“What do you suppose he means by that?” Gray murmured in her ear. Aoife shrugged, watching her brother as he kept walking. A woman who reminded her dangerously of Sif Freyrsdottir gave she and Gray a long, hard look before pivoting on her heel and following Phelan. Her voice drifted back to them on the breeze.
“If I’d known he was coming, I’d have stayed where I was.”
“I’m not Seamus’s keeper,” Phelan answered his companion. “I didn’t know he’d be here to meet them with me. He might not have even known.”
Aoife shivered involuntarily. Gray wrapped his arm around her shoulders, lips close to her ear.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low.
“That remains to be seen, I think.” She gave him a brave smile. “Come on. We’d better hurry or they’re going to get completely away from us.”
Seamus had lingered nearby, though, watching them even as Phelan and his companion walked away. Another man, slender and appearing a bit older, spoke to the men that Aoife was now certain belonged to the Wild Hunt before he, too, turned and began to walk away. The men who had escorted them up away from the river headed back for the trees, disappearing the way they’d come.
They must have been on routine patrol. But why? Is this some sort of enclave of the Wild Hunt? I didn’t think they had anywhere they could lay their heads, anywhere they’d—
She frowned. Unless things have changed more drastically than I’ve ever suspected they might. That wasn’t exactly a comforting thought.
“It was a bargain,” Seamus said, intruding suddenly on her thoughts. She startled, her gaze snapping to him.
“What was?” she asked, trying to hide her sudden shaken state.
“The Hunt’s presence here.” He slid his hands into his pockets. “They exchanged my freedom for a home.”
Aoife stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head slowly. “What kind of people would grant them that?”
“People that will change the world,” Seamus said, then smiled. “Phelan and Sif have outpaced us rather significantly. If we hurry, we might catch them on the bridge.”
“Bridge?” She felt like she was in a daze. Gray squeezed her hand.
Seamus grinned. “Just follow me. You’ll see.”
