Page 74 of Luthias

“My lord, we wouldnae wish to plague you at such a trying time,” Duine said as he used his handkerchief to mop the sweat from his brow and upper lip. “Yet the brothers and I would make ourselves useful. How may we serve?”

“You’ve scribes to copy the history scrolls written by the first enclave?” When the master sage nodded Luthias said, “Ask them to seek any passage naming the Fire Sword as a clan sain, and make note of such for me.” He regarded the wrights. “Speak with your master on what elixirs and tinctures we need to treat battle wounds among the clan and the household, and bid your brethren to prepare an ample quantity.”

An image of the master sage standing in his laboratorium and looking outside flitted through Luthias’s thoughts. Through the window the tree leaves had turned yellow and red, as if autumn had arrived months early.

“What more troubles you, my lord?” Duine asked.

Luthias thought of the surge of magic he’d felt when he’d taken the Fire Sword from Emery. He wanted to say nothing, but the master sage had more knowledge of the legend than anyone in the stronghold.

“I felt something when I took the Fire Sword from the lass in the armory,” he admitted. “I’m certain ’twas Fae magic, but I dinnae ken the cause, or what ’tis done to me.”

“The prince enchanted the sain to do more than bring someone to save the clan,” Duine said. “The blade grants a particular boon to a protector among the clan. Havenae you felt a change in yourself, my lord? Did you gain some ability after you touched the sword?”

“No’ as yet.” Luthias disliked lying to the sage, but he suspected revealing his new ability would only cause the timid Duine more worry. He also didn’t know how to summon the foresight he’d apparently been granted, so he couldn’t be sure the power was yet his. “Did you happen to leave a love charm in my chamber?”

Duine blinked before he chuckled and shook his head. “I admire you greatly, my lord, but I’m a bachelor sworn. Mayhap ’twas left by a smitten maid.”

“Our lasses ken I dinnae dally within these walls.” He rubbed his brow. “Assure that none have strayed into your relics room.”

Taveon came striding back into the hall, eyeing the sages before he jerked his head toward the gallery.

“My thanks for your help,” Luthias said, and went to the war master. “What now?”

“I thought to speak to Camdyn, but found the forge empty.” He put a hand on his arm to stop him from bolting up the stairs. “I went from there to your chamber, but the lass, she’s gone as well.”

Emery had definitely landed in the highlands, she thought as Camdyn MacRoss marched her through the woods. The enormous stone castle behind them had been built on a huge hill of rock, and had four towers, two curtain walls and several enormous barns and storage houses. Although Luthias had said it was June, the temperature during the day seemed to be about the same as it was in New Hampshire at night. The air felt damper and sharper, too, probably due to the higher elevation. It was a shame she’d worn such a light suit for her first day at work, as it wasn’t doing anything to block the wind, which was light but chilling.

She saw plenty of people around the castle. Tartan-draped warriors carrying bows on their shoulders manned the battlements on both walls, and even bigger guys stood with spears guarding the gates. Other people dressed in medieval peasant garments were busy working in a huge garden just beyond the second wall.

No one seemed to have noticed Camdyn kidnapping Emery, although she hadn’t made a fuss about it. She didn’t want to tempt the archers standing watch on the wall to shoot her while trying to stop him.

Thinking about how fascinating everything seemed kept her from dwelling on how soon she was going to get a beating. The big man abducting her looked totally serious about that, and had even said he didn’t care that she was a girl. Maybe he was all bluff. Still, as they got further away from the castle she knew she’d better try to talk her way out of this, and fast.

“I don’t think you should beat me up,” Emery said to Camdyn as he took her down a narrow, sloping trail through the woods. “Neuroscience in my time has proven that inflicting pain and suffering is a terrible method for obtaining the truth from an adversary. I’ll get completely stressed out and end up just saying whatever you want me to in order to stop you from hurting me. We could just, you know, discuss your concerns.”

The armorer didn’t pay any attention to her; he just kept his hand on her neck and pushed her along the path––not hard enough to hurt, but his grip told her he wouldn’t let her go until he wanted to.

“Should I use smaller words?” she asked him. “Sorry, I keep forgetting about the language and educational barriers. Hurting me won’t work. You’re probably going to get into a lot trouble for taking me out of the castle, too. If we go back right now I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

The man just grunted. That seemed to be his go-to response for everything.

Trotting to keep up with his long strides, Emery wished she hadn’t asked the laird to send away her guards. Still, as menacing as Camdyn seemed, she felt pretty sure he wouldn’t actually hurt her. He hadn’t so far, and this was starting to feel more like a scare tactic. She needed to get him to open up to her about what was going on with him. Like most bullies he probably didn’t like being laughed at, so she could start with that.

“I shouldn’t have kicked you, or called you names, or made fun of your hair,” Emery told him. “I’m not usually that mean, but I was angry and a little scared. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

“I dinnae want your apologies,” Camdyn said, but not with any real heat.

What did he want from her? Emery wondered.

The armorer finally stopped at the edge of a fairly sizeable river and shoved her down until she sat on the bank. He then knelt down and scooped up a handful of water, using it to splash his face before he dragged his dark hair back.

“If you intend to dunk me in there,” Emery said, discreetly scooting back away from the water, and wrapping her arms around her middle to hide her shivering, “you should know that I can’t swim, and I’ll probably drown pretty fast. That’s a good thing, right, that I can’t swim? In this time you guys think only witches float.”

“’Tisnae such things as witches,” Camdyn told her flatly.

“Even better.” She gave him her friendliest smile. “So what do you want me to tell you? Besides the fact that I don’t work for the Carack Clan. Which I don’t. Ask away.” She lifted her hands. “Without beating me up or dunking me in the river, please.”

He walked back and sat down beside her, giving her a long, narrow look before he said, “What do you in your future?”