When they got to the gate, she peered out. Raghnall was slumped on the floor. She waited until she saw the movement of his chest. Asleep. Thank Heaven he’s just asleep. After she eased the gate open, they supported Aedan through it and up the steps. Keeping one hand on Donnan and one on her father, she let them slip lightly into the concealment of Air magic. The reserve of strength she’d taken began to deplete. Maintaining invisibility for three people proved more draining and required more concentration than she’d expected.
At the cliff edge, she watched as Tam shifted from rat to human-like form and descended the first few steps. Aedan’s hand jerked agitatedly in hers.
It’s alright, Pa.
“What the—?”
Shh. Tam’s a Baukan. He can change form like that.
Your voice. It’s in my head. She felt shock swirling through the flurry of questions beneath this thought.
We can share thoughts when we’re linked like this.
Like Morwena’s magic, he thought. She called to me on the night she died.
Pa, you’re going to need to climb down like Tam. There’s a rope you can hold.
Aedan hesitated.
Now, she urged.
Aedan looked over the side of the cliff. I haven’t the strength.
Aye, Kaetha told him, desperately, aye you do. Here, I can secure you to the rope with a kind of harness.
We need to hurry, Kit, thought Donnan. They’ll be looking for us soon.
You go now then, Donnan. Pa will follow once I’ve secured him to the rope.
When Donnan let go of her hand and scrambled over the cliff edge, the hum of his thoughts swiftly faded from her mind.
Seeing no one in pursuit of them yet, she allowed herself to let go of her Air magic. It was too much to focus on that and make a harness with the Earth stone. Holding the rope she worked on manipulating the fibres. A tendril of rope grew from it, twining and thickening. She was about to loop it around Aedan’s middle when she froze. She’d assumed that the soft hum of the Earth stone was only due to her using it for the harness. What if she’d missed a warning?
There it was again and then came the crunch of footsteps behind them. She couldn’t move.
“There. Just as I said.” The man’s voice sent a chill through Kaetha. It resounded with an almost careless languor. He had no need to shout, no need to deepen his voice; it effortlessly carried the iron weight of authority. “Seize them.”
THIRTY FIVE
Loyal Traitor
Metal scraped. Three guards approached, one bearing a torch which glinted on their swords. Then a snarl ripped through the air as Tam the wolf bounded before them. Kaetha didn’t know how he’d climbed up to them again so fast. Donnan would be a long way down by now, expecting them to follow. At least he’ll be safe, whatever happens to us, she thought.
Her father’s hand found hers.
“Destroy the beast,” said the man in charge.
“Tam, get away,” shouted Kaetha. “Now!” Tam lunged at a guard, teeth sinking into the man’s leg before he retreated, dodging the strike of his sword. She edged back as the guards drew closer to her and Aedan. Then Tam leapt to their defence again and all she could see was tumbling fur and swooping steel.
“Careful, Your Grace,” called Raghnall who stumbled towards them, half-dragging himself along the ground. Staggering to his feet, he pointed a shaking hand at Kaetha. “She’s a witch.”
Your Grace? she thought. This man is Svelrik?
She’d expected to see shock in the king’s face but, instead, there was a twitch of a smile and, as the torchlight cast menacing shadows across his features, she detected a steely hunger in his eyes.
“Pa.” She gripped his hand tighter. There was much she wanted to say but no words or time to say them with.
“It’s alright,” he whispered. “I’m with you. Let them do what they will. You’re my daughter and I love you and nothing they do to us can touch that, you hear me? That’s all that matters now.”
She nodded, understanding that they had no way out, that she had failed. At least I got to see him again, she thought, squeezing his hand tightly. She turned to face Svelrik, determined to stand strong as her father had done now for days. But then a sick feeling gripped her stomach. The stones. It was all very well facing the end bravely but how could she stop the stones from getting into the wrong hands?
The flow of her thoughts was stopped by a yelp of pain. Tam limped, disappearing into the shadows.
“Got his paw at least,” said one of the guards, “and stabbed his belly.”
“What’s that there?” said another. The guard picked something up from the ground. “Look, Your Grace.” He held it up and, when Kaetha saw it, she felt sick. A finger. Blood trickled from it, streaking the guard’s hand.
“No,” said the first guard in disbelief. “I sliced off the end of that beast’s paw.”
“Bowels of hell! How’s it now a human finger?”
“Not human,” Svelrik corrected. “We already have witnesses to that lass being a witch.” Raghnall looked sickeningly smug. “Now we see that she has a familiar, a demon fae that takes on the form of a wolf. Even without the gaol-breaking, no more proof would be needed against her.”
Her arms were jerked back, rope scratching her wrists. She knew there was no point in struggling. If she attacked them with Fire, others would come with their swords,
