Stonehill Downs by Sarah Remy

Author:Sarah Remy
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2014-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

LATER, AS AVANI picked at the bowl of cooked oats Kate insisted she eat, she remembered her little knife. The weapon was gone, lost in the mud of the graveyard.

She set the bowl of oats in front of Jacob. She sighed.

“Ai, Thom gave me that blade. I’m not losing it.”

Jacob poked at the oats with his beak. Avani grunted. She pulled on her still wet boots and tromped to the door. She wasn’t eager to leave her cozy room, but she refused to be cowed by the uncomfortable thought of returning to the graveyard.

Opening the door with an angry jerk of the latch, she found Mal standing in the hall. He looked so at a loss in his surprise that she wanted to laugh, but found instead tears stinging her eyes.

“I’m going out,” Avani said, gruff.

“I see,” he replied. When she scowled, he cocked a brow.

“You’re blocking my door,” she pointed out.

Mal stepped past her into the room, instead of moving aside as she’d expected. He shut the door with a firm hand. Avani balled her fists at her side, and fought down rising temper.

“You look awful,” he said. “Have you eaten?”

“Some.”

“Touch of colic? It happened to me, often, the first few times. Spent hours doubled over the chamber pot.”

“The first few times?” Avani echoed.

“The first few times I tangled in Andrew’s power,” Mal explained. “It’s irresistible, and it’s painful, and it’s a shock to the body and mind. With training, you’ll soon learn enough to keep it from happening again.”

“What happened was no accident,” Avani choked out. “It was purpose, my lord. I saved your hide.”

Mal paced across the room. He stared down at Jacob, at the bowl of oats. Jacob stretched his wings long, then refolded them across his back.

“It was dangerous,” Mal said to the bird. “It could have killed you. You have strong talent, Avani. To manage . . . that . . . so easily, and without instruction.” He turned on his heel, earnest. “You need that instruction. You need training, schooling, to keep yourself safe and prevent similar mistakes. An untrained magus is a disaster waiting to happen.”

“I saved you.” Avani followed Mal to the table. She stood almost on the toes of his boots, seething. Mal didn’t flinch. “That thing was drawing at your very life. You couldn’t stop it. You’ve grown used to it, letting the bhut feed upon you every day. You couldn’t save yourself!”

Mal’s mouth thinned. Treacherous tears leaked down the side of Avani’s nose. She dashed them away.

“And I thank you,” Mal replied, stiff. “But you mustn’t attempt such a thing again. I won’t see you killed for lack of education.”

“You’re arrogant,” Avani accused.

To her surprise he jerked as if he’d been struck. He walked to her small window, and stared through the glass to the courtyard far below.

“Where is Liam?” he asked.

“Sparring. Practicing. With the other pages.”

Mal turned from the window, visibly pleased. “You’ve given him into ser­vice?”

“Ai, it wasn’t my choice, was it? It’s what he wanted, for now.

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