Page 23 of The Filigree Key

Return to Nature, be clean ever more.”

The brown sludge became like syrup, and I poured it into a spare vial I’d found in my foraging bag. There was a little leftover, so I poured the rest into a second vial and squirreled that away in my foraging bag. Wrinkling his nose, Sawyer gently took hold of the glass vial with his teeth.

“You owe me a new mug,” Shari grumbled, wrinkling her nose.

“I’ll get you a whole tea set,” I promised. Outside the hut, I heaved the honey badger onto the mare’s back. She corralled Sawyer in her arms as she held on tight to Daphne’s mane.

“Take him to the outskirts of town—you’ll have to make your way from there, Sawyer,” I instructed. “And then you two go be rabble-rousers.”

Flora grinned. “Best part of my day.”

“Start with Cody and Emmett. They’re respected by many, so their opinions will have more weight. The more we get doubting the Brotherhood and him, the better. In the meantime, I’m going to find a way back into that dungeon for more supplies and see what I can do about the prisoners. And if anyone sees Ame, tell her what we’re up to.”

“And that I love her,” Shari piped up.

Gertrude called then—a warning.

I gave Daphne a swat on her flanks. “Go. Be careful. Don’t be seen.”

“You neither, cider witch,” Flora said, and my friends disappeared into the forest.

CHAPTER NINE

Whatever had spooked the robin did not molest me on the way back to the castle. I was tempted, yet again, to use the Scouting Spell to determine if I was being followed or if there were any obstacles ahead.

Thistle thorns, so what? What was Ossian or the Brotherhood going to do to me if they found me wandering around the estate? It’s not like I’d left or anything, I just wasn’t in the castle proper anymore. And they couldn’t use Wystan as a threat anymore—not convincingly, anyway—though there were mallaithe and sluagh lurking about. His minions.

There hadn’t been any news of recent attacks from those vile creatures, the fae hunting trees and the soul-snatchers. The scuttlebutt from the castle staff said Ossian had banished them all into Dunstan Forest—the only protection campaign where the fae king had actually succeeded.

But I wondered . . . banished or stabled?

Well, that was another headache for another time. The “so what” was answered by what I planned to do next. I couldn’t alert Ossian or the Brotherhood of my presence when I was going to see Arthur.

And that arrogant Stag Man himself had given me the perfect excuse if I was ever discovered with the bear—morning exercise. If my fiancé could use the Bear Prince as a punching bag, so could I. And under the guise of training myself for what was to come in Elfame, too.

The castle was eerily silent. Ossian didn’t suddenly appear with that incredible fae speed of his, and I wondered if I was being watched. Truly watched, as if to be caught in my lie at any moment. It was maddening to think I was under constant surveillance, that every thought and glance was being scrutinized. And there was that faelight Brother Shane to consider now.

With that in mind, Misty Fields put on a show that included trembling, pacing back and forth in front of the double doors as she waffled with her decision, and wringing her hands. Then with a deep breath, she finally plucked up the courage—without the aid of apple brandy—and charged into the great hall.

“I challenge you, beast!” she declared, rolling up her sleeves.

The grizzly bear lifted his head from his paws with a questioning rumble. He’d healed some from this morning, no doubt thanks to the extra food Mrs. Bilberry had given him. Blood still crusted the underside of his jaw and stained his claws, but he didn’t seem achy as he heaved himself upright.

“Th-that’s right,” Misty Fields said, louder. “It’s time for a rematch!”

I swept my braid back over my shoulder and resituated my bag to the small of my back. Green magic erupted from my hands, glowing vines wreathing up my arms to my shoulders.

The grizzly bear snorted, his upper lip curling. His massive paw scraped against the stone floor, warning me off.

“Aww, too sore from this morning? You’re not getting off that easy. Fight me, you coward!”

Vines slashed him across the eyes. To an observer, it looked like a stinging strike, but my magic broke and dissipated before contact. All the bear felt was a gust of air, but he still reared back in alarm. He shook his head, snarling but not striking. Unsure if I’d been recaptured by Ossian’s sway. Fearful that I’d forgotten him.

“You don’t deserve my mercy!”

My magic whipped him again and again—as viciously as a declawed and toothless cat, that is, with plenty of attack and none of the damage. The grizzly bear was growing more confused and agitated by the second, and finally, he struck back.

It was only a shove, but I spun, blocking the blow and finally coming within range to bring my glowing fist crashing down towards his face.