“Did he show himself to her,” Iona said the minute they were alone, “or is his . . . presence—would that be it—just more tangible?”
“I’m wondering if he got careless, as that’s another possibility. Prowling around as she said, hoping to trouble us, and he didn’t shadow himself from others. As he doesn’t want the attention of others, I think it was carelessness.”
“He’s impatient.”
“It may be, but he’ll just have to wait until we’re ready. I’m going to finish this restorative, then we’ll take ourselves off. We’ll have that ride.”
“You’re hoping he’ll take a run at us.”
“I’m not hoping he won’t.” Branna lifted her chin in defiance. “I’d like to give him a taste of what two women of power can do.”
• • •
BRANNA WASN’T DISAPPOINTED FIN HAD BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. If he’d been at home or in the stables, he wouldn’t have cared for the idea of her and Iona going out at all, or would have insisted on going with them.
She wore riding boots she hadn’t put on in years, and had to admit it felt good. And what felt even better was saddling Aine herself.
“We don’t know each other well as yet, so I hope you’ll let Iona know if you’ve any problems with me.” She took a moment to come around the filly’s head, stroke her cheeks, look into her eyes.
“He’d have wanted you for your beauty and grace alone, for you have both in full measure. But he sensed you were for me, and I for you. If that’s the way of it, I’ll do my best for you. That’s an oath. I made this for you today,” she added, and braided a charm into Aine’s mane with a bright red ribbon. “For protection, as mine or not, I’ll protect you.”
“She thinks you’re nearly as pretty as she is,” Iona told Branna.
With a laugh, Branna stepped over to adjust the stirrups to her liking. “Now then that’s a fine compliment.”
“With you on her back, you’ll make a picture—which is something she’s happy to make for Alastar.”
“Let’s make one then.” With Iona she led the horses out of the stables, vaulted into the saddle as if it had been only yesterday.
“Do we have a plan?” Iona leaned over the saddle to pat Alastar’s neck.
“Sometimes it’s best to take things as they come.”
They walked to the road, with Kathel and Bugs prancing along with them.
“I can’t call the hawk,” Iona said.
“They’ll come if needed. Though that would’ve been a thought, wouldn’t it, to ride out with all the guides. What do you say to a canter?”
“I say yay.”
Graceful, Branna thought again when Aine responded and broke into a bright canter. And flirtatious, Branna added, as she didn’t need to have Iona’s gift to interpret the way Aine tossed her mane.
She glanced back, saw that the faithful Kathel slowed his own pace to stay with Bugs, felt her lips curve at the happiness beaming from both of them.
So she let herself just enjoy.
The cool air, with a sharpness in it that told her more snow would come. The scent of the trees and horses, the steady beat of hooves.
Maybe she had taken too little time for too long a time if a little canter down the road brought her such a lift in spirit.
She felt in tune with the horse. Fin would be right, she admitted, as he
was never wrong on such matters. For whatever reason, Aine would be hers, and the partnership between them began now.
They turned onto the path into the trees where the air was cooler yet. Small pools of snow lay in shadows where they’d formed in a previous fall, and a bird chattered on a bough.
They slowed to an easy trot.