I shrugged. “Who cares? Better company here.”
The Miacha and Zoe joined us. Zoe touched my hand briefly, and Grey Eyes gently pinched Scarlet’s cheeks.
“She’s growing fast,” Grey Eyes said. “And she’s so good. Rarely a cry from her. She’s a credit to you.”
“I can’t claim too much credit,” I said with a smile. “She doesn’t get that from me.”
Jackie jumped to his feet so quickly that he lost his balance. He righted himself and inched toward Grey Eyes. “Can I get you anything? Tea or a quick snack before dinner’s ready?”
“Oh.” The Miacha sat down beside me. “Tea would be grand.”
“Boys!” Jackie bellowed, making Grey Eyes jump. “The lady would like a sup of tea! Get to it!”
I exchanged a glance with Zoe, who looked as though she wanted to burst out laughing. I nudged her. I heard a giggle from behind me. I turned just in time to catch Eithne before she toppled into the fire.
“Eithne!” Dymphna scolded. “No running.”
“She’s okay,” I said, putting the child back on her feet. “Isn’t that right, Eithne?”
She gave me a shy smile and ran to hug her mother’s leg.
“Eithne, why don’t you sit beside Scarlet?” Zoe said and scooted over to make room.
“I don’t want her to be any trouble,” Dymphna said, looking awkward.
“She’s not,” I said. “I can watch her while you eat. I know this isn’t the popular table.”
Dymphna groaned. “I’d rather sit here. The rumours they spread about Darksiders are ridiculous. But I have to show my face tonight. They’ll start to think I’ve changed sides.”
“There’s always time,” I said with a grin. “Go on. She can play with Scarlet for a while.”
When Dymphna left, Eithne began trying to teach Scarlet a clapping game.
“Isn’t it weird how much is the same when everything is so different here?” Zoe said, watching the girls play.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I remember us doing things like that when we were tiny. And then your mam would sing along because she remembered the words from when she was a kid. It’s just strange the things that get passed along.” She gestured around us. “The things that work in both worlds.”
“Used to be one world,” Jackie said abruptly.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“One world. Co-existence. Way back when, there wasn’t a—ah, here, lad, not her. The other lady!”
Jackie’s eldest pulled his hand back to retrieve the cup he had just handed me. He stood there for a second, confused as he looked questioningly at Zoe.
I took pity on him and wrapped my arm around Grey Eyes. “The tea is for this lady.”
I turned to ask Jackie more questions, but he was already going on about how to make a proper cup of tea. By the time Jackie’s boys finished making dinner, more people had crowded around us. Fiadh and Conn arrived with Setanta, who sat up by leaning against Conn so he could play with the girls. Bekind lay next to Setanta. Líle and Anya joined us, and even Bran was persuaded to take a seat for once.
Anya repeatedly glanced across the camp at Arlen, who stared sullenly at his hands while the kings talked. Half the camp was gossiping about Arlen and Anya and their arguments.
“Go sit with him,” I told Anya.
She looked at me, eyes anguished, before turning away with a determined set to her jaw. “I like it better here.”
I noticed that Vix and Rumble weren’t with us. “Can you watch the girls for a minute?” I asked Zoe. Once she agreed, I set off to find my missing friends.
I discovered them sitting by the carriages. “It’s dinnertime,” I said.
Vix raised one eyebrow. Rumble wore his helmet, so I had no idea what his reaction was.
“Did you have a point?” Vix asked.
“Yeah, actually. It’s dinnertime, and you’re not at the table with the rest of the family.”
She looked at me as if I had lost my mind. “There’s no table. And not a whole lot of family going on.”
“It’s a figurative table, and there’s plenty of family to go around. Just come sit down and eat with us and stop being so bloody stuck up.”
“Stuck up? Me?” She dramatically pressed her hand against her chest as if I had just emotionally scarred for life. “And this from a—”
“We’ll eat,” Rumble said.
He stood and clutched Vix’s arm to pull her to her feet. To my surprise, she allowed him to tug her over to the group.
I beamed. “Be right after you,” I called after them.
Next, I headed over to the area where Arlen was. All conversation stopped as I approached.
“Is Eithne giving you trouble?” Dymphna asked.
“Not at all,” I said. “I just came over to ask Arlen if he wanted to sit with us tonight. Jackie’s boys made way too much food.”
“And Arlen’s the only one with an invitation?” Brendan asked in mock horror.
“Of course not.” I gave him an innocent smile. “Dymphna’s invited, too.”
“I’m not wanted there,” Arlen said in a sulky voice.
“Grow up,” I said. “Why would I have walked all the way over here to ask you if you weren’t wanted?”
He hung his head. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I give you the impression that you had a choice?”
He glared at me. “An invitation is not an order, and a human Darksider consort can’t order me around.”
“Well, aren’t we bitchy today?” I put my hands on my hips. “Listen, you big child, get a grip and man up, or you’re going to lose Anya for good. What are you doing? You want her with you so you push her away? How does that make sense?”
He clenched his hands into fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure I don’t. When you find your balls, you know where to find us.” I spun to head back.
Brendan reached out to grab my hand. “If we aren’t invited to the special dinner the Darksiders have cooked, why don’t you stay and have a glass of the special wine we brought with us?”
I grinned and patted his shoulder. “I don’t need wine to feel special.”
I walked away, feeling good. I felt even better when only a few minutes after I sat down, Arlen joined us, taking his rightful place next to Anya. She gave him a hopeful glance, and he managed to eke out a smile.
“Better than nothing,” I whispered.
“What was that?” Grey Eyes asked.
“Oh, nothing. I’m surprised we haven’t seen your sisters yet.”
“Give it time. The birds know the babe is on the move. If they can, my sisters will come running to see her again.”
“The birds know?”
She smiled, her leathery skin wrinkling. “Almost everything here has ears and a tongue. Word spreads.”
As the evening wore on, it became clear from the noise level that our group was the only one having any fun. I relaxed a bit. Just a little farther, and then it would be done.
***
Jackie poked his head through the window of the moving carriage. “Darksiders watching us.”
“Great,” I said. “Let’s stop and talk—”
“No, no.” He shook his head so hard he almost fell through the window. “You don’t want these. They’re savages.”
“People say that about all Darksiders. Don’t be ridiculous, Jackie.”
He gave Zoe and Scarlet a pointed look. “Let me and one of my boys have a word first. Put the old feelers out and see how the tide is flowing. Trust me on this one, queenie. This clan is not like the others.”
Something in his voice, a tremble of fear, set my nerves on edge. “Fine. Take Rumble. Be quick, though.”
He disappeared, leaving me rattled. The black cat flew out the window after him.
“What was that about?” Zoe asked.
I peered out at the trees, but I couldn’t
see a thing. “I’m not sure.”
“Maybe we should listen to him,” Anya whispered. “There were savage tribes long before the Darkside came into existence.”
“Maybe.” I waved at Bran, who was riding beside us. “Let me know when you see Rumble and the others return.” I sat back in my seat and waited anxiously.
An hour later, I heard a distant roar. The carriage was brought to a halt, and the guards surrounded it, their horses forming a shield.
After a few minutes, Bran shouted, “It’s okay!”
“We need help here!” Jackie yelled.
“Líle, stay with Scarlet,” I ordered.
Without waiting for a response, I leapt out of the carriage to see what was happening. Grey Eyes jumped down from another carriage and ran past me. We caught up with Rumble, who was carrying Jackie’s youngest son. Jackie walked by his side, his face pale and streaked with blood. Rumble’s sleeve was torn, and blood dripped from a wound there. Jackie’s boy had no obvious injuries, but he was unconscious. I was vaguely aware of Brendan and Drake approaching.
“What happened?” I asked.
“They wanted a tithe because we trespassed on their territory,” Jackie said, “so they tore into the big fella. He fought them off, but on the way back…” He shook his head. “My boy has the taint. He’s weakening with it. He wasn’t hurt.”
Grey Eyes had Rumble lay the boy on the ground, so she could tend to him. She rolled up his sleeve, and I hissed at the sight of his arm. Just like Setanta’s, the boy’s skin was covered in wart-like growths. I should have realised from the black veins spidering his neck.
“He’ll be fine,” Grey Eyes said, patting his shoulder. “He just needs a bit of nourishment and release. Fetch me some clean water.”
To my horror, she took out a knife and sliced his arm along one of the black welts. Instead of blood, black liquid seeped out of the cut. I tore my eyes away and went to check on Rumble’s arm.
“It’s nothing,” he said uneasily.
Ignoring his attempt to be manly, I rolled up his sleeve. “Holy…! Is that a bite?”
Drake swooped over and stared at the wound. “What did this?”
“The tribe in the woods,” Rumble said, inching away from the Silver King.
I frowned in confusion. “Somebody bit you?”
“Cannibals,” Jackie said, still kneeling next to his boy. Brendan had brought over some water, and Jackie was trying to force his son to drink it.
“Cannibals?” I echoed. “Seriously?”
“I’m very serious,” Jackie said. “Wake up now, lad. There’s a good boy.” He helped his son sit up, but the boy still looked woozy.
“Bandage his arm and put him in my carriage,” I said. If Scarlet had helped Setanta gain some strength just from being in his proximity, then perhaps she could do something for Jackie’s son, too.
Rumble cleared his throat. “The cannibal tribe was driven out of the Darkside by Reynard. They were offended by our suggestion to join us and wished for a… sacrifice. They’ll be coming this way. If they don’t find something, they’ll follow.”
“I vote for something silver,” Jackie said. “We could use less of the bad attitude.”
“How dare you?” Drake demanded.
“There will be no sacrifices,” Brendan said firmly. “We’ll leave food we’ve hunted.”
“And if they come after us?” Drake asked.
Brendan gave me an apologetic look. “Then we’ll kill them all.”
***
I heard rushing water outside the carriage and leaned through the window. Though miles away, the massive River Garbh was visible in the distance. The cannibals hadn’t followed us after we left the cover of the forest, but the scouts were kept on constant alert. Jackie’s son had improved dramatically, and the family gave Grey Eyes all of the credit, but I was betting Scarlet had some influence in his recovery.
The incident with the cannibals had shaken my confidence, but the sight of the River Garbh crashing against the shore gave me an idea.
“Bran!” I called. “Can you do me a favour? Tell Brendan I need to get out.”
“Get out?”
“Yeah.” I pointed at the river. “I need to go over there.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Hurry, Bran. It’s important, I swear.”
He nodded and galloped away.
I waved Rumble over. “Will you come with me to the river?”
He hesitated before agreeing.
Vix steered her horse a little closer. “Queens don’t ask for favours.”
“No sunbathing on top of the carriage today?”
Her upper lip curled. “It’s been invaded by a small man and his sons. I’d rather ride alone.”
“Shocking.”
“Whatever you do, don’t ask Darksiders for favours. Order them. Don’t even let them think they have an option.”
“You mean, be like Sadler?”
“I mean that you need to act like a queen. And Sadler has lessons to teach, too. He managed to acquire a kingdom, after all. That’s no small feat.”
“I’ve noticed. What do you think of the new additions?”
She gave me a scornful glance. “Weaklings, but numbers are always useful. We need more blood like Fiadh’s.”
“I’d take more like you and Rumble.”
She threw back her head and laughed. “Flattery. Has it come to this?”
Brendan and Bran rode up to the carriage. Brendan had obviously been bored because he looked eager to hear what I had to say.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you’re doing, and isn’t the why more important to you?”
He shrugged. “I’ve given up worrying. What’s so important out here? We’re merely travelling this way to avoid being seen by creatures that like to hide in the forest.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to hide all of”—I waved my arm out the window—“this. Anyway, I want to go to the river.”
“And then?”
“Talk.”
He reached out and pressed his palm against my forehead. “A little warm.”
“The water fae, doofus. I think we could use them. They’ll be the first to know if ships are arriving.”
He pondered that for a moment, and I could almost hear his brain ticking. “That’s a good point. We’ll need to discuss it with—”
“I swear, if you say you need to ask Drake first, I’m going to punch you. You’re a king. You don’t need to ask his permission.”
His eyes glittered, making me fight the urge to shrink from his glare. “Don’t push your luck.”
“I won’t if you let me go. You know it’s a good idea, don’t you?”
“I’m accompanying her,” Rumble said.
“I’ll go, too,” Brendan said. “I want to hear what these water fae have to say.”
Drake rode out from behind the carriage. “And they’ve sworn fealty to Sadler, remember?”
“They helped me,” I said. “On the way back from the Fade, they gave me the right directions. They didn’t try to stop me, and they didn’t tell Sadler.”
“You can’t know that,” Drake said.
“I lived with him as his wife,” I said sharply. “I know lots of things.”
Drake and Brendan looked away, both shifting in their saddles. Making them uncomfortable was exactly the reaction I wanted.
“I’m doing this,” I said.
“Think about it,” Drake said earnestly. “After what happened with the cannibals, do you really want to do this? You’ve seen how risky it is to side with Darksiders.”
“I’ve seen that there are bad eggs everywhere. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Never say that,” Vix grumbled.
I took a deep breath. “We don’t have a choice. We need the help, and I’m not too proud to ask for it. If they agree, we’ll have a huge advantage.”
“It may be a decent idea,” Brend
an said after a moment.
Drake let out an exasperated sigh. “We should all go officially then.”
“And make a big deal over it?” I asked. “They’re not going to talk if they see soldiers hanging around. You’re their enemy.”
“What if just the three of us go?” Brendan said. “The others can wait behind and keep watch.”
“That’s dangerous,” Drake said.
“We can see for miles in every direction,” Brendan said. “What harm can it do? Besides, if the worst happens, I’m sure there’s something we can come up with. Power shared…”
Drake shrugged. “She’s not going alone. And they likely won’t talk if we go in guns blazing. You’re right. Three of us should go.”
“It’ll be like old times,” Brendan said. “But you should really let your wife know where you’re running off to.”
Drake glared at him before riding away.
“Come on,” Brendan said. “You can ride with me.”
I kissed Scarlet then left the carriage. I pointed at Bran. “You better watch over her.”
He nodded, and I climbed atop Dubh in front of Brendan. He slipped his arms around my waist before I could stop him. “It’s been depressing riding alone.” He squeezed my waist. “You feel different.”
I shoved his hands away, embarrassed. “That’s because I’ve had a baby, you prick. Back off.”
He laughed instead of snapping back at me. I had missed that about him. Almost everything rolled off his back, and he never dredged up old arguments. That was all that ever happened when Drake and I spoke.
“Tell me,” he said, “why are you acting as though different means something bad?”
“Because. Just shut up.”
He grasped my chin and turned my head until I faced him. “Do you honestly feel less than now?”
“I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” I truly didn’t feel the same since the pregnancy. I didn’t recognise my own body anymore, and whenever I looked in the mirror, a stranger stared back.
The humour left his face, and he brushed his thumb across my cheek. “It’s a beautiful thing to create a life. I think motherhood becomes you.”
My stomach did a somersault. I couldn’t bear it, so I looked away before I said something I would likely regret. Confidence wasn’t something I wore well, and I was still getting used to the changes motherhood had brought. And according to a prophesying mirror, I wouldn’t recognise myself in the future either.