“Oh aye, he’s coming around now. I feel him as well.”
Fin ordered Sassy to stay in the air, called Merlin to the glove.
Fog snaked through the vines. Fin held out his free hand, levitated the dog up to sit in front of him in the saddle.
He felt the pull, the almost cheerful invitation to come through, to bask in all that could be, all the dark gifts offered.
“If that’s the best you have...” With a shrug, Fin started to turn the horse.
The wolf burst out of the vines, gleaming black, red stone pulsing. Caesar shied, reared, but Fin managed to keep his seat, and snatched the dog before Bugs lost his.
To Fin’s surprise, Sassy went into a stoop, swooped over the wolf, then up again where she perched in a tree, staring down at it.
Clever girl, he thought. Fierce and clever girl.
“I’ll say again, if that’s the best you have...”
Fin took Caesar into a charge, and shot down a hand to split the earth open under the wolf. As the horse leaped over it, the wolf vanished.
Fin heard the laughter behind him, turned the horse.
Cabhan floated above the open earth on a blanket of fog.
“Far from the best, boy. You’ve yet to taste my best. Spare yourself, for in the end you’ll come to me. I know your blood.”
Fin fought the urge to charge again, but he’d been in business long enough to know a turned back could pack a harder punch.
So he simply turned Caesar, walked away without hurry.
“Spare yourself.” It came as a whisper, not a shout. “And when I’ve finished with you, I will bind the dark witch you lust for to you for eternity.”
The urge to turn and charge grew with fury.
Without looking back, Fin healed the earth, and moved forward and out of the woods.
Fin tethered the horse outside the cottage and, dismounting, pressed his cheek to Caesar’s. “You earned your name today, as you never hesitated to charge when I asked it of you.” Like a magician, he held out his hand, showed it empty, then turned his wrist and produced an apple.
While Caesar crunched his treat, Fin called Sassy to glove. “And you, so brave for one so young. You’ll hunt.” He signaled to Merlin. “You’ll hunt together in Branna’s field, and you can stay awhile in Roibeard’s lean-to. And you.” He bent to rub Bugs. “I’ll wager there’s a biscuit inside for the likes of you.”
With the dog, Fin walked to the workshop and in.
“There’s my reward,” he said as Branna took a tray of biscuits out of the little workshop oven.
“You timed that exceedingly well.” She laid the tray on the top of the stove, turned. “Something happened,” she said immediately.
“Not of great import, but here’s a hound who’s earned a biscuit if you have one.”
“Of course.” She got two from the jar, as Kathel had already stirred himself from his nap by the fire to greet his small friend.
“I’d rather this sort,” Fin said and plucked up one of the human variety she already had cooled on a rack. “I had business to see to at home, then at the school and around to the stables. We’re doing the hawk-and-horse package come spring.”
“That’s all well and good, but what happened?”
“I took hawk and horse out myself. Caesar and Merlin and a pretty female name of Sassy who will mate with Merlin when she’s ready for it.”
“And how does she feel about that?” Branna put the kettle on as Fin already grabbed a second biscuit.
“She likes the look of him, and he of her. I was after mapping out a couple of routes that might suit the package, and Bugs joined in as we passed near the big stables. With them I turned this way, thinking to work with you for an hour or two, and passed by the entrance to Sorcha’s cabin.”
