Page 78 of Crownless Heirs

“So is this what I should expect from here on out? Just accept the strange?” Niall asked, exasperated, when Kyron nonchalantly pointed a thumb at Maelan.

“He’s a cat.”

Niall blinked. “I’m sorry—what?”

“Cait Sidhe,” Maelan said, still chewing. “But ‘cat’ works too.”

Niall stared blankly at them for a few seconds, processing.

“Of course,” he finally said. “Why wouldn’t you be?”

The town faded behind them as they moved north, leaving the tavern behind, the forest swallowing the last of the rooftops. Niall led the way, whistling low and off-key, his hammer bouncing against his back. Traveling along the bend of the river, trees closing in tighter on either side. The path was damp with dew, but easy enough to navigate. Insects chirped low in the underbrush, but no birds called from the branches above. Not a single animal, just like this morning and every morning for weeks now. Niall slowed slightly, his eyes flicking to the canopy. Just the hum of the insects and whispers on the wind.

Behind Niall, the group had fallen into a quieter rhythm. Kyron was muttering under his breath. Maelan was pretending to ignore him. Sorcha kept her gaze ahead watching the way Niall moved. Niall then took a swig from a small flask at his hip.

Sorcha’s brow ticked up.

“What?” Niall didn’t break stride. “It helps me fight better.”

“Helps most fall harder, Then again you aren’t exactly normal.” Maelan replied.

“Now that you mention it,” Niall said, uncapping the flask again, “I once took out six men in a tavern and still had time to finish my drink before the last one hit the ground.”

Kyron groaned, rolling his eyes.

Niall muttered. “Anyway, tell me something. Are you really a cat, or is that just an inside joke?”

Maelan raised a brow and without a word, shifted. One breath later, a massive black jaguar padded forward, its muscles rippling beneath obsidian fur. It paused just ahead of the group, then let loose a low, bone-shaking roar that echoed through the trees.

Niall stumbled back. “Well, damn. That’s—yeah, that’s a cat.”

He took another swig.

Sorcha brushed past him with a snort. Kyron looked unimpressed.

“You could have changed into a house cat,” she said dryly.

Maelan shifted back, still grinning. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Sorcha let out a soft chuckle and kept her stride with Niall, who was still glancing at Maelan. “How far north is the next town?”

Niall turned his glance to Sorcha. “It’s not far. We should be coming up on it anytime now.”

The group continued to follow the path, pushing through thicker brush that had overgrown the trail. Niall kicked the vines aside. “I don’t remember the trail being so overgrown.”

He crouched near a tangled mess of thorns and odd flowers, eyes narrowing at the black buds clustered along the ground. “I’ve spent my whole life here,” he muttered, “and I’ve never seen flowers like this before.”

Sorcha stepped beside him, glancing from the buds to Kyron, then back again.

“Don’t touch that.”

Niall looked over at her.

“Step back, Niall.”

He obeyed without question but confusion spilled across his face, retreating as Sorcha’s hands began to glow. The runes on her body flared to life, casting a soft, golden light across her skin. She moved with calm precision, gathering fire between her palms. Then, gently, she let it spill forward. The vines and flowers ignited instantly.

A terrible screeching rang through the woods as the plants shriveled and cracked, black petals curling into ash. The fire roared, rising high into the air as the trail began to clear.