Chapter 12
Cuan emerged from Aodhan’s oak to find Tamsin sitting on a root, looking pensive in the twilight. Foxfire-flies danced around her like stars drawn from the heavens by her beauty, but she paid the glowing multicolored insects no heed. Her eyes were turned in the direction of Motley and Angus, sporting together in the soft purple dusk, but Cuan had a sense that she wasn’t watching them, either.
He joined her, being careful to rustle the leaves as he went so as not to startle her. “An emerald for your thoughts?”
She flashed him a slight, quick smile that didn’t touch her eyes. “Okay, either that saying means something different here, or jewels are a lot more common in fairyland.”
“I assume the latter.” He sat down next to her, resting his forearms on his knees. “Emeralds are of no great value in the fae realms. But in truth I would pay my weight in phoenix feathers to know the mysteries that pass behind your eyes.”
She blew out her breath. “Trust me, you don’t want to know. Did you find out anything from Aodhan?”
“I left him with his nose deep in a tome, muttering something about harmonic resonances and the potential for a totemic substitution.” Cuan lifted one shoulder in a wry shrug. “Whatever that may be. As I warned you, the most I could do was fetch him cups of tea and murmur words of appreciation. In any event, it seems that your problem has engaged his scholarly interest. If there is something to be found, Aodhan will find it.”
Tamsin drummed her fingers on the tree bark. “Any idea how long that might take?”
He spread his hands palm-up. “I am afraid not. But I believe he will not dawdle. In fact, I am certain he will neither eat nor sleep until he has an answer. When something seizes Aodhan’s attention, it is excessively seized.”
“Well, that’s good news.” Despite her words, Tamsin still seemed disheartened. She picked at the tree bark, avoiding his eyes.
“Tamsin.” He touched the back of her hand, stilling the nervous movements of her fingers. “What shadows you? Did something happen while I was with Aodhan?”
“No, nothing,” she said quickly. She smiled, but it looked forced. “Just, you know, got a lot on my mind. And it sounds like it’s going to take some time to figure out a way to break the curse. That means you’re going to have to keep fighting.”
“I will defend you with all my heart and skill. Though I would greatly appreciate your continued assistance in that matter. Do you think you could hide another pineapple about your person tomorrow, just in case?”
That sparked a real smile, at least, though it was brief and fleeting. “I’ll do what I can. Which includes making sure that you’re in a fit state to fight. Did you get Aodhan to heal your injuries?”
“I could not waste Aodhan’s limited goodwill on such a trivial matter. I am in his debt enough as it is.”
Tamsin finally turned to face him head on, fixing him with a stern glare. “Cuan, you were throttled half to death. Don’t be such a pig-headed macho idiot.”
His lips twitched with amusement. “I vow that I shall strive not to be. But truly, my hurts are too minor to require Aodhan’s attention. A lesser method of healing will suffice. Motley!”
Motley broke off from his game with Angus, coming over. “Hello. I thought you were going to see Aodhan.”
“I did, my friend.” Cuan laid a hand on the raven shifter’s shoulder. “My deepest thanks for your help. I need to take Tamsin one final place, if you can manage it.”
“Of course.” Motley frowned, his forehead creasing. “But we broke the door. And it would have been too small to fit through, anyway.”
“I think Cuan means back where you made the first portal,” Tamsin said before Cuan could ask what Motley meant by that. “You know, when we arrived here.”
Motley brightened. “Oh, yes. Good doorway, that one. This way.”
Without a pause, he shifted into raven form, flying back down the path. They both had to hurry to keep him in sight. By the time they caught up with him, back by the archway of trees, he was already back in man form, waiting with arms folded and one foot tapping.
“Took you long enough,” Motley said, as though they had kept him waiting for hours rather than a matter of minutes. He looked Cuan up and down, his nose wrinkling. “Cuan, you’re hurt. And you smell bad. You need a bath.”
Cuan smiled. “I do indeed, my friend. Would you be so kind?”
Motley reached through the archway, pushing at thin air. With a shimmer, the view between the silver tree trunks changed to a gravel path winding along the bottom of a steep, rocky gorge.
“Oh no you don’t,” Tamsin said to Angus, tightening her grip on the dog as he wriggled in her arms. “I’m not having you charging off and disturbing a dragon or something.”
Cuan chuckled. “No dragons in our lands, I promise you. Or at least, not true dragons, the great winged wyrms. We high sidhe drove them from our lands eons ago, before the realms parted. According to the histories, many dragon-kind took refuge in your own world, in fact.”
Tamsin shot him a dubious look as they both crossed through the portal. “I’m, uh, pretty certain we don’t have dragons in the human world.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Were you also certain that you did not have the Wild Hunt?”