That had been a mistake. He never should have taken her anywhere near this place.
“She won’t get far,” the private said helpfully. “Not with the irons.”
Daris closed his eyes, and Casrian turned to face Emrys.
“You put her in irons.”
Emrys dismissed the private, who took one look at his face and scurried away. “She’s in irons because she was a suspected witch. You would have done the same damned thing if you hadn’t lost your mind. What is going on here?”
He looked from Casrian to Daris.
Daris shook his head and retreated. “I’ll find Kenet.”
Emrys stared at him, still waiting for an answer.
Casrian thought he might be sick. “How much did she tell you?”
Emrys shook his head. “Not much. I didn’t have time for a full interrogation.”
Interrogation… “Did you hurt her?”
Emrys raised an eyebrow. “I questioned her. I’ve no taste for torture. What the fuck is going on, Cas? Who is this woman to you and why the hell did you bring her out here?”
He drew in a deep breath, not wanting to have this conversation, but honor bound to disclose it. “My patrol wasambushed by a familiar. It was stupid. We thought we were clear of the corruption. I caught a slash across my ribs. The patrol tracked down the thing and killed it, but when they turned back for me, the path was gone.”
Emrys understood what it was like to hunt a witch, especially in the woods. Paths changed. Entire patrols were lost. People became disoriented. Hunters sometimes attacked each other thinking they were enemies.
Emrys nodded.
“She found me half dead in the woods and brought me to her home. She patched me up and nursed me through a fever. She was the one who made the arrangements to get word to Sulen requesting reinforcements. She helped me locate my men. She saved Sol’s life, and she told us how to find this nest.”
“A remarkable woman,” Emrys said, with only a trace of his usual sarcasm. “She seemed…very spirited.”
Casrian shot him an annoyed glare, certain that he didn’t want to know what prompted that observation.
Emrys held up a hand. “We didn’t meet under ideal circumstances. She doesn’t like me much, but I trust your opinion of her.”
“I crossed a line.”
Understanding lit in Emrys’s eyes. He was silent for a long moment and then blew out a breath. “You’re the last person I expected to hear that from. I mean… I don’t even know what to do with it. I’m not a confessor, Cas.”
“I’m not looking for absolution,” he said. “We have a history beyond this mission. I don’t want to go into it right now, but she is important to me. I need an objective mind, because I cannot be objective where she is concerned. It’s why I sent her away.”
“I see.” Emrys leaned back against a tree and stared down at the ground. “It’s dangerous for you to stay then.”
“I can’t leave. Not until I know she’s safe.”
Emrys’s gaze flicked up. “The witch will use her against you. You know that. This affects all of us.”
“That’s why I’m telling you.”
He studied Casrian’s face. “If Kenet doesn’t find her, what will you do?”
What he wanted to do was chase her down. Drag her away to that cave and stand guard over her like a dragon hoarding its treasure, but that wouldn’t do any good even if Rowan would allow it. The true threat was right here at the center of the nest.
If they killed the witch, they sealed off the demon’s connection to this place and the threat would be gone. Rowan would be safe. Everyone would be safe.
“I’m going to kill the witch.”
