The Iron City (River Witch Book 5) by Helena Rookwood

Author:Helena Rookwood [Rookwood, Helena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2019-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

21

TABITHA

Tabitha sat on the foot of the iron-swirled steps, fidgeting with the belts slung across her waist that dug uncomfortably into her stomach as she leant forward. Wearing the Iron City uniform was taking some getting used to.

Aldon had sent her out of their lessons to practice her mind magic on some of the unsuspecting citizens of the Iron City, and she had stopped by one of the huge fountains in the centre of the city. Her jaw had dropped when she’d first seen it.

The city’s ironsmiths had welded beautiful, twisting horses that halted mid-leap away from the gushing water, which sang happily to Tabitha as it leapt playfully down over the metal, slipping and sliding and spraying itself from air to earth. Once again, Tabitha couldn’t help comparing this to the fae architecture she had seen in Mabh’s court. And with their manes rippling in the water, she couldn’t help thinking that the fountain looked awfully like it had kelpies leaping from it.

It had seemed like a good spot to stop unnoticed, where Tabitha could tuck herself into the corner of the steps and slip a tentative finger into someone else’s mind, retreating again before they felt it, or even suspected who might have committed such an invasive act given that it was so busy around the fountain. People came here to gossip and to exchange secrets hidden under the loud gush of the water, to rest on the ornate iron benches positioned around it, or to cool off after a hard training session. Here, Tabitha had been sure, she should have gone unnoticed.

But even though she was now dressed like the rest of them, head to toe in a comfortable, black outfit which allowed her to move fluidly and melt into the shadows, everyone else in the Iron City still seemed to notice her. Tabitha couldn’t tell – was it something in her posture? The way she couldn’t quite bring herself to meet their gazes? Or just that they had all grown up together, while her face remained unfamiliar?

People shot her unhappy glares as their trained eyes spotted her instantly, their eyes darting back to her from wherever they stopped to join in conversation or splash cool water onto hot cheeks.

“Mind if I join you?”

Tabitha jumped at the voice right above her shoulder. As she glanced up, for a moment she thought the sun had flooded into the courtyard, light and warmth bathing her for a moment. And then her face split into a broad smile as she realised it was Lysander, and that some of his golden glow had returned.

Her smile widened, and she patted the steps beside her. “It’s nice to see a friendly face for a change.”

He dropped down to the floor and then jolted forward again. “Gods! Aren’t you freezing on this stone?”

And her eyes settled on the crutch he was using.

The warmth that had flooded through her was instantly replaced by the cold sting of guilt. He was using a crutch. And she hadn’t even known.

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