Page 103 of Sword & Shadow
Deckard swallowed past the instant dryness in his throat, unable to deny it.
“Even if you didn’t Bond,” Ilain continued, “you would never be able to abandon her. Not for all the magic in the world.”
Hewitt’s ghost gave a sharp nod in agreement, and Deckard knew they were right. No matter if Evylin asked to dissolve their marriage or chose to stay with him, he would do whatever it took to secure her happiness. No resource and no magic could change that. Not even Night’s madness would change his mind.
“Now,” Ilain said, picking up her sketchbook, “leave me alone, both of you. I have a drawing to finish.”
With a scoff, Thom turned to Deckard. “Care to spar?” he asked.
Deckard looked around the clearing. “I suppose we don’t have anything better to do,” he said.
Over the next half hour, the brothers tested their skills against one another. Though Deckard had greatly improved throughout their travel with Hewitt, so had Thom. After their bout over two weeks prior, Thom was now prepared for Deckard’s new capabilities.
What he didn’t have was Hewitt’s ghost advising him as they practiced.
While Deckard didn’t win all their matches, he did win most of them. Thom’s jaw grew continually more tense until Ethenn and Rafferty returned from hunting and joined the brothers. They began a small contest to see who could win, with Ilain acting as a judge when there was some question of fair play.
The Waulden fog began to dissipate as the sun rose higher. Deckard looked up, calculating the time of Evylin and Auden’s absence. He frowned. They’d been gone more than two hours. At a twenty-minute pace to and from the village, plus a generous hour for their shopping, they should have returned nearly half an hour before.
Hewitt’s ghost stepped up beside him. “I told you,” he growled. “You shouldn’t have let her go.”
Deckard tried to reassure himself that all was well. They might have gotten caught up... Doing what? It was a village. There wouldn’t be sights to see or special wares to peruse. They should have returned, which meant something was wrong.
Subconsciously, Deckard shut Hewitt out, the ghost disappearing without a trace.
While Ethenn beat Thom a second time in a row, Deckard moved for his horse. “Loxley,” he called.
Ethenn turned, alert.
“We’re going to Dunneshead,” he ordered.
The whole troop stared at him in surprise.
“Jonn,” Ilain said warily. “That’s—”
“It’s been too long,” he interrupted, clasping his cloak around his neck. He unbuckled his sword belt, slipping the scabbard free. Carrying weapons in Wauld without a written permit was a crime punishable by flogging and months in a labor camp. He could only carry concealed weapons into this fight. “Something’s wrong.”
Though Ilain’s expression dropped, her eyes wide with worry, she shook her head. “You—you don’t know that.”
Deckard met her gaze. “Yes,” he said, “I do.”
Thom and Rafferty stood around them while Ethenn strapped his own hidden blades on his person, leaving behind his bow and quiver. His hatchet landed with athunkin the band on his belt. While less inconspicuous, he could claim its use was for chopping wood alone.
Deckard’s sudden declaration had sent a charge through the camp. They all wore haunted expressions. They’d been in this situation before when the five of them went to save Evylin and Auden in the Water Keep.
Thom stepped up, setting a hand on Deckard’s arm. “You don’t seriously plan to go in with just you and Ethenn, do you?” he said.
“We can’t take a large party,” Deckard said.
“That’s ridiculous,” Thom retorted. “What if it’s an ambush? What if there are too many of them? Two people aren’t a rescue party.”
Deckard pulled away from his brother’s grip. “What if you’re right?” he returned. “What if this is an ambush? What if we all go in there and find that Blount has them? We’ll be giving him the opportunity to take all three of our Relics and eliminate everyone opposing his attempt to gain the others.”
Deckard shook his head. “We can’t risk that. Ethenn and I will find Evylin and Auden while you and Rafferty protect Ilain, taking her to the next stop. If we don’t meet you there, then it’s up toyouto get the rest of the Relics and take them to the Alliance.”
Thom glared at him, lips parted incredulously. “Are you insane? You can’t do this—”
“Captain Deckard,” he said, voice sharp like an officer’s.
