Page 118 of First Light
His nostrils flared, but he remained silent.
“I trust Duncan, and so do you,” she continued. “And remember, he has extracurricular activities.”
The dragon’s gaze never wavered from Duncan’s face. “That makes no sense to me.”
Duncan’s expression was as stormy as Cadell’s was. “She’s talking about the sword, you great lizard.”
Cadell’s face moved ever so slightly. “Is it ready?”
“Almost, but I’m not going to go waving it about—that’s as good as sending up a flare to the fae.” He kept his voice low. “I do have… a dagger.”
Cadell narrowed his eyes. “That’s why the iron was light.”
“It’s bronze with a steel core, and Angus warded it. I can bediscreet, but it will still work.”
Cadell was silent, considering the idea.
“Added to the dagger,” Duncan said, “Darius owes Carys a favor. We can ask him to help. No one is going to attack a human in front of a unicorn, not even a fae.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
Carys raised a hand. “You know, I can probably help protect myself. I mean, the fae aren’t usually ones to attack from the front. It’s more likely to be a battle ofwitsthan weapons.” She looked between the two men. “Right?”
“The fae eat babies because they like the taste of human flesh.” Cadell never stopped staring at Duncan.
Duncan said, “Not all of them do that.”
“Keep telling yourself that fiction if it makes you feel better.”
“I’ve made a decision.” Carys closed her eyes. “We’re going.Duncan and I will go talk to this fae person, Darius can go with us, and you will stay as close as you can. I’m the niece of the Cymric king, right? They’re not just going to kill me.”
“I do not approve of this,” Cadell said. “But clearly I have been overruled.” He stepped out of the window, and in seconds, his skin fell away and he took flight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Ijust feel horrible.” Carys could feel Cadell at a distance, but he was keeping out of sight as she and Duncan traveled north on horseback, through the forest and into the highlands. “I know he thinks this is a useless risk, but we’re short on time. If this fae can help, it’s worth it.”
“He’s not your father,” Duncan said. “You don’t have to ask his permission.”
Darius had joined them at Duncan’s request, walking next to them in unicorn form and guiding them through the mountain passes. He was bigger than Carys remembered, his shoulder far higher than their own mounts.
“I know, but he was feeling so awful about leaving Seren unprotected and then I did this.”
“It’s obviously important,” Duncan said. “Since whoever killed Seren destroyed it or hid it, it must have something incriminating in it.”
The idea that the journal had been destroyed had only just occurred to her. “What if itisdestroyed?”
Duncan gave her a dark look. “That’s the reason we’re going to see this fae. She can find lost things even if they’ve been destroyed.”
“She must be really powerful.”
“She is.” Duncan looked at the sky. “I do understand his anger.”
Carys’s horse tossed her head, tugging on the reins. “Eamer just threw it in Cadell’s face that he didn’t save Seren’s life, and now I’m willingly going to meet a powerful fae.” She tried to remember what Duncan had told her about how loose to hold the reins in her hand. “He must be so mad at me.”
“What he is, is petty.” Duncan glanced at the sky. “He’s punishing you. He could have flown us by coracle faster, and then we’d have arrived in minutes instead of hours.”
There was a shower of gold, and Darius appeared in human form. “Dragons are extremely petty.” He looked at Carys, whose horse had stopped and was refusing to move. “Your horse is growing irritated with your inexperience and nervous as we approach fae land.”