A Veil of Secrets by Hailey Edwards

Author:Hailey Edwards [Edwards, Hailey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Dark Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Fantasy & Futuristic, Sword & Sorcery, Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2014-12-30T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Raised voices dragged me from my dreams. I pushed up on my elbow and spotted Asher deep in conversation with Lleu. Behind him Pascale stood with her hands fisted on her hips. I grasped the sheet and drew it up to my chin, clamping my eyes shut and pretending to sleep while they conversed.

“You left without a word,” Lleu bellowed. “Of course I worried.”

Pascale sounded ill. “What happened to that poor ursus?”

“It was infected with the plague. You can see that for yourself,” Asher said. “I had to kill it.”

The strangled sound must have come from Pascale.

Lleu cleared his throat and spat. “I knew those flighty bastards were up to something.”

“What are you talking about?” Asher pressed. “What flighty bastards?”

“Harbingers,” Pascale said. “Beltania is lousy with them lately.”

“And no one felt we should be informed of the dangers?” Asher growled.

“There is no danger—yet.” Lleu sighed. “We might as well tell him.”

“Let’s wait for Marne to get decent.” Pascale’s voice carried. “She’s awake. That or she’s dead. She hasn’t taken a breath for some time now. You two make yourselves scarce. I’ll stay with her.”

I cracked open my eyelids and found them all staring at me.

Asher stopped Pascale in her tracks. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Touch me again,” she said through her teeth, “and I’ll show you a bad idea.”

“Behave yourself,” Lleu warned. “Come on, Asher. Let’s leave the females to their doings.”

Asher hesitated. “Marne?”

I drew the covers up higher. “I’ll be fine.”

Today Pascale wore a soft green dress that teased her ankles and a pair of sandals. Without care of staining her fine garment, she dropped beside me onto the grass and linked her fingers in her lap.

“You don’t have to cover yourself.” She flashed a remorseful smile. “I know what you are.”

I shoved myself upright, scuttling back while my gaze darted toward Lleu’s retreating back.

“It’s all right.” She didn’t move to detain me. “Henri asked me to look out for you.”

“What about Lleu?” His ties with the Salticidae were more troubling to me.

“I confess, I did recruit him.” She worried a knot into the hem of her skirt. “I feel since I know a dangerous secret of yours, it’s only fair I trade you one of mine.” She wrung the fabric tighter. “I am a traitor to my clan. I was exiled to Beltania for a period of two years as punishment for my crimes.”

I stopped retreating and held very still to hear what she had to say.

“Rhys asked Vaughn to lend me a protector, and he offered me Lleu. What I didn’t know until a few months later was that Vaughn’s mother—Isolde—had made the request herself. Apparently Lleu has experience with harbingers and risers. He was in Cathis when Titania burned to the ground, when Lailah was captured.” She paused. “Isolde had concerns after her new daughter-in-law unearthed the cure for the plague that actions might be taken once the harbingers realized where the cure was being produced.” She spread her hands. “We have learned that any knowledge a riser or harbinger has, Idra can access.

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