At one time, Tristan would have given that one a second look, but not when he had a woman like Mac at home.
Also, Mac was no shrew.
Cathbad argued, “I do not treat ya as a slave. I treat ya as a child, which is how ya behave. If you do not care for bein’ kept in that icy pond, stop pushin’ me. I have warned ya and warned ya that tryin’ to attack me is unwise.”
She slapped her hands on her hips and stuck her face close to his. “I am not child. I warn you not to test me, but you do. You are just as wrong. How can I be partner with one like you?”
Tristan glanced past them to a big freaking pond with chunks of ice floating in it.
Had Cathbad thrown that woman in there?
What a bastard.
With another visual sweep of what he could see in this place, he determined they were in a massive cavern with a sixty-foot ceiling. Maybe higher.
So he wasn’t in TÅμr Medb? Not that he wanted to be, but at least that realm would make sense. Cathbad normally hung out there plotting evil plans with Queen Maeve.
Why was Cathbad here and not there?
Cathbad and Hot Chick finished a long stare down during the silence.
Backing away first, Cathbad walked off shaking his head. When he turned to her, he pinned her with a sharp look. “What will it take for ya to realize ’tis a greater plan at hand? Ya wish to kill one person? Why would ya not want more than that?”
The woman facing Cathbad pulled her shoulders up, flashing more armor. Her obstinate attitude rode the air. Golden hair flowed everywhere when she turned her head. Toned legs a mile long stopped at some badass metallic-looking boots. She held a shield at her side.
What era had she come from?
Blond hair and built like a female Viking. She spoke broken English. Was she Swedish? What kind of being was she? A witch, maybe? How powerful could she be if Cathbad bullied her and stuck her ass in a freezing pond? Had he forced her to stay in there for long periods of time?
If so, she had to be tough to survive that.
Also, she must have some level of power for him to be in any discussion of a partnership with her when he already had a deal with Queen Maeve.
Wait a minute. This might be a new partnership, which Tristan would bet Queen Maeve knew nothing about.
Hot Chick still stood there, arms now across her chest, glare in place, and mouth shut in a flat line.
Cathbad must want whatever it was he expected her to deliver bad. Instead of zapping her in some way, he released a long sigh. “Let us try a truce again. I will keep ya involved and consider your ideas if ya will cease attackin’ me, Brynhild.”
She shrugged. “I will not attack if you give me no reason to do so.”
Cathbad had not managed to intimidate this woman, but Tristan doubted that she could outmaneuver the druid. He’d seen Cathbad in action. That druid managed to keep Queen Maeve on her toes and had clearly started a second enterprise without her.
Impressive.
If only Tristan could tell Daegan about this.
Brynhild acted as if she had something to hold over Cathbad.
Did she know about Queen Maeve?
If she did, this Brynhild would be wise to consider how Cathbad currently betrayed Queen Maeve in some way by being here with her.
What a strange name. This woman’s manner of speech niggled at the back of Tristan’s mind, trying to tell him it mattered.
Cathbad continued walking back and forth, pacing in front of the tall female warrior. “I will accept that weak admission as you agreein’ to the truce. Gettin’ back to the plan, I delivered a book to that Luigsech woman. She is to read a passage to me when she returns to the ancestral centre. If she can indeed translate that passage, she can very likely read anythin’. And that would lead me to believe she had not gained that skill through study at a human university. She possesses power. I felt it, but ’tis not what makes her special. I’ve never met someone who could translate all of the ancient languages.”
Brynhild waved a hand in the air. “How is that important to me?”
The scathing look Cathbad gave her indicated this tense conversation happened every time those two got together. Then why in the hell would that powerful druid choose this woman as a partner at all?
More than that, what was Cathbad up to with her?
Tristan’s arms screamed in agony. He tried to move his foot a tiny bit to find a place to push up and relieve the strain. Not happening.
Speaking as if to a slow student, Cathbad explained, “That woman’s ability to translate text even I am unable to decipher will mean a great deal to both of us, Brynhild. If Luigsech has that level of skill, or more likely a supernatural gift, she can translate the grimoire volumes. You can’t. I might be able to do so, but it would require time. If she can do what I think, she can find the volumes and translate each one on the spot.”
“What will this grimoire do for ... us?” For the first time since Tristan regained consciousness, Brynhild sounded genuinely interested.
“That is the correct question.” Cathbad’s tone changed to a complimentary one. “The grimoire was broken into three volumes and given to three families to hide.”
She cocked her head as if trying to understand his words. “I never heard of such book.”
“’Tis no surprise. Breakin’ up the grimoire happened long before ya were born. Once we have all three volumes, we will hold control of the formulas and spells. That shall be the point where we can force Daegan to do anythin’ we want.”
Well, fuck. Yet another plan to screw with Daegan. Cathbad had
