Page 62 of First Light
“Absolutely not.”
“Carys Morgan!” Yasmin’s sweet voice sang through the trees. “And Cadell, my old friend.” Next to Yasmin was the great golden stallion with a fearsome horn jutting through his forelock. He lifted his head and tossed it back with a loud whinny.
“Still posturing for guests, are we?” Cadell leaned back on his right leg. “Darius of the Blessing of Moray, I come bearing gifts from my lady and a personal token from the Horde of Eryri.” Cadell offered a deep bow.
Darius transformed into his human form. The gold sigil on his forehead seemed to glow as he approached them. “Cadell of Eryri, you are welcome, and your lady needs no introduction as she saved the life of my child. She enjoys the favor of the blessing and will always be welcome.”
Cadell glanced down at Carys. “I am glad to hear it, because she’s been complaining about her boots for an hour.”
Darius threw his head back and laughed before he turned to Carys. “Then Carys Morgan, take off your boots and make yourself at home.”
Carys sawAisling as soon as she entered the clearing. The delicate woman was sitting on a log bench on the other side of the flower-filled meadow, speaking with a man holding a flowering branch.
Cadell caught her stare. “The young mage is consulting with one of the unicorn potion masters. Unicorns are skilled in healing arts.”
Carys watched Aisling wave a hand over a bundle of herbs, then turn to the unicorn and smile. The two were easy with each other, giving all the appearance of serious colleagues.
“Does Aisling have magic?” She looked at Cadell. “Duncan said that Lachlan was ‘fae-touched.’ That some Shadowkin have a little natural magic, like I can talk to dragons.”
“You can talk tome,” Cadell said. “Out loud. And you can hear when I speak to you. But you can’t hear or speak to every dragon.”
“Okay. What about Aisling?”
Cadell nodded at Aisling. “I don’t know if she is fae-touched, but she has trained herself to use magic. Most Shadowkin are able to wield magic if they try, but most of them do not. It is a practice that takes strict discipline and years of study.”
“So Aisling is training as a mage?”
“And an alchemist.”
Carys looked away from the healers, not wanting to stare. “Why would she do that? She’s royal, right?”
“Lady Aisling is the youngest daughter of the third daughter of the Éiren queen. Her parents are likely hoping she will marry someone… notable. For political reasons. More likely she will end up marrying a minor lord or a wealthy merchant for trading reasons.”
“And she doesn’t want that.” Carys glanced at Aisling again.
Aisling was rapt, listening to another unicorn who had joined the healers, a woman who lifted a vial of some glowing blue liquid and was explaining something to Aisling and the man. She nodded seriously, and the three remained deep in conversation.
“Yeah,” Carys muttered. “I don’t see her being happy married off.”
“I believe she prefers a scholar’s life.” Cadell started walking through the long grass. “It is a wise course. If she can prove her skills, she may avoid an unwanted marriage.”
“And she was Seren’s best friend?”
Cadell didn’t answer right away. “They were more like siblings.They grew up together, so they were close. I would call them sisters more than friends.”
Carys thought about Laura and her sisters. “So they fought.”
“Oh yes.” Cadell kept his voice low. “Not as much after Seren returned to Scotland when they were older, but Seren told me they fought quite fiercely as children.”
Sisters could be brutal against each other but also fiercely loyal. “Do you think Aisling could have harmed Seren?”
“I think anyone could have harmed Seren.” Cadell glanced over his shoulder. “Except the cross human. He’s quite trustworthy.”
“Duncan? He lied to get me here, so I don’t know if I agree about that.”
Cadell frowned. “Did he?”
Carys opened her mouth, then closed it. “Okay, he didn’t directly lie, but he definitely didn’t tell me the whole truth.”