So, why did Sydney shy away from cuddling now? Maybe she didn’t know that Ember wanted her. She’d spoken a bit of her former bedmates, and by the way Sydney spoke of Camille, Ember guessed they’d had sex, too. Therefore—as Rowena liked to say—Sydney’s reluctance couldn’t come from a lack of experience.

  Camille.

  Ember nodded to herself. Maybe Sydney was like a character in a book who didn’t want to have more than one bedmate at a time. The thought was intriguing. Rowena had expressed similar tendencies when Ember asked about her sex life. She’d said she wasn’t the “love ’em and leave ’em type.”

  Ember tried to imagine someone so compelling that she only wanted them forever and ever.

  She could listen to Sydney talk forever. All her stories were amusing and enlightening and wonderful. There was just so much of her to know. And her face was fascinating and open, with expressions almost as loud as words. It had been the closest thing Ember had ever seen to her connection with Rowena. When Sydney held her close, the tender, protective force of the embrace had caused a warmth of jitters in Ember’s stomach. The thought of her now, lying so close, moved that warmth even lower, tempting Ember to bring up the subject of sex again, but she knew that wouldn’t be right, not after she’d been rebuffed.

  Because of Camille.

  A different feeling fluttered through her now, something she had a hard time putting a name to. She’d only had glimpses of Camille, both in Rowena’s crystal ball and in real life, but the memory made Ember frown, and she felt an intense dislike brewing. The feeling surprised her. She’d never disliked someone she’d never met. She’d hated characters in certain stories, but that was because the glimpses the book provided into their minds had been off-putting. Besides, they weren’t real and didn’t care if she hated them. She’d disliked a few of the people she’d met, but she hadn’t hated any. She’d thought she might have to hurt one of the pirates when he threatened a husk, but the husk had defended itself well, and the pirate had settled down.

  So, what was there to hate about Camille?

  Ember frowned harder. Maybe she should ask Sydney about her tomorrow. Maybe Sydney would list some traits that made Camille worth her ire, but just the thought of Sydney talking about Camille made the angry feelings deepen, and Ember pledged to ask about anything else.

  And she wished Rowena was here to interpret these feelings through their link.

  After a sigh, Ember closed her eyes and let her body rest.

  At dawn, her eyes opened. She couldn’t see anything in the dark tent, but she knew the sun had just lifted over the horizon because she always woke up at dawn. Rowena called it a quirk, something unique about her that couldn’t be explained. Ember liked the quirk because with the maximum amount of daylight every day, there was more she could see and do.

  Sydney remained still, her breathing deep with the occasional small, rumbly snore. It hadn’t bothered Ember. Rowena snored like a rockslide.

  Ember eased up and paused. She found the rumbles amusing, another positive trait in Sydney’s favor. But she couldn’t keep counting the positive things and letting her liking grow, not with Camille on Sydney’s mind.

  With a sigh, Ember eased out of the tent and into the morning air. She didn’t like these conflicting feelings. It felt the same as when there was something she dearly wished to do, but she knew Rowena would be angry. Then she had to do whatever her heart desired while dreading Rowena’s disapproval. It tainted the entire experience.

  The only answer was to act as if Camille didn’t exist because Ember couldn’t stop asking Sydney for stories, and she couldn’t help being impressed or endeared or whatever else these feelings were. Perhaps Sydney’s interest would switch from Camille to Ember. Sydney thought she was magical, after all.

  Ember belted on her sword, then drew it to take a few practice swings, limbering up in the morning air and trying to drive all these confusing thoughts away. After she’d woken up her muscles, she stretched her arms before sitting in the scrubby grass to stretch her legs and back. A soft noise came from behind her, something like a sigh, and she turned, expecting to see Sydney emerging into the growing light.

  A hood-shrouded, scaly face looked back at her, and she had only a moment before it rushed her.

  * * *

  Sydney awoke with the sounds of her dreams lingering in her ears. The memories were muddy, but she recalled being trapped in a dark cave with no way out and wind shrieking all around her.

  When she heard another soft whoosh of air, she thought she must still be dreaming, her eyes on the cusp of closing again, but when the sound repeated, her waking mind finally came to life.

  Something was moving outside the tent, leaving the foliage whistling in its wake.

  She fumbled for her sword, sore muscles protesting after a night spent on the ground. She grabbed her chainmail with the other hand and staggered outside, fumbling to her feet.

  In the dim light, she saw Ember standing behind a golden-skinned lizard person, her arm wrapped around its throat. When another of the creatures came at her through the semi-darkness, she leaned on the captive in front of her and launched a kick back at the new attacker, driving it away.

  Sydney saw another hazy form come from the bushes. She pitched her chain shirt at the lizard who was already staggering, making it fall backward. She drew her sword and tossed the scabbard to the side before rushing the newcomer. Heartfire sprang to life in her left hand.

  The creature ducked back from the glow and drew a mace. Sydney pushed her attack, knocking the mace out of the way and slashing down the creature’s arm. It turned and ran.

  Sydney gaped, expecting more after the last batch of creatures had fought to the death. She shook off the surprise and turned for Ember, her heartfire flickering as she lost focus on her emotions. In the growing light of dawn, she saw Ember with her slack captive but no other creature.

  Sydney scanned the countryside. Those ditch-like crevasses still wound through this area, providing cover. If she could see it from above, she imagined it would look cracked and broken like dry skin.

  Or lizard scales.

  “What happened?” Sydney asked. “Are you all right?”

  Ember nodded. “He thought to take me unaware, but I’m much stronger.” She grinned crookedly, and Sydney resisted the urge to hold her close, to make certain she was all right.

  “He succeeded in getting the sword from my hand, then I hit him, and when he tried to hit me, I held him so.” She gestured at the lizard creature and cocked her head. “Yesterday, they sought to kill us. Today, they want to capture me. Why?”

  “I don’t know.” Sydney scrubbed a hand through her hair before donning her chain shirt. She retrieved her scabbard and belt and put them on, too. “Why didn’t you call for help?”

  “Because I had him.”

  “There were more.”

  “I didn’t know there were more until you were already out here.”

  Sydney rolled her lips together and fought her anger. “Whenever there is danger, you must call me, dash it all!”

  Ember continued to stare before she took a deep breath as if with sudden understanding. “Because there might have been some sneaking into the tent to get you, too.”

  “And so I can help you if you need it.”

  Ember opened her mouth, but Sydney didn’t want to hear more excuses.

  “I would say the same to any fellow knight,” Sydney said. “I know you can take care of yourself, but the point of comrades is that there is always someone watching your back.”

  Ember nodded slowly. “I will remember.” She stepped closer. “Are you all right? Did one try to attack you in the tent? Did those others hurt you?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “You’re shaking.”

  “I’m just…emotional.” Bits of her dream were coming back to her. She hadn’t been alone in that cave. Camille had been there as well as others, hazy faces she could barely recall, but they’d been people she knew and cared about. And they’d been in trouble, calling for her, and she hadn’t been able to find them. Waking up to combat was not the way to finish such a dream.

  “You’re worried about Camille,” Ember said, a strange quality to her voice.

  “I’m worried about everyone.” She stomped back to the tent. She couldn’t consider Camille’s plight at the moment. “We need to get moving. That might have been a scouting party. They could return with reinforcements.” She took down the tent and rolled it tightly, her fingers fumbling. Her old quartermaster would have been appalled by the sloppy bundle she secured to the bottom of her pack.

  She knew why she was so worried, but the anger was new. Anger at herself for not waking up sooner? Anger at Ember for not calling out? At Sir Robert for doing something that made the Hawk’s spell go awry? Maybe at the Kells for simply existing. She looked to the north as the sun rose higher. Were they out there now, waiting? Were these lizard creatures stirred up by the Kellish advance?

  “What should we do with this one?” Ember stood over the creature she’d choked.

  Sydney didn’t think it would tell them any more than the other one had, and they didn’t have time to linger until it woke up. “Leave it.” She donned her pack and started walking.

  “You’re mad at me?” Ember said.

  “I’m angry because I don’t know what in the seven bells is going on. I’m angry because these lizard people keep attacking, and I don’t know how to make them stop.” She sighed and tried to think through her emotions, sort them as she’d been taught to do while learning to use heartfire. The throb in her side and neck made it difficult. “I’m angry because my muscles are killing me, and my left side is frozen because I slept on the bare tent floor.”

  A warm hand slipped inside hers, and she nearly stopped. Instead, she sighed again, contented. The silent comfort felt nice, an offering and a promise of further help if needed. Sydney gave Ember a squeeze and left their hands clasped together. At least she wasn’t alone. Somehow, she knew Ember would help her find Camille or fight lizard people or Kells or Sir Robert. She’d do it for the experience alone, if everything she’d said up until then was any indication. And Sydney sensed she’d help for more reasons than that. They were comrades now, watching each other’s backs.

  Though she’d never walked hand in hand with any comrade-in-arms before. Maybe it was the bit of non-humanity that made it all right.

  Chapter Ten

  After a restless night, Rowena sorted through ingredients in her workshop. What Camille had discovered about the witchstone was interesting, but Rowena was still no closer to solving the first of her problems.

  Where was Ember?

  She could take care of herself, at least most of the time, but there was so much about the outside world that she didn’t know. She’d no doubt throw herself into one risky situation after another, and the way she asked questions would offend people. Some wouldn’t hesitate to attack, and the smart ones would wait until she was off-guard. Ember knew very little about treachery.

  And if someone didn’t kill her, her own recklessness might. Rowena couldn’t stop seeing her face that time she stepped off the cliff above the entrance to their home. She hadn’t been afraid. Her expression had been wondrous as she’d strolled into what could have been her death. Her lack of fear would provide no comfort to those left behind. Up until now, that had only been Rowena.

  Who else had she met?

  A niggling voice in Rowena’s head suggested Ember might have found others to miss her, even in the short time she’d been gone. What if it was someone she could love more than Rowena, someone she’d want to make a new home with? Silly. No one could duplicate their connection, and she’d only been gone one night.

  Rowena had wept about it all the same, and it threatened to choke her now. She slammed a box of reagents shut and stalked away from the thought, consulting a spell book. She had everything she needed to bring Ember back. She just needed a location before Ember found trouble…of any kind.

  “Looking for something specific?” Camille called from the door. “Can I help?”

  “No, thank you,” Rowena said archly. She knew she’d been terse since Camille arrived, but she had a lot on her mind, too much to worry about the feelings of someone who’d be leaving soon. No matter how much Camille liked handing out hugs, she had her own life to get back to. “I have everything I need for another transport spell.”

  “Oh. So, does that mean…I’ll be going?”

  Rowena straightened. She hadn’t thought of Camille’s needs, a realization that shamed her, but that only made her even more angry and embarrassed, and for fuck’s sake…

  “Bloody complications,” Rowena muttered.

  “Sorry?” Camille cocked her head, waiting, but for what? Her frown seemed a little disappointed.

  Wonderful. More feelings. “Transportation spells require a lot of energy,” Rowena said. “I have to wait days between such large magics, and I want to be ready when I find Ember.”

  Camille smiled shyly. “Well, then. I’d love to stay. I want a chance to peruse the library further. I’m learning a lot. And I can help.”

  Rowena let out a breath, suddenly scared, though she couldn’t say why. Probably because she did not need someone else to take care of, someone always so peppy and pretty and eager, who kept getting in the way and filling Rowena’s home with the scent of vanilla and apricots or whatever was in the soaps and lotions she used.

  Realization came like a thunderclap, lightening Rowena’s mind. She didn’t have time for another person in her life, not when there was so much to do. Yes, time was the problem. Time and nothing else.

  But Rowena’s cheeks burned, and she didn’t know why she should be embarrassed. Camille was the one inviting herself to stay. “You don’t need me to transport you. You have two good legs. And you’re not doing any good here.”

  Camille rocked back as if slapped.

  “Don’t worry,” Rowena said, talking faster and faster. “I’ll give you supplies, and the husks can walk you down the mountain. The village in the foothills might be able to take you part of the way to Kingston on a cart or something if you give them my name.”

  Camille had started nodding, but the set of her mouth said she wasn’t happy. “Well, just point me in whatever direction home is. Maybe I’ll go looking for Sydney and Ember and the knights on my own. With some supplies and some walking corpses, I’ll have everything I need.”

  Her tone dripped sarcasm, and Rowena bristled. Camille had no right to be angry. If anyone deserved to complain, it was Rowena; she’d had her entire life upset in the past few days. “So, why are you still standing here?”

  “I’m not.” Camille whirled around so quickly, the fabric of her skirt seemed to snap.

  Rowena heard her banging around as she gathered her things. She’d know best what she needed from the kitchen and whatnot, so Rowena hurried out of the workroom and down the stairs to where the soldier husks gathered. Most were out looking for Ember, but two of the older ones were left. She directed them to follow Camille and protect her as soon as she came this way to the back exit.

  Rowena hesitated. Should she say good-bye? Camille had helped some, but she was also angry, though she had no right to it. They weren’t friends. Rowena didn’t owe her anything. They’d shared one embrace during a moment of weakness. It meant nothing, and Rowena didn’t want Camille getting too comfortable. Really, she was doing Camille a favor by breaking ties before Camille began to think them friends. It was better this way.

  And where in the bloody world was she?

  Rowena moved to the bottom of the stairs and listened. No sound. But this was the only exit to the back stairs inside the mountain…

  Rowena’s breath caught. She’d forgotten the front door, the flashiest and most obvious way into her home. The few visitors she’d gotten headed that way, through the most dangerous path up the mountain while the safe entrance was carefully hidden at the mountain’s base. But if Camille had taken the stairs from the kitchen up instead of down…

  “No, no, no,” Rowena said as she raced upstairs, calling for the husks to keep up with her. “Stupid, stupid.”

  Her misery doubled when she found the disturbed dust at the front door. Camille had found the latch that opened it without any trouble. Why couldn’t she have been stupider?

  Rowena hit the latch, and the door began its ponderous rumble open. Daylight hit her like a hammer, and she staggered back, shielding her face. Fresh air streamed in, and her stomach turned over. Her heart pounded as it did every time she had to go outside. She fought the sensation down, ran back for her emergency bag of spell components, then darted into the sunlight before she could think too hard about it, the two elderly husks just behind her.

  * * *

  As she stalked along the path down the mountain, Camille was thankful that her temper hadn’t kept her from taking supplies. She’d banged through the kitchen in haste, stuffing food into her backpack, though she had no idea how long it would take her to get to Kingston. She’d have to depend on strangers for part of the journey.

  Even strangers had to be kinder than Rowena.

  Camille ground her teeth, trying to remember what she’d managed to scrounge before she’d left. Anger and hurt had blinded her, and for all she knew, she’d gotten away with nothing but baking soda, flour, and a few spices. Maybe she could bake a bloody campfire cake.

  If that was even possible.

  She stopped stomping down the dusty trail that led away from Rowena’s door and took a few deep breaths, fighting tears. Rowena wasn’t worth tears. Camille had offered to help; Rowena had told her to leave. That was just the way some people were. Camille had thought they’d shared a…moment, a few actually, bits of mutual worry and curiosity and maybe even respect, but whatever. Some people were just rude and stupid and vulnerable and beautiful and wanted to sit and rot in their dumb hole in a mountain by themselves, and that was their hard luck.