Damask & Deception (Spellbound #2)

Epilogue

Isobel yawned as she handed her horse over to a stable boy at the inn where she and Wray had stopped for the night. It had been a long ride as her companion wanted to return to Messina as soon as possible. Always so proper, always following the rules. She liked Wray, but they probably couldn't have been more different.

While she accepted the rules of the Sorcerers—mostly—she riled against them more often than not. They seemed to make their lives harder rather than anything else, and most of them made no sense. Yet her complaints usually fell on deaf ears. Tradition was a well-respected... well, tradition. And her fellow Sorcerers were not ones known to enjoy change.

One day, though... One day I will force through change, whether they want it or not... I will—

Wray interrupted her thoughts as he shoved his satchel at her while he paid for their accommodation. Annoyed, she left him speaking to the Innkeeper and sat down in a booth further into the room. A hot meal would improve her mood, and Wray could very well pay for it.

A few moments later, the dark-haired sorcerer came over to her and sat down on the opposite side of the table. She handed him his satchel. Maybe a little rougher than necessary.

"Did you order food?" she asked.

He nodded with a wry smile. "Yes. I know better than to make you wait for your meal."

She giggled. As much as he frustrated her at times, she liked Wray. They'd been travelling together many times over the years, and he knew her well enough by now.

"So..." She wriggled an eyebrow at him. "You have a niece."

They hadn't spoken about Rhiannon since he'd found out, as she'd figured he needed some time to settle and get used to the idea. She didn't have too much patience though, and this was about as long as she could handle waiting. Wray gave her a look that said he knew exactly how difficult she had found it to delay asking about it.

"Apparently so," he said, nodding gratefully as a woman brought over bowls of stew and fresh bread. "I knew my brother had a child, but I never would have imagined she'd been right in front of me in Highglaive. She must take after her mother in looks, because I see nothing of my brother in her. Except possibly her stubbornness."

"Definitely a family trait," Isobel murmured. Then when he stared at her, she pretended to be heavily invested in her stew.

He frowned before taking a mouthful of the food. "I never would have imagined finding her like this. I thought I was the last of my line."

"Serendipity."

"Serendipity?" He let out a disbelieving laugh.

"I don't know what else to call it." She grinned. "It seems to fit about as well as anything else." Growing serious, she added, "I'm surprised you didn't opt to stay. You know, get to know her a bit more."

"I will at some point." He shrugged. "Grand Sorcerer Arawn asked that we return to Highglaive for a full report on what's happened in Breoch. I will not deny his request. We've found out a lot that he must be told."

Isobel nodded. One didn't deny a request from the Grand Sorcerer. Even she knew that. "I would have asked her to come back and complete her education at Highglaive," she said. "But I don't see her leaving the king's side anytime soon."

"He was just kidnapped." Wray chuckled. "I imagine she wants to make sure nothing else happens. I checked in with her this morning before we left. She has healed his leg. I looked at it and it's amazing. She's very talented."

"I remember she was in Highglaive. I'm glad she hasn't lost her touch. Did it heal properly?"

"He was still out cold when I saw them," Wray admitted. "So he hadn't tried using it yet, but from what I could tell it looked completely healed."

"Amazing." Isobel pointed her spoon at him. "Maybe you can instruct her when you next see her! Spend a few months there and teach her as much as you can."

"I'm not a healer."

"None of us are," she reminded him. "She's the only one now. It's why she ought to finish her training, even if she will never take the vow and become a Sorceress."

"It's not a terrible idea," he allowed. "I will speak to Grand Sorcerer Arawn and get his approval."

Finishing her stew, Isobel said goodnight and walked off to her room. It was small with no furniture other than a small, wooden bed, but at least it looked clean. Or clean-ish. After travelling from Ossol all day, she was tired enough not to care if there was a bit of dust on the floor. With another yawn, she unhooked her cloak and threw it on the bed, but it missed and slid to the floor.

Clunk.

She stared at the piece of fabric. Cloth didn't go clunk. Picking it up, she rifled through its hidden inside pocket—a pocket only fellow residents of Highglaive knew existed—and pulled out a small, green stone. It glowed quietly in her hand, almost like it was humming from the touch. What the...?

A surprised burst of laughter escaped her lips. The Godstone. Rhiannon must have put it in her cloak when they hugged the previous day. Turning it over in her hand, she admired the small stone. To imagine that such a small item contained such great power.

On a hunch, she pushed her hand back into the pocket, and as she'd suspected, she found a small piece of paper scrunched up at the bottom. Unfolding it and smoothing it with her fingers, she read it:

I entrust it in your care. Tell no one it's in your possession. Trust no one.

She made a face. Well, that didn't sound promising.

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