“Merrick Donovan.” He dipped his head and placed a hand to his chest. “Thank you, Rodric. I hope you are able to pass these down one day, the way they are meant to be shared.”
“We will.” Rodric startled himself with the response, but his soul and his magic echoed in agreement. He would have a child to pass the heirloom to someday.
Celina approached then, placing a very small, sturdy hunting knife on the counter. Rodric didn’t have to examine it closely to see it was just as well-crafted as the other blades in the shop. It was lightweight, designed for a smaller hand, but Celina already had a dagger she loved, and had even begun to refer to as hers, rather than her mother’s.
“What’s this?”
“For Brenna.” Her gaze softened as she met his eyes. “Trust me. She’ll need it for her own peace of mind.”
“How did you know she could use one?”
Most Eldrin girls Brenna’s age wouldn’t have a clue how to use a knife outside the kitchen. Maybe Celina assumed because of the way women were raised in Calderre.
Celina touched his cheek and chuckled softly. “Rodric, her soul-guardian is a Preddari. I expect Brenna can use all manner of hunting weapons and is better on a horse than I am. Apparently, I’m easy to track, at least to a wolf. Maybe Brenna can teach me a thing or two.”
Laughing, Rodric pulled her to him and kissed the side of her head. The spark of their entwined magic at the contact gave him an idea.
“Celina, do you have your stone with you? From Barnabus.” He pulled his out of his pocket, where it had been keeping company with Brenna’s bracelet.
Giving him a curious look, she retrieved it and placed it in his palm.
Turning, he offered them to Merrick, following his instincts. “These stones were… imbued… by a beloved and insightful elder. I would offer them to you in honor of your gift—one set of personal treasures for another, though yours are far more precious.”
Merrick took the stones, eyes startling in surprise as he studied them. “A gift indeed. I accept.”
Joy and satisfaction wound through him. He had a feeling Barnabus would be quite happy with the final destination of the stones.
Keeping an arm around Celina, he introduced her to the smith and completed payment for the blades, slipping the carved box into the saddlebag without comment.
“What was that about?” Celina asked as they exited the shop, eyeing the bag curiously.
“Ask me again when this is all over.”
In the midst of havoc and devastation, he’d found an incredible gift, and he meant to keep her.
Chapter 26
Assoonastheyleft the smith’s shop, Celina began to feel uneasy. A tickling sensation at the edges of her senses warned her that something was off. Rodric guided her around the obstacles with a tight arm at her waist. She’d told him it was nothing, and yet… she couldn’t shake the feeling.
Glancing around as they entered the clothier’s shop, nothing seemed amiss. Pushing the sensation to the back of her mind, she pulled on her Lady Blackwood persona. The kindly couple quickly set off to find the thick winter cloaks, clothes, and boots she requested.
It was a small thing, but Celina knew from working with the refugees that shedding everything related to their captivity was part of the healing process for many, especially for the older children. She remembered one teen who had begged to cut her hair off, as the guards had used her long braid of hair to control her movements. Another young boy hadn’t taken thick-soled boots off for a year, having been kept barefoot with sharp glass and rocks scattered on the floor to hinder any escape.
Clean, unsoiled clothes that represented their rescue were absolutely necessary in her mind. Getting them physically out of danger was the top priority, but only the first step on a long journey of healing. With the goal of keeping the children hidden until they crossed into Calderre, there would be no opportunity to stop for such things once they began the journey.
Her already deep respect for the Lightning Teams grew with each new day. Their efforts were incredible, and even more stressful than she imagined. Already her mind was spinning with ideas to improve the way the teams operated in relation to teaching them new tactics to begin the process of trauma healing on the road.
A pile of clothes was brought to her, and she made quick work sorting through them with the help of the clothier. At the bottom of the pile was a heavy red cloak that matched the bracelet Rodric carried in his breast pocket. Setting it aside for Brenna, she quickly selected the other sets of clothing. Hopefully, the other two children were sized in between the little girl and the three young teens they knew were present. The other sizes were a guess based on her experience with the refugee program, but as basic travel clothes, they would fit close enough.
Her mind started to tingle again as she paid for the items, hastening her movements with urgency. There was not an ounce of premonition magic in her, but sometimes she swore she’d inherited her mother’s gift anyway. Or maybe it was intuition and wasn’t related to her mother’s magic at all. Either way, she was growing increasingly certain that something was indeed wrong.
Rodric waited, still and stiff by the door, his relaxed manner in the smith shop having evaporated while she gathered the clothing. Approaching him with the packages, she glanced outside to follow his gaze. Across the market was a group of soldiers, aggressively milling about near the food stalls selling morning fare. As the clothier’s shop was at a dead end, there was no way to slip around them undetected. Tensing, she followed Rodric out into the courtyard, acquiescing when he put her on his outside, farther away from the men.
Walking slowly became a challenge, her heart beating so fast she thought she might pass out. Raucous laughter sounded as they neared the group, and Rodric stiffened more than she thought possible. Jaw clenched tightly, Rodric kept his head facing forward, his eyes raging.
One of the soldiers looked their way, eyes catching on Rodric and staring. Celina felt the weight of eyes follow them all the way through the courtyard. Unable to help herself, she glanced back as they turned the corner and found hard eyes still on them.
Grabbing her hand the instant they were out of sight, Rodric pulled her after him, jogging down the path toward their meeting point.
