“She can levitate a ball, so that is enough to defend herself?” Zev growled, his eyes flashing yellow.
The animalistic sound had Cassiel warily standing. Zev had been prickly with Rawn, be it from his agreement to teach Dyna how to shoot a bow or another reason entirely.
“You both know what is at risk,” Zev said. “Tarn could find us at any moment. Dyna isn’t safe until we get her on a boat and away from Azure.”
They weren’t too far from the port now. They might leave the kingdom before the man found them again.
“I think it will be all right, Zev. Lord Norrlen made the right call to go through the wilderness. Tarn will not find her here—”
Something shifted inside of Cassiel, bursting the bond wide. Dyna’s fear rammed him in the chest, stealing his breath. Then came Fair’s neighing cry.
They ran.
Chapter 14
Dynalya
Gentle sunlight streamed in through the treetops, bathing the woodland in soft warmth. The chitter of critters in the bushes hummed around them. Dyna inhaled a breath, taking in the scents of the forest. It eased some of the tension from her chest. It was silly, really. She should talk to Cassiel instead of avoiding him.
“All right, what’s bothering you?” Lucenna said, crossing her arms. “You’ve been in a mood all day. You and the others.”
Dyna sighed, and Fair nudged the back of her neck, nuzzling her hair. She petted his velvety muzzle. “Nothing is the matter.”
“Even I know that’s a lie. Is it the pompous lord? I take it you fancy him. Few could resist such a face.”
She frowned at her.
“I’m not prone to his countenance, so you need not worry.” The pink diamond on Lucenna’s ring glinted as she brushed her white hair over her shoulder.
“Why do you provoke him?” Dyna asked as they continued into the woods. What did she get out of making Cassiel angry?
Lucenna rolled her eyes. “I have no patience for his self-pity. When it comes between me and my enemies, I’ve long decided I’ll be the one to walk away. I will feel no shame in fighting for my life. Neither should he.”
Taking a life held far more meaning to him than the sorceress could understand.
“How far were you planning to walk?”
“Not far.” Dyna kneeled beside a batch of weeds. “I only wanted to clear my mind. I also need to gather some fennel.”
“What for?”
“To relieve you of any pain you may have during your courses.”
Lucenna snickered. “I said that to keep your Celestial at bay. It seemed you didn’t want him near.”
Your Celestial.She wished Lucenna would stop calling him that. He wasn’t hers.
“Well, I’ll pick some for myself then,” Dyna said.
“Is yours coming soon?”
“It began this morning. The aches are awful.”
“The afflictions of a woman.” Lucenna leaned against a tree, watching her pull up plants by the roots.
The scent of dirt and herbs drifted in her nose as she tied a batch of wild fennel with twine.
“I hadn’t thought to ask until now, but why did that man kidnap you in Corron?”
