Page 71 of A Kiss of Flame
But there wasn’t time.
The door opened. ‘Finnian,’ said the cultured voice of a woman, a voice like a song. ‘You’re back. You’re safe, thank the?—’
Her beautiful voice fell still.
‘We need your help,’ said Finn. ‘He was hurt, defending?—’
He glanced at Wren who tried to shrink back again. Shadows rose around her like smoke and her hair moved, her scalp tingling as the magic began to weave itself against her will. Fear did that, she realised, and she could not help but be afraid.
‘Oh,’ said the woman who had come to the ball, still beautiful and graceful. She looked harried now, exhausted and somewhat shaken. ‘This is…’ Without needing an answer, she sank into a deep curtsy. ‘Your highness, there’s nothing to fear here. I swear, we are at your service. Now and always.’
Wren really didn’t like the implications of that. It wasn’t her position as the supposed princess of Asteroth that made the Ilanthian woman say such things and they all knew that.
‘Wren, this is Lady Hestia Rayden, my cousin, daughter of?—’
‘That doesn’t matter, Finn,’ Hestia cut him off. She had straightened. ‘I am blood of Sidon, yes, but more importantly I am sworn to the sisterhood of shadows. I studied at the College of Winter and sought out all the secrets of witchkind I could find but I am forever happily bound in the service of the Nox. I gave vows at the Caves of Deep Shadows when I was only a child myself, where I knelt before the feet of the divine and promised to serve her. I never imagined…’
She broke off, as if she was struggling not to fall to her knees.
‘Imagined what?’ Wren asked, her voice strange and alien to her own ears. She rose to her feet slowly and advanced on Hestia. It almost felt like someone else was making her move. ‘Say it.’
Hestia stared at her, as if trying to figure her out. ‘That I would see you incarnate. That I would know you.’
‘You know me?’ She didn’t like the cadence in her voice, the way it reverberated around the still air of the room.
The Ilanthian witch smiled. ‘Lady of the Darkest Night, I know you like I know my own heart. I was wrong to try to stop you, Finn. I… I had no idea… She called you, didn’t she? That was how you broke free.’
Wren froze, every nerve in her body quivering. This was wrong. She didn’t want this to be true. And… broke free? Had Hestia been holding him here against his will?
‘Hestia,’ Finn began warily, a note of caution in his voice, but then, behind them, Anselm let out a groan and they all turned. ‘He’s going to bleed out at this rate. Help him.’
The noblewoman wasted no time, examining him as efficiently as Elodie might have.
‘Call one of the servants, Finn,’ she said. ‘Tell them to bring me a knife, hot water, bandages and as much lark’s root as we have in the store. And poppy milk. He’s going to need it.’
‘How can I help?’ Wren asked, kneeling down again and running a hand over Anselm’s brow while Finn went to the door and called out for help, passing on Hestia’s commands. The other knight was already feverish. This wasn’t good. Wren knew that much.
‘We need to get the arrows out first. Then get his shirt off so I can see the wounds. Finn, I may need both of you to hold him down.’
One of the shafts had already broken in their rush here and jutted from his side like an old tooth. The one in his shoulder shook with his fitful breath. None of this was good.
Anselm opened his eyes weakly, fixed them on Wren and winced. ‘I… I can feel them inside me.’
What was he talking about? Were the arrows poisoned? She glanced at Finn but he looked just as mystified.
‘What can you feel?’ Wren asked.
The word was a long, low hiss but it made her blood turn cold.
‘Shadows…’
CHAPTER 38
WREN
Finn took the other knight’s hand, wrapping it with his own, holding him down while Hestia set to work. ‘It’s going to be all right, Anselm. I promise. We’re going to help you. Wren is going to help you. Aren’t you?’
He didn’t have to sound like he doubted her, she thought, and it must have showed on her face. Anselm turned his gaze to her and all she could read there was terror.