Rhiannon repeated some more words and the gap sealed, fresh vines curling out to separate us from theshadowbitten. She sagged back, clearly still exhausted.
“Which way?” I asked. We couldn’t afford to linger here. Belis staggered to her feet and pulled up the old queen, who was now gasping for breath, and slung her onto her back.
“Follow the eagle,” she gasped. The eagle, which had been perched atop the hedgerow, jumped back down to my shoulder and nipped at my ear. I set off again, praying that we were as close as Rhiannon had said. We would not survive another encounter with theshadowbitten.
The stone arch loomed ahead of us, silhouetted against the setting sun as we burst through it. The eagle loosened its grip on my shoulder, stiffly detaching the talons before launching itself into the sky. It flew up the hill before us, skimming over the ground like a dragonfly before landing neatly on the roof of the aviary. Belis hurried after it, eager to leave the shady trees behind.
Arawn was waiting outside the pavilion. He kept his face clear, but I could see a little of the tension leave him as Belis put Rhiannon down beside her.
“Thank heavens.” He bowed deeply towards the old queen. “You are not hurt?”
She shook her head, silver earrings chiming slightly with the movement. “But we have much to discuss. I have had a garbled account from these two.”
The Lord of the Dead glanced at us. “There’s food and drink in the pack over there. I will be over once I have consulted with my seneschal.”
Belis opened her mouth to protest, but I pulled at her arm and she shut it and followed me over to where Arawn had pointed.
Arawn and Rhiannon spoke for almost an hour. I heard little of their conversation as I attacked the soft bread rolls and hard cheese we found in the pack. Belis was still shaken. She sat hunched over, her long fingers shredding a bread roll into crumbs until I finally took it away from her and forced her to eat something.
When they were finally finished talking, Arawn laid a hand on Rhiannon’s shoulder then turned and vanished,rushingoff into the dark. Rhiannon walked over and stood looking down at us.
“Arawn tells me that not only have you safely extracted me from the maze, but you have also cut down one of the bramble patches that has infested our lands.”
She eyed the pile of crumbs next to Belis and whistled for a moment. A small flock of sparrows flew out of the pavilion and set to work eating up the mess.
“As I was saying, it seems you have my gratitude. There may be a little hope for this land after all.”
“What do we do next?” Belis asked, her voice low in the twilight. Rhiannon spread her hands.
“There is still much to discuss on that account. Arawn believes we should wait for the next incursion of theshadowbitten, test your strength against them in battle—”
“We don’t know how long that will be,” Belis interrupted, balling her hands into fists. “We must strike first, not wait to be attacked.”
“Is that what your mother taught you?” Rhiannon asked. Belis looked as if she had been struck and she half rose, reaching for her spear. I caught her arm and she sank back. Rhiannon continued as if the young warrior had not moved.
“Yes, Arawn has told me all about Boudica’s rebellion. Wiser heads must prevail this time, child. I do not intend to let whatever corruption has poisoned Annwn dictate the terms of battle, but neither shall we berushingin without thought.”
I glared at Rhiannon, and she flashed her pointed teeth at me.
“So what do you think we should do then, Half Fae?” I snapped. I decided I didn’t like it when other people were rude to Belis, especially now that I had promised to be polite to her.
“I haven’t determined what I think yet. I need to consider all our options, then of course the final choice will be up to Arawn. Things would certainly be easier if you had managed to hold onto your own powers, Nightshade.”
It was Belis’s turn to hold me back then. The old witch really was infuriating.
“In any case there can be nothing done for at least one more day. It is most auspicious that you have come to us now, on the eve of Annwn’s greatest celebration. Arawn has gone on ahead of us to prepare the way. As the harbingers of hope, you two will be our guests of honour. Get some rest here and I will wake you at dawn.”
Chapter 11
Idreamed in red, in shades of crimson and vermilion. I saw Boudica and Cati as they had been in the forest clearing, their flaming hair trailing through the grass like a river of blood. I saw the battlefield where thirty thousand of their countrymen lay, now nothing more than crow meat. I saw Londinium burning, the heat of the fire so real and close that it seemed to scorch my lungs. I saw the cloaks of the Romans, flashing like a flock of robins as they marched down their long straight roads. I saw Belis sitting in a tower, bent over a spinning wheel. At first she was twisting fibres from the pile of red flax Rhiannon and I had harvested, but as I watched the threads thickened until she was spinning from a mound of viscera, her fingers sticky with blood.
I woke yelping, clawing at the strong hands that were shaking me from my dreams. Rhiannon glared down at me.
“Calm, Mallt, it’s only me.”
I sat up, my cloak slipping off me. It seemed to be shortly before dawn. I didn’t feel rested but when Rhiannon held out a hand I let her help me to my feet.
“Where’s Belis?” I asked, looking around for her. Rhiannon sniffed.
