“Keep her name out of your mouth, you ungrateful traitor.” Garin’s head whipped this way and that in the tight vice that was the crook of Rupert’s arm, teeth gnashing. “When I regain my strength, it’s over. I’ll shove a stake through your heart, make a roast of you upon the pyre, and scatter your remains for the wolves to feast upon!”
“Iamgrateful,” Rupert muttered quietly, alarm flashing in his eyes. “I owe you my life. But I must protect Her Majesty. She saved me.”
“Let me—go?—”
“Do not,” Myrddin warned. “I highly advise against doing anything he tells you in this state.”
His struggling barely moved Rupert, whose gaze darted down at Garin, then back up at the three watching with bated breath. “Is this going to happen to me?” he said, over his fangs.
“The teeth and ears?” Lilac asked. “Or the momentary weakness?”
“Either.”
“Don’t enthrall anyone,” Myrddin retorted. “And keep your fangs out of my neck. If you can help yourself, that is.”
Just then, Garin buckled at the knees and thrashed, lunging in Lilac’s direction. She stumbled back into Yanna; Garin had broken free for a second before Rupert tackled him to the ground, pinning his arms behind his back again.
Teeth gritted, Lilac marched forward, ignoring the warnings of Myrddin and Yanna. Rupert watched warily as she approached, securing his hold on Garin. He was breathing heavily, staring past her at the house and avoiding her gaze.
Jarring as it was to see him spiraling out of control under the claw of his hunger, it was almost worse seeing Garin defeated.
She knelt, placing her hand upon his cheek. “If you want me,” she whispered, “in all the ways you crave, then you will let us help you.”
He didn’t move, didn’t snap his teeth at her, just inches from her wrist. Heart pounding, Lilac nodded at Rupert, and allowed him to hoist Garin up.
“Careful.” Myrddin put his hands out in warning, beckoning her and Yanna closer. “Easy. Easy, now. Gather in.”
“Get us to the castle. Bring us to my infirmary.”
Yanna made a noise of protest. “But what about Gwendal?”
“You arenotbringing them to the castle,” Garin panted, nearly incoherent. Drool dripped from his mouth. “You—” But he stopped speaking and snapped his head up at the house.
Two figures approached from the rear of the smoking pile, dressed in a variety of hats, light armor, and tattered gauntlets.
Lilac immediately recognized them from the vestibule at the Sanguine mine.
“Garin.” The woman shaded her eyes from the moonlight as thy neared, as if the dark allowed her to see better. They widened when they fell upon Rupert’s hold on him. And Garin’s face, nearly inhuman. “What in the seven hells did they do to you?”
Garin’s voice cut through the night. “Stand down, Isolde. Walter. You remain in the presence of the queen.”
They took one look at Lilac and lowered themselves to their knees. Shock crossed their faces when she responded with a deep bow.
“Your Majesty. My Lord—we smelled smoke and wanted to investigate,” said Walter. “Further down the path we thought we’d heard your voice. We came right away.”
Myrddin glanced down the knoll, toward Paimpont. Chimneys smoked, windows and torches flickered, pinpricks downwind. He turned toward the farmhouse and waved a hand.
A gust of wind rattled the grass and haybales, just as it had when theGuàihad broken their ward around the scene of the carriage accident.
Rising to his feet, Walter removed his cap. “Sir.”
“There was another skirmish out east,” Garin managed, wiping his dripping mouth on his shoulder. “Bastion’s told you about them, hasn’t he?”
“No,” said Isolde, “but we’d heard about it through the korikaned.Blitzrik’s kept us informed. I’ve kept several patrollers close to your inn, for good measure. They’re safe. We’re all safe, My Lord.”
Garin dipped head into a grateful bow, falling silent.
“This is Yanna.” Lilac motioned to her right. “She’s one of my Ladies-in-Waiting.”
