Shadow of a Shade

Chapter Sixteen

Grudgingly, Addiane allowed Will to drag her over to a quieter section of the clearing. He had her sit on a tree stump that someone had hacked into the semblance of a chair, and the three stood in front of her.

Addiane sneered at them, subtly working her fingers through the knots on her wrists. She might be able to do it with magic, but not without speaking the spells aloud, and she didn't think she'd be able to get away with that much.

"Will told us you have some interesting capabilities." The old cloaked man said. Addiane searched her mind, trying to remember his name. She was sure she knew it. "And we just witnessed some of them now. Though what he told us about was a bit more... unnerving."

If there was ever a time for that stupid power to flare up, it would be now. Addiane had it under control for the past couple of days, but now it failed her. She couldn't reach it, and it seemed content to stay in whatever little hiding hole it had.

So she contented herself with spitting at the old man's boot. The grizzled man with the hook for his hand growled and took half a step forward, but Will held a hand up.

"Easy Thorn. I told her we wouldn't harm her."

The old warrior began to say something, but Addiane had snorted involuntarily when Will said his name, so he stopped and turned to her.

"Find something funny?" He sneered. His accent was different from Will's.

"You're called Thorn?"

"Aye. Thorn Hooky-Hand. And what of it?"

Addiane suppressed another snort at his surname, which she highly doubted was actually real. "Nothing...."

Thorn narrowed his eyes and looked at the others. Addiane spoke up again while his head was turned.

"Only, one of my mentors has a... pet named Thorn."

Gods above, that dragon would kill her if he ever found out she had called him a pet. Nyriem probably would too, taking it as an insult that she'd called on of his kind that.

"What kind of pet?" Thorn growled.

Addiane shrugged unhelpfully. It had just occured to her that she could probably still contact Nyriem from where she was now. She should probably do that, but not right now. She had to endure the questioning right now.

The three men exchanged glances, then the old one with the cloak shifted. Addiane watched him in interest.

It was clear that the others were deferring to him in this situation. She wondered if he ranked above this Thorn person on a normal day, or if they were equals. From the way they were holding themselves, she'd guess equals, but she'd noticed that Thorn deferred to the boy who looked like Will earlier.

This camp had an interesting dynamic, and she was very curious about it.

"My mentors will come for you." She finally spoke, forcing her voice into a disinterested tone. "And when they do, none will be left standing."

"Your mentors? The men in the house?" The old man asked.

Will nodded. "Those two. They're quite protective of her, and fairly vindictive even under normal circumstances." He touched his cheek where the cut from Murtagh had been.

Addiane rolled her eyes. "You were running your mouth, I don't know what else you expected."

Will grunted, his hand casually dropping to his knives. Addiane narrowed her eyes at him, silently daring him to do it. They might have a deal, but she was still going to be plenty irritating. The others would be suspicious if she wasn't.