but I did know about his multiple glamours.”
“Even his original one?” Stellon asked, shock apparent in his tone.
“That he’s a Gleaner? Yes. He told me when we were on the road together, running from your father. Why are you here, Stellon?”
“I’m here because I love you,” he said. “And I think you still love me, though Pharis has a way of confusing people. But he intends to keep his distance from you now—he told me himself, mind to mind. So there is nothing to come between us anymore.”
Stellon cupped my cheeks in his hands. “I came to bring you back and marry you, Raewyn, to make you Queen of the Sixlands and all of Avrandar. It’s what we always wanted.”
I turned my head, breaking his hold.
“Stellon… Iwasconfused the night of our wedding banquet… but not the way you’re thinking. IknewPharis was a Compeller because he took me back to Seaspire on horseback and compelled me to go inside and tell you I loved you.”
