Maeve scooted closer to Brynn, ducking her head. When she spoke, she kept her voice low. “I’ve never seen them come to blows quite like that before.”
“Me either.” Brynn shook her head, and her burgundy curls bounced on the light breeze. She continued working the pestle until whatever murky concoction she’d created gurgled and bubbled within the mortar. Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out a pair of worn, tan leather gloves and yanked them on. Then she glanced up, her teeth scraping along her bottom lip. “Cer?”
Ceridwen turned at her name, and Brynn jerked her head in Maeve’s direction. “I’ll need some assistance, please.”
“Anything.” Ceridwen gathered up all of Maeve’s knotted curls and piled them high on her head. She bound her hair in place with a satin ribbon, leaving her neck exposed. “There we go.”
Brynn placed a gentle hand upon Maeve’s cheek, her eyes now a golden brown, her gaze imploring. “I need you to understand, my lady, this might hurt.”
Maeve nodded, willing herself to remain calm even though her heart was suddenly hammering like it might burst from her chest at any moment.
Ceridwen crouched low, smoothing her skirts of rose around her. Then she clutched Maeve’s hands in her own, squeezing tightly. “Just breathe, Maeve.”
A horrible sizzling noise filled Maeve’s ears and she braced herself, her muscles seizing in preparation for the pain that would undoubtedly follow. The iron heated, scalding her flesh, and she gasped, desperate for air. The burning sting intensified and Maeve’s breathing grew shallow. Her blood rushed, her magic stirred, but sweet goddess, the agony was too much.
“It burns!” she cried, squeezing her eyes shut. Tears slipped out, hot and fast. She gripped Ceridwen’s hands, trying but failing to steel herself against the fire scorching her skin. It was as though her flesh was melting away, and her chest hollowed out as she gasped. “Cer, it burns!”
“Fucking hell,” Merrick muttered at the same time Rowan spat out the words, “I’ll kill that bitch.”
Maeve’s body trembled, shaking uncontrollably as the searing pain continued, as the smell of charred flesh filled her nose and sweat pooled across her brow.
Two muscled arms wrapped around her from behind, supporting her, and another sob tore from some empty place inside of her.
“Just a little longer.” Brynn’s voice was a hoarse whisper, etched with a different kind of pain. “Almost there.”
Beads of sweat slid along her spine, dampening her filthy blouse and sticking it to her skin. Waves of nausea crashed into her, drowning her. Again, she cried out, and the arms around her tightened.
“Hang in there, little bird. I’ve got you.”
She swayed backward just as the pain ebbed.
“There.” Brynn blew out a harsh breath. “All done.”
Maeve collapsed against Lir, letting him take the full brunt of her weight. Her magic rushed to the surface, wild and full of life. She was free from the iron, from Parisa’s clutches. It was the same invigorating sensation when Carman’s cuffs had finally been removed, as though she were suddenly alive for the first time. Everything was vibrant and clear, like she was attuned to the land of Faeven itself.
There was another lulling swell of magic, the loving caress of Ceridwen’s power as it coasted over her, calming her.
Slowly, Maeve opened her eyes to find Rowan staring down at her.
No, that wasn’t right.
He was staring at her neck.
Strangely self-conscious, she lifted her fingers to the area when Ceridwen grabbed her wrist and shook her head.
“It will heal,” Brynn said quickly, but there was a kind of lingering sadness in her eyes. “It will take time, but it will heal.”
Lir helped Maeve to stand and regain her balance, and when she was certain she wouldn’t topple over her, she sought Rowan.
“What did you mean earlier?” she asked, hating that his lavender eyes dipped to her neck again before he lifted his gaze to her face. “When you said you only did what you were told? By who?”
“By the High King.” Rowan straightened, adjusting the matte black buckles of his armor. “Our end goal was getting you out, no matter the cost.”
He inclined his head, and his swath of teal hair fell across one half of his face. “Tiernan told me that if anything happened, the second we were in trouble, I was to take you into the shadows and head to Niahvess as quickly as possible.”
He gave a slight bow and emotion flickered in his gaze, but he banked it without hesitation. “Here we are.”
Ceridwen stepped up beside Maeve and placed one hand on her chest. “You would know.”
