They weren’t surprised. Not really. Maybe they’d always known, or maybe they knew something was off about her and just needed her to connect the dots. Whatever the reason, it was enough they believed her.
Chapter 39
A Glimpse of the Void
“We’ll meet after shifts at the Tavern?” Sorcha asked her fellow Circle members, her hands sweaty as she tugged at the ends of her sleeves.
Eirin nodded. “Of course, we’ll see you then.” “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, princess.”
Drystan winked, a devilish grin cracking his lips.
The rest of the Circle nodded, some voices murmuring as they dispatched for the day.
Sorcha exhaled slowly as her eyes closed, a wave of relief washing over. By her feet Cat was circling, amusing himself with sprays of water from the falls. Kyron placed a hand on her shoulders, his hand warm, her eyes fluttered open and her gaze locked with his.
“You ready to go?” he asked, his eyebrow raising. “Yeah, let’s get going.”
Sorcha and Kyron had been assigned to patrol together, a first since he arrived. Their route was farther south than she’d ever been for a patrol, heading to the woodlands of Na Crainn Fána, where the Fiodh Abhainn River met the ocean. Nestled between the Hollow’s towns and Glenn na Mara, far to the eastern edge, it was a half day’s ride just to get there.
Sorcha had tried, in vain, to convince Cat to stay behind, but the stubborn creature refused, even going as far as climbing into her bag.
She packed her saddle bags, punching each item into her bag, her brows knitted together as a rose color crept to her cheeks. The thought of carrying Cat in her bag on horseback while patrolling was less than ideal.
“It’s going to be a long day,” she muttered to herself.
Kyron glanced at her, arching a brow as he noticed Cat poking his head out of the bag slung over her shoulder. “Are you seriously taking Cat with you?”
She shot him a look, pointing at the feline.
“Itried,okay? He keeps biting me and follows me everywhere. What wouldyoudo?”
Kyron rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
Then, with a shrug, he offered, “If he’s going to be with you all the time, maybe you should get something made for him like a basket attached to the saddle or a bigger saddlebag. Just saying.”
Sorcha let out an exasperated sigh.
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice. It’s been three days, and Cat already runs things.”
Kyron chuckled, which only fueled her annoyance.
Without a word, she grabbed the end of her loaf of bread and chucked it at his head.
“Ow! Did you—” Kyron paused, staring down at the hunk of bread at his feet. His expression shifted, caught between disbelief and laughter.
“Did you just THROW bread at me?!” A burst of laughter erupted from him, his voice tinged with exaggerated disbelief.
“Seriously, what’s this thing made out of? Gods, maybe we could arm the Circle with it? Our enemies would never see it coming!”
Sorcha doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Cat, not to be outdone, let out a series of sounds like half growls and half chirps that resembled a warped version of laughter. It sent Sorcha into another fit of giggles.
Kyron shook his head, still chuckling as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Okay, it was funny, but it wasn’tthatfunny. Get it together, you two. We have a long ride ahead of us, and at this rate, we’ll never get there.”
Still grinning, he mounted his horse and waited as Sorcha regained her composure. She stuck her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse settling into the saddle. Cat meowed loudly as he tousled around in the bag as she began riding. After a few minutes they were through the gates, heading toward the mysterious woodlands of Na Crainn Fána.
The ride was quiet, Sorcha thoughts were loud in the silence. From the evening her blade struck her parents to Emry’s death and Riona’s words to her, the tears that threatened to break free against the gentle breeze were imminent. They spilled silently but as quickly as they fell she wiped them away with back of her sleeve looking to Cat to avoid Kyron’s gaze. Cat seemed to enjoy the wind in his face, lapping at the breeze and basking in the sunlight. But as they approached Na Crainn Fána, the sky began to darken with gathering storm clouds. Sorcha could sense the shift in the air, and it wasn’t long before Cat noticed it too. Letting out a comically dramatic whine, he ducked his head into the bag. Sorcha chuckled softly as she closed the top, though Cat still managed to peer out through a small gap at the side.
