Page 25 of Denied

Ryan instantly dressed them with a thought-spell and helped her to her feet as he watched the rider.

“It is Wallace, on Sampson.”

The blacksmith wheeled his horse around to herd Titan and Grania to the trail, and didn’t bother to dismount as he looked down at Ryan.

“Forgive the intrusion, but I dared not wait. Jannon has been hurt, and Tara has escaped.”

CHAPTER 14

WHEN THEY ARRIVED back in camp, Ryan ordered Gavan and Lawrence to take the horses while Donal led them to the cottage where Tara had been kept.

“He must have gone in through the back, my liege,” the grim-faced guard said as he opened the door. “I should have checked, but I thought Jannon free of her magick.”

“He was,” Wallace said flatly. “She found the means to bespell him again.”

“While clad in spellbound iron chains?” Ryan shook his head and turned to Colm, who was kneeling on the floor beside Jannon. “That is unlikely.”

As soon as Kayla saw the unconscious Fae she paled. “Oh, no. Please tell me he’s still alive.”

The sight of the brawler’s bruised, blood-streaked face gave Ryan pause as well. “Will he live, Colm?”

“She hit him in the head, probably with the chains, but there are no other wounds.” He glanced up at Kayla. “That dragon you brought with us has been circling the camp since you left. I know not what bedevils it, but it seemed to be looking for you.” After soaking a cloth with a splash of firewine, Colm dabbed it on the side of Jannon’s head. “Come back to us, brother.”

“I’d better go see what’s up with Fallon,” Kayla said, her voice tight.

“Until we know where Tara is,” Ryan told her, “you will stay away from that creature.”

They all quieted as Jannon’s eyes fluttered open.

“Oh thank god,” Kayla said.

But when Jannon saw them, he frowned.

“Must you shout? ’Tis not as if you’ve never seen me–” His eyes widened and he shoved himself upright. “Tara.”

“She’s gone from the camp,” Wallace told him.

Ryan saw the guilt steal across his warrior’s features and glanced at Wallace. “Take Kayla to Christine, and stand guard over them until Colm and I join you.”

The blacksmith nodded and left with Kayla.

Ryan crouched down to look into Jannon’s shamed gaze. “You released Tara from the chains.”

“I thought she had…after I told her about…oh, bloody fucking hell.” Jannon pounded a fist into the floor boards, cracking two of them. “Aye.” He told them about the encounter in a dull voice. “The moment she was free she clouted me. I wish she’d used a blade.”

Ryan heard Kayla shout his name from outside the cottage, and dashed out to see her with Fallon.

“Get away from that thing!” he yelled waving her off.

“He’s not trying to attack,” she told him, and put a hand on the dragon’s neck. “He was trying to warn the men about the Blackstones. They’re here, with the rest of his herd, on the other side of the lake.”

Ryan skid to a halt. He gestured for his men to follow him, and ran down to the edge of the water. Across the lake stood only more trees, but the shadows they cast writhed unnaturally over the surface of the water.

“My liege, they cannot cross the spell boundary,” Wallace said. “It will protect us, and give us time to prepare.” He looked down at the ground, and shook his leg. “’Tis odd, but I swear I felt something–”

Ryan grabbed at the blacksmith but only caught air. He watched in disbelief as he was jerked to the ground and dragged into the lake, disappearing with a splash. An ominous shape rose up a short distance away, water streaming from its mottled flesh as it swelled larger. The smell of rotting slime wafted over them as the giant creature lifted long, prehensile tentacles. It lashed out at the embankment.

“Retreat to arms,” Ryan shouted as he dodged the limb the monster whipped at him.