Well, while the king of the dwarves might not have had fond feelings for her traveling companion, she imagined he did for the world in general. That and he hadn’t tossed her in a dungeon when she’d set his beard on fire. Perhaps a bit of truth might even improve things.
“I’m not exactly sure where to begin,” she admitted.
“Begin at the beginning,” the king suggested. “Where did you first encounter him? Was he being pursued by mages trying to slay him?”
“Actually, I met him in my uncle’s barn where he’d been sent to spend a year without magic, shoveling manure.”
The king smiled pleasantly. “I like where this is going so far. How was he at it?”
“About as you’d expect,” she said. “He wasn’t allowed to reveal his identity, so I thought him nothing more than a pampered lord’s son down on his luck. In the end, he invited me to come along while he looked for someone to take away that spell of death that stalks him.”
“Invited,” the king said with a snort. “I hope that’s true, though I suspect you’re leaving out details that are none of my affair. Very well, so you agreed to go along with him because he doesn’t lack a gilded tongue under the right circumstances, and then what?”
“Somehow word got out that he couldn’t use his magic and we’ve been on the run ever since.”
“Who made that spell of death that hounds him?”
“He doesn’t know. It almost killed him the day before we crossed your border. Prince Soilléir came when I called him—something I wouldn’t have known to do if Acair hadn’t been complaining about it under his breath on our journey from his mother’s house—and he saved Acair’s life.”
“And gave you magic.”
She looked at him seriously. “I asked for it.”
The king fussed with his mug of ale for a moment or two, then looked at her. “I can’t say that I blame you, gel, though there is a steep price to be paid for any essence changing. I assume you asked for it to protect that wee bastard?”
“I didn’t know what else to do,” she said quietly. “He is on a quest to find the maker of a particular sort of shadow that steals souls and he can’t do that if he’s dead. There is no one else to watch his back.”
“I’m finding that I agree with you there,” he said grimly. “I’m guessing Hearn has some inkling of what he’s about, which is why he wants him still alive.”
“I haven’t discussed the particulars of that with him,” Léirsinn admitted, “though you might be right. Do you have those sorts of shadows here, Your Majesty?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never seen one, but perhaps the maker of them can’t find a spot on my soil to accept his foul creations.”
“He might be afraid of you.”
“He would have good reason to be.”
She thought that might be true. “I understand Acair agreed to his year without—well, you know—because he wasn’t enthusiastic about coming here.”
The king smiled. “I never said the boy was stupid, just evil.” He rested his elbows on the table and rubbed his hands together. “Nay, he’s clever enough to know who to avoid most of the time, though I’m not sure you understand who he is. He has gone places and done things that should alarm anyone with sense, though that doesn’t redeem him.”
“And if he were trying to turn over a new leaf?”
“Well,” the king said slowly, “I’m not one to hold a man’s past against him unnecessarily, but with that lad, it would have to be several very large leaves.” He looked past her, then shrugged. “Perhaps ’tis time to see if I can frighten him for a change and restore balance to the world.”
“Shall I go groom your pony for you again, Your Majesty?”
The king laughed shortly. “I won’t land on your bad side again, child, for fear of my front gates getting singed this time. And I won’t slay your lover, if that worries you. Perhaps the world needs him alive for a bit longer.”
“Then you’ll just chat a bit?”
“Hearn said to leave him alive,” the king said, “but there is a very wide gap between alive and barely breathing. I might see how wide that gap is.” He paused. “I might make use of him for a different thing or two after all—besides distracting my kitchen maids, those poor innocent gels.”
Léirsinn could hear the lassies swooning from where she sat and looked over her shoulder to find the source of the commotion. Acair was easy on the eye while covered in muck and lingering in a dwarvish dungeon, but cleaned up and exercising his considerable charm on every soul within earshot?
The king made a sound of disgust. “He’s devoid of all morals.”
She would have disagreed, but it was Acair after all. “I think it’s a bit more complicated than that.”
The king grunted, then looked up at Acair. “Sit and don’t speak.”
Acair pulled out the chair next to Léirsinn and sat. Food was laid out without delay, but she feared she wouldn’t manage to do more than toy with it. There was no conversation going on between Acair and the king, but perhaps there was nothing useful to be said. The king spent his time sending Acair looks that bespoke dire intentions and Acair was applying himself to his supper with the singlemindedness of a man who hadn’t eaten anything decent in at least a week. He also tossed back a mug of the king’s ale with only a sigh of satisfaction.
“Delicious, as always.”
The king was obviously unmoved. “Did you read the book I sent you?”
“I fear I didn’t have time to indulge in more than a cursory glance, Your Majesty,” Acair said. “I’m sure, however, that I will find it fascinating—”
“It was meant to be instructive, you fool.” He shook his head. “You mages delve too deeply into things you shouldn’t. Look where it gets you.”
“I would have to agree,” Acair said slowly. “On the other hand, I suspect you’re never surprised by what your digging uncovers.”
“I am not, which should terrify you more than it does.” He finished his ale, set his mug down with enthusiasm, then pushed his chair back. “Come with me and I’ll show you why you aren’t wrong.”
Léirsinn looked at Acair, but he only shrugged and rose. He held her chair for her, then took her hand and walked with her behind the king out into the passageway. She put her hand in her pocket to make certain Acair’s spell was still there, but that didn’t ease her any. For all she knew, the king would put them both in the dungeon and their last hope would be to use that spell and run.