Page 47

“Spare us.” Orion laughs.

We all laugh, but the tension soon returns as Thesha’s gaze shifts to McColl, who’s been standing quietly beside me. I see the warrior woman’s eyes narrow slightly.

“I’m McColl,” she quickly says before I can introduce her. “I’m…um…a friend of Kian’s.”

The temperature in the room seems to drop several degrees. Thesha’s hand moves fractionally closer to her sword, and I see Xander’s nostrils flare slightly as he scents the air.

He must scent magic on her because he says, “A witch.” It’s not a question.

“Yes,” McColl says, lifting her chin a little.

“Not this again,” I mutter. “McColl is a friend and someone I trust with my life. She also happens to be a witch.”

“You trust her with your life,” Thesha says coolly. “How long have you known her?”

“That isn’t important. We’ve been through a lot…more than most in a whole lifetime. She’s proven to me that I can trust her, and that’s all that counts.”

The tension is thick enough to cut with a blade. Maya shifts uncomfortably in her chair, while Orion moves protectively closer to his wife. Damon and Kyrie exchange a meaningful look, which I don’t like much.

I can see that my earlier words haven’t helped assuage the concern still reflected in both Thesha and Damon’s gazes. The others, too, if I’m honest.

“McColl helped me escape,” I say firmly. “Without her, I’d still be trapped in the Emptyfae Court, back in the mines, or dead. She risked her life to help me and has risked her life several times since,” I try to spell it out.

The silence stretches uncomfortably. I can feel McColl’s tension as she clenches her hands in her lap. I understand where they are coming from since we’ve all learned to be suspicious of anyone new, especially after what Snow has done to us.

“Why don’t we sit, and I’ll tell you everything that happened?” I suggest, hoping to defuse the situation. “Then you can judge for yourselves.” I give McColl what I hope is a reassuring look.

She remains unreadable, although I can tell she’s upset.

It takes a few long, awkward moments before Xander nods, giving me a tight smile. Thesha starts to argue, but he takes her hand, and she closes her mouth, nodding, too. It is clear that she doesn’t like this at all.

The fire dies down to embers as I recount our escape from the Emptyfae Court, our flight through the wasteland,the encounters with the guards, the conjurer, and finally, our rescue by Orion. I stick to the main facts, but I make sure they understand how crucial McColl’s help was at every step.

McColl stays silent, and I can’t say I blame her.

When I finish, the room is quiet except for Maya’s soft breathing as she dozes in her chair, her hand still on her belly.

Outside the windows, night has fallen.

Kyrie jumps up to light a few candles and lanterns. Damon tosses a few logs onto the fire, stirring it up until it catches. I hadn’t realized how dark it was until this moment.

“You’ve both been through hell.” Xander looks at McColl and then back at me.

“And you can really access your magic now?” Damon asks, leaning forward. “I still don’t understand how that’s possible.”

“Neither do I,” I admit. “All I know is that when I broke the chain holding McColl’s amulet during the eclipse, something changed. For both of us.” I glance at McColl.

“The eclipse,” Kyrie muses. “There are old stories about eclipses being times of great magical change when the barriers between realms are thin. Mother Trinity spoke of it a few times. We all thought them to be old wives’ tales, but perhaps not.”

“This lady you speak of is wise indeed. She was right,” McColl says, her voice soft. “I’m sure the eclipse has something to do with it.”

“Who knows for sure?” I add. “Whatever the cause, I’m grateful for it. If we can find out how it was done, perhaps it can be replicated.”

“You mean to other emptyfae?” McColl asks, frowning.

I nod. “When the time comes, we’re going to need every advantage we can get against Snow.”

Thesha has been silent throughout my story, but now she stands abruptly. “Kian, Xander and I would like to speak with you…alone. No offense, McColl, but this is between us. I feel foryou…I do, but I still can’t fully trust you, and that’s the long and the short of it. I don’t know you. Neither does Kian; not really.”