many.” The stable owner sighed. “I don’t have time for this, either. I’ll send a message to Robin’s Nest and have the authorities deal with it.”
“Excellent idea.” Yet Devlen frowned and rubbed his wrists.
Peter took the bait. “But?”
“Oh, it is nothing. Since Opal is not of age yet, my father will be summoned. And it is the warming season—a busy time for farmers. He will be furious with us both.”
“I’m twenty,” I said, but Devlen and Peter shared a yeah-right look. Turning to the stable owner, I appealed to his intelligence. “We don’t even look like we’re related. Please wait.”
Peter chewed on his lip. “Horses have better sense than people. If he can saddle the black Sandseed horse, he’s telling the truth. Then he can take you home to help your father.” He turned to his manager, “Ox, secure those men. Use their manacles and lock them in the tack room. Bret, go fetch the authorities. You two—” he jabbed a finger at me and Devlen “—get your saddles and come with me.”
The stable hands moved to obey. Ox kept Janco wrapped tight in the whip.
I met Janco’s steady gaze. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch up,” Janco said before Ox dragged him away.
With no other options, I grabbed my saddle and followed Peter to the pasture. My situation transformed from bad to worse.
Moonlight snuffled Devlen’s hair, nudged him for treats and stood to be saddled without being tied to the gate. Yelena had told me Sandseed horses could sense magic. I had hoped Moonlight would balk at Devlen’s soul in Ulrick’s body until I remembered he had explained there was no magic to detect, and only the Soulfinder would know of his deception.
Peter saddled Quartz, but Devlen placed my saddlebags on Moonlight along with Janco’s sword. Great.
He thanked the stable owner. “Now we can get home and help my father plow.”
My panic must have reached my face. Peter touched my shoulder. “Don’t worry too much. Your father’ll be mad, but I’m sure he’ll forgive you in time. Daughters hold a special place in their hearts. I know.”
I tried to convince him of my honesty, but his stern frown warned me he’d had enough. Quartz felt my fear, but she nuzzled me as if to say, “Snap out of it.” She snorted with impatience. Her desire for action was evident, but I remained on the ground, declaring I would wait for the authorities to arrive.
Peter glanced at Devlen. “I have rope and leather ties.”
“No.” The mere thought of being tied to the saddle horrified me. I’d rather be free so I could escape as soon as we were out of sight. I mounted Quartz, feeling dazed over the speed with which my situation had changed.
Peter handed her reins to Devlen on Moonlight. With a final wave, he clicked and we left at a trot. I waited until the woods obscured the stable, then reached to unbuckle Quartz’s bridle. The bone-jarring gait made it difficult to keep my balance. I almost fell. Not that I would care, falling and running was plan B.
“What are you doing?” Devlen asked. He stopped the horses.
“Enjoying the scenery.”
“You have spent too much time with that annoying Ixian. Sarcasm does not suit you.” He dismounted.
“And being a doormat does?” I swung my leg over, preparing to slide down and bolt.
He pulled the sheath with my sais from the saddlebags. “No. You already proved you are not a doormat when you drained me, Tricky and Crafty of our magic. After I recovered from my surprise, I was quite proud of you.”
“Proud?” Not the feeling I expected.
“Yes. What you did was ruthless and smart. You did not hesitate. Much better than the whimpering little girl at our first meeting.”
I bit down on another sarcastic remark. I had been fourteen and a prisoner. He had tortured me—justified whimpering.
Devlen strode toward me with the sheathed sais. I planned my next move. But instead of pulling the weapons and threatening me, he shoved the sheath and Quartz’s reins at me.
“Here. Go. Do what you want.” He returned to Moonlight and mounted.
I clutched the weapons to my chest.
He spun his horse around and laughed at my confusion. “Did you think I was going to drag you to a remote cabin so I can reclaim my magic from your blood?”
“Yes.” Before I siphoned Devlen’s Warper powers, he had used blood magic to help Tricky regain a bit of his magic by injecting my blood into Tricky’s skin.
Good thing Tricky was incarcerated in an Ixian jail. And even better, Devlen didn’t know he was protected by my blood. He was the only magician impervious to my glass magic.
“Ten days ago, I would have. But I am getting used to being without magic, and do not miss the hunger for more power that had consumed me. Right now, I am more intrigued.”
Again, not what I expected. “Okay, I’ll bite. Intrigued about what?”
“About your reaction when you find Ulrick.”
“That’s no mystery. I’ll be happy.”
“Even when he tells you he does not want to be saved?” He considered. “And his reaction after I inform him about our intimacies should be interesting. He cares for you and he will be upset you did not notice the change.”
I suppressed the urge to correct him. Ulrick’s behavior and attitude had changed, but I thought it was due to seeing his sister, Gressa. Her self-absorption and over-the-top ego caused him to realize how his own maudlin demeanor was being perceived as self-pity by those around him. It had made sense, and I liked his new confidence and boldness. Which could be why I didn’t question the change. And why Devlen kept returning to the subject.
Focusing on the situation at hand, I pulled my sais.
Devlen smiled. “What are you planning?”
“Take you back to the stable, and rescue my friend.”
“That would not go well in your I-am-the-good-one defense with Peter. Besides, we have already proven your sais are no match for my sword.”
He had a point. Last time we fought, he maneuvered past my defenses with ease, slicing my arms and legs until I was dizzy with exhaustion. If I returned to the stables, Peter would probably lock me up until the city guards arrived. But I couldn’t let Devlen escape, either.
He watched my face. “Guess you are stuck with me.”
Until I could recapture him. “Where are you going?”
“To Fulgor to find Ulrick.”
Caught off guard, I paused, letting his words sink in. “Don’t you already know where he is? You said—”
“I lied. At the time, I wanted you to think I held him. More incentive for you to obey me. After we switched bodies, he went one way and I went another. I keep telling you he consented to the exchange, but you refuse to believe me.”
“You’ve just admitted to lying, and you wonder why I don’t trust you.”
He threw his hands up. “I guess finding him will end the argument. We need to hurry, though. I figure we have a day at most before your annoying Ixian is tracking us.” Devlen spurred Moonlight into a gallop.
Lacking another option, I urged Quartz to follow.
Well after midnight, we stopped to rest for a few hours. Devlen had kept to the northern Featherstone forests, avoiding populated areas. Which was good and bad for me. Our passage through the trees left a clear trail for Janco to track, yet the isolation set my nerves on edge. He was armed. Granted, my glass spiders and bees were in