Was she the Namhaid? If she was, they would kill her. No matter how much he tried to protect her, it would only be a matter of time before his warriors turned their weapons against her. If she would be the one to destroy the world, they couldn’t let her live.
And if shewasn’tthe Namhaid, the Fomorians would attack her homeland before the next Beltane. They’d find their enemy, no matter what it took.
Her heart thumped hard. What if the Namhaid was Reyna? It might seem impossible, but the pieces fit. What if the gods told the Fomorians it was her? What would they do then?
They would kill Reyna Darragh.
Eislyn couldn’t let that happen.
Sucking in a deep breath, she tiptoed past the smoldering remains of the fire and vanished into the darkness. She glanced up at the sky, letting the stars guide her way. She needed to go east, back to the coast. Somehow, she’d have to find a ship. She had no idea how, but that didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was getting far enough away and finding some shelter to hide in before the Fomorians woke. As soon as dawn shot pink across the horizon, Lir would take to the skies and try to find her.
An immense, winged figure landed heavily before her. His dark feathers flashed beneath the moonlight, and so did his sword. Eislyn’s heart stopped as she stumbled back. She fisted her hands, tears in her eyes. With a muttered scream, she whirled on her feet and ran.
His strong hands caught her arms before she even made it five feet. He yanked her back and pulled her against his chest, rage burning in his dark eyes.
“Did you truly believe you could run from me?” Lir hissed into her face.
She stiffened. “You were asleep.”
“We have a bond,” he growled. “You are my wife. As soon as you left my side, the magic jolted me awake.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t known that would happen. “I thought it only stopped me from leaving the building you’re inside of.”
“It stops us from parting,” he said with a sigh, frowning as he glanced over his shoulder at the camp. He slid his sword into the sheathe on his back. Had he really planned to use that against her? “You can’t do things like this. It will make the others angry. You’re lucky you didn’t wake them.”
“Because they want me dead,” she whispered, her body beginning to tremble. “Tell me the truth. They want to kill me, don’t they?”
His gaze softened. “I’ve managed to convince them that we should give this quest a chance becauseyou’rewilling to give it a try, too. If they think you want to escape, they’ll assume the worst.”
They’ll assume I’m the Namhaid.
“I don’t want to do this, Lir,” she whispered fiercely. “What happens if they’re right? What if the gods tell us that I’m the one? What then? They’ll no longer have any reason to hold back. They’ll kill me as soon as they get the chance.”
Lir released his grip on her arms. “Then, we’ll return to the palace, and you’ll stay there for the rest of your life. As long as we’re bonded, you can’t leave.”
“And that will be enough?” she asked. “All the Fomorians will accept that?”
His eyes flashed as he took a step back. “Of course they will. I’m the Emperor of Fomor, and they will fall in line.”
Eislyn’s lips twisted into a strained smile. “One of us is lying again. And this time, it isn’t me.”
4
Reyna
“Your father will be here in two days,” Lorcan said gruffly from behind her. She stiffened at her place along the table in the empty Great Hall. Lorcan had barely spoken a word to her all day. In truth, she hadn’t expected to see him until bed once more, just like the previous night. Whatever he was going through wasn’t over yet.
She patted the seat beside her. Reyna had decided to dine by herself. The Great Hall had not been used feasting as of yet, not since they’d arrived in the capital. She’d heard word that Lorcan wanted to wait until after the treaty had been signed. But she’d left out a plate for him anyway, just in case he decided to join her.
“I won’t be dining,” he said quietly, but he settled onto the seat beside her all the same, bracing his forearms on the table. His fisted hands were tense.
“You need to eat.”
“I have some things I need to attend to this evening.”
“Like lounging on the throne?” she said, arching a brow as she risked a glance at his face. The familiar, handsome, chiseled lines were all hardened into stone.
“You’re referring to court this morning.”
