Mage of Clouds by S. L. Farrell

Author:S. L. Farrell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Fantasy, Young Adult
ISBN: 9780756402556
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2003-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

29

Into the Woods

“YOU don’t have to worry,” Keira said. “I told Arror to lead any of the soldiers who come after us down the Fastwater Dell to where the Elder Trees are. Those who go there won’t return, not even if they hold a Cloch Mór. If the tiarnas are at all familiar with Doire Coill, they already realize that and won’t come in here at all. For now, you’re safe.”

They were still in the glade not far within the borders of the forest. Keira had first checked on Meriel before going to Owaine. The Bunús Muintir woman rapidly cleaned and bound the worst of the cuts on Owaine’s arms and legs. She spoke to him in a whispered conversation that Meriel hadn’t been able to overhear; he’d nodded and left the glade, moving deeper into the woods. Then she came to where Meriel was reclining in soft grass and wrapped Meriel’s ribs with a poultice that first burned like fire before turning colder than a winter’s morning. She moved quickly, her gaze frequently flicking outward in the direction from which they’d come, from where they could hear a canine whining in the distance. She knotted the cloth holding the poultice under Meriel’s léine and brought the tunic over it. She brushed Meriel’s cheeks with thick-padded fingertips. “I have to leave you here for a bit—the wolf you rode also needs attention. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“What about Bráthair Geraghty?”

“You mean Owaine?” Keira asked. “He may be back before me.”

With that, she rose and hurried off, the crow flapping away in front of her. In the space of two breaths, Keira vanished under the trees. Meriel lay back, shading her eyes against the sunlight that filtered down through the overhanging boughs. She tried to sit up and succeeded, groaning with the effort and the sharp pain in her sides. She remembered the scream she’d heard after Sevei had attacked Tiarna O’Murchadha and guilt flooded through her. Sevei might have lost her life keeping her word to Meriel. At best, she would be seriously injured, and what the tiarna might do to her now that Meriel had escaped . . .

Meriel remembered the cards and the reading Sevei had performed what seemed ages ago now: the dark-haired woman and the skeleton. She was afraid that she knew now what Sevei had not been willing to tell her then. She wanted—needed—to see Sevei again, to find out what had happened.

She pushed herself to her feet and took a few limping steps after Keira. Every muscle protested and knife blades seemed to stab into her right hip with each impact of her foot on the ground. There’s nothing you can do, and you’ll only put yourself in danger after these people have risked themselves for you, some rational part of her mind yammered, but she ignored it. She imagined Sevei lying in the road bloody and hurt, and O’Murchadha or O Blaca screaming angrily above her, ready to strike again with cloch or hand, to make Sevei pay in pain and blood.

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