“That’s alright,” Rhain said with a wave of his hand. “I’m good. Reyna here probably has enough for all of us.”
Reyna wrinkled her nose, but she didn’t argue. “Thane?”
He frowned, glancing toward them, his conversation with Glencora cut short. “Sorry, did you ask me something?”
“Do you want to drink from the stream before we go?”
He grimaced. “Ah, no. I’ve seen far too many terrible things happen because of magic. I’ll trust you to deal with it.”
“Well, there you go.” Nollaig’s voice held the hint of a smile. “I win.”
“I think I’ve changed my mind about all those potatoes I was going to plant for you.”
“You can’t,” Nollaig said in a singsong voice. “We made a deal. About something else entirely. You can’t change it now. It’s far too late for that, little Shieldmaiden.”
“Ha!” Reyna scoffed. “Did you just call melittle?”
“Did you just threaten not to give me my potatoes?”
“I swear to the gods, Nollaig, sometimes I don’t know if I want to hug you or toss that damn cloak into the fire.”
She sniffed. “Well, now you’ve gone too far.”
“You never take it off. It stinks.”
“Blasphemy,” Nollaig said with a laugh. “It smells like roses. Isn’t that right, Rhain?”
Rhain held up his hands, taking a step back. “Don’t get me involved in this. I ain’t saying nothing about that damn cloak.”
Reyna’s lips quirked. “He’s too polite to say it stinks.”
“You should get going before nightfall,” Queen Morgan said, pursing her full lips. Reyna read between the very thinly-veiled lines. They would outstay their welcome if they didn’t leave now.
“There’s just one more thing I want to know.” Reyna blocked the Queen’s path while Glencora and the others took off toward the wall of rain. Anger flickered in the Dryad’s eyes, making one thing clear. She had helped them, but she was done now.
“I’ll give you one more question, and then you must go.” She poked a long fingernail into the center of Reyna’s chest. “I have given a great deal to you, Reyna Darragh, and you have not even thanked me.”
Caught of guard, Reyna flushed. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us and for the realm. One day I hope I can repay you. I mean that.”
“You’ll repay me by stopping this curse.” Her lips tightened. “Now, what’s your question?”
“Who is the Namhaid?” she whispered. “I know you know something, or you wouldn’t have mentioned it.”
Queen Morgan sucked in a sharp breath, throwing her shoulders back and tossing her flowing hair. “You know who it is.”
Reyna frowned. “No, actually, I don’t. Which is why I asked you.”
Queen Morgan leaned forward, her nose only an inch away from hers. Her breath frosted from her lips, scented with berries and bitter herbs. “It’s in there. I can see it in your eyes. You know who it is, but you’re scared to admit it even to yourself. But refusing to think it will not stop it from being real. You must accept the truth. Before time runs out.”
The Queen drew back and waved at her to go.
“That’s not an answer,” Reyna said, narrowing her eyes. “Who is it, Queen Morgan? If you really think I’m going to stop the Cleaving of the World, shouldn’t I know the identity of the fae who’s going to do it?”
“So, then stop hiding from it. Goodbye now, Reyna.” The Queen flicked her fingers at the Shieldmaidens nearby. They all surrounded Reyna in the blink of an eye. Frustration burned through her. She didn’tknowwho the Namhaid was. She’d suspected herself most of all, and then she’d thought it was Molt.
Neither of those were true. So then…
It could be Lorcan.Her hands clenched. A storm of pain raged through her. She took a moment to steady herself before joining the others. It was a thought she’d try to fight back. She’d hidden it in the depths of her mind, hoping that if she ignored it that it would just…go away. Like the annoying buzz of an insect. Eventually, it would lose interest and fly off somewhere else.
