“Good.” Arzhela released her and Talaith dropped to her knees, hands around her throat, taking in deep gulping drags of air. “I’m so glad we understand each other so well. Tomorrow you’ll leave here and head toward the rising suns. Understand?”

“The weather?”

“I’ll protect you from that.” Which told Talaith Arzhela hadn’t been responsible for all these storms. Surprising.

“The suns will rise tomorrow. And I’m sure you’ll know what to do once you arrive at your destination, yes?”

Talaith shut her eyes. “Aye.”

“Wonderful. Wonderful.” Arzhela turned and headed off into the forest. “Oh, and I’ve returned your powers to you. By tomorrow, you’ll be back where you were when you pledged yourself to me.” Pledged herself? She never pledged herself to anyone or anything. The bitch was insane. “Don’t forget, Talaith. Once this is all done and your task complete, you can take your daughter and your Magicks and return to your people and your desert gods. But you mustn’t fail me.”

She actually still wanted Talaith to believe she’d survive this task. She must believe her truly stupid.

“Sleep well, Talaith. Tomorrow begins a brand new day.”

Then Arzhela was gone.

Chapter Thirteen

Briec stared at Talaith across the dining table. She hadn’t spoken since he arrived home, appearing lost and in pain. She’d pulled her bare feet up onto the chair, her chin resting on her knees, her arms tight around her legs.

“Are you not hungry?”

Without looking at him, she answered softly, “Not really, no.”

“Talaith? Talaith, look at me.” She did, those dark brown eyes turning to him. His chest tightened at the sight of the pain in them. “Gods, woman. What happened while I was away?”

“Nothing. Really.” She forced a smile, it seemed as if doing so caused her physical discomfort. “I’ll be fine in the morning.”

Leaning back in her chair, she took a deep breath before speaking again. “So, how did it go in town today? Is everyone all right with these storms?”

“Aye. It’s a little muddy, but surprisingly not too much damage. I feared the river would overflow, but it hasn’t.”

Her forced smile turned bitter. “The gods must be protecting us then.”

Briec didn’t know what to do with Talaith like this. She seemed ripped apart from the inside out, while at the same time, she seemed dangerously angry. And the fact that it brought out some unnamed emotion in him, gave him no ease.

“I bought something for you.”

“Oh?” She didn’t sound the least bit interested.

“Aye.” He stood and walked around the table until directly behind her. “I had this made for you.”

He slipped the silver chain on her neck, quickly latching the clasp. As he released it, the pendant dropped to hang down her gown, right between her br**sts. Talaith grasped the pendant and looked at it carefully while Briec crouched beside her. He’d given her a dragon. Not large at all, but modest in size, ensuring Talaith would feel comfortable wearing it. With wings expanded from a detailed back, fangs bared, its claws and tail holding on to a single jewel he’d pulled from his own treasure.

“Do you like it?” he asked softly.

“Briec, it’s beautiful. But why—”

“I wanted you to have something from me.”

She stared at him for a long time, almost making him uncomfortable. Then she asked, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you want me to have something from you? Why do you care?”

“Because…” His brain scrambled for some answer he could understand. “I’ve enjoyed having you here with me.” Did she still want to leave him? Did she still plan grand escapes? Or did she realize this was where she belonged?

“For now,” she pushed.

He blinked, then nodded, extremely confused. “Um…yes. For now. That was what I’d always said.”

Her smile turned sad and resigned and Briec had absolutely no idea what to do about it. What he never expected, though, was for her to take his face between her hands and kiss him.

* * *

What did she expect him to say exactly? That he loved her? That he wanted her with him forever? Her mother’s words came back to her as she kissed Briec. The words she said to her when Talaith told her she was with child.

“Foolish, foolish, Talaith. You keep expecting to find happiness—and you never will. Not for us.”

“Us” being the Nolwenn witches. The most powerful witches in Alsandair. And the loneliest. Nolwenn witches had consorts, but only for physical needs or Magicks requiring sex. When the men became too old to perform, the witches sent them on their way. They may have favorites among them, but never enough to care once they were gone.

Talaith loved her daughter’s father, which was unheard of. Of course, having her daughter at sixteen was absolutely unheard of, too. Especially since her own mother didn’t have her until it was well past her two hundredth winter.

Yet the Nolwenn way of life wasn’t what Talaith wanted. Not for herself and especially not for her daughter.

His hands gently gripping her shoulders, Briec pulled back from her. It wasn’t easy for him. She saw that in the way his violet eyes watched her. As always he wanted her…for now.

“Talaith, what is it? What’s wrong?”