Air: Merlin's Chalice (The Children of Avalon Book 1) by Meredith Bond

said, pulling the young man’s attention back to himself.
    The man’s eyebrows rose into the curls that hung down over his forehead. He eyed Sir Dagonet warily. “Magic, sir?”
    “Yes, of course. Oh, no fear, no fear, we’re all Vallen here, I say, wot?” Dagonet said merrily.
    The man’s shoulders came down an inch as the stress of being discovered seemed to flow away from him. Oddly enough, I couldn’t “hear” his thoughts even though I looked directly into his eyes and he looked back at me. I was certain that his were thoughts of relief, though, and I respected him for his caution at being found out.
    How odd that the man’s mind was absolutely quiet. I looked harder at him and actually concentrated on hearing his thoughts, but there was nothing. I couldn’t “hear” him at all. So accustomed was I to being able to know someone’s thoughts that this silence made me feel rather uneasy. How was I to know if he was trustworthy or not? There was no way to tell.
    Was it him or me? Could I not hear his thoughts because he was Vallen, or was something blocking my ability?
    The man raised his eyebrows at me, but his attention kept going back to Sir Dagonet, as if he wasn’t sure who he was supposed to be watching.
    I caught Sir Dagonet’s eyes for a moment. His thrill at meeting the young man came through loud and clear. So it wasn’t me, and it wasn’t because he was Vallen.
    But then how was it that this stranger’s mind was closed to me? And why was he so familiar? I couldn’t have met him before—I certainly would have remembered someone whose mind I couldn’t read.
    There was something odd going on. I knew him, but I didn’t know him. I felt I should be comfortable with him, but I was unsure of him because I couldn’t read his thoughts. This man completely put me off balance.
    “My name is Dylan,” the man was saying with a polite smile.
    “Sir Dagonet at your service,” my new friend said, with an inclination of his head. “And this lovely young lady is Scai.”
    Dylan bowed to me as I curtseyed to him. “Where are you and your daughter bound, Sir Dagonet?”
    “Oh!” Sir Dagonet burst out laughing. “Oh, no. Scai is not my daughter. No, I say, wot?”
    Sir Dagonet didn’t seem to think there was anything odd or dangerous about Dylan, but then he wouldn’t notice his silent mind.
    I forcibly pushed aside my worries, determined to give Dylan the benefit of the doubt—at least until I was proved wrong. And, after all, there was something oddly familiar about him. “We only met this morning,” I offered, allowing my own smile to shine through.
    “Really?”
    “Sir Dagonet was kind enough to save me from a threatening tree. After that, it was only fitting that we travel on together.” I giggled, inviting Dylan to join in on our joke.
    Dylan gave me a confused look, but a small smile played on his lips. “I, er, see, then. Where are you headed?”
    “I am going to England. Sir Dagonet has kindly offered to escort me,” I answered.
    “To protect you from attacking trees?” Dylan asked, finally allowing himself to dissolve into a chuckle.
    “Oh, yes, vitally important to protect young ladies from trees. They can be dangerous things, don’t you know?” Sir Dagonet laughed with him.
    “Well, if you would not mind another to help protect you, Scai, I would be honored to do so,” Dylan offered with a bow.
    I forced another little giggle. “Never had I thought to have two such brave men to protect me on my journey. I am honored indeed.” And this way, I could keep an eye on him.

Chapter Nine
    I moved with care through the forest. It was dense with enormous oak trees and reaching beeches intertwining with majestic hawthorns. This was an old forest indeed.
    Gnarled branches reached outward and then twisted back on themselves, creating a beautiful, intricate knot that twisted this way and that. I ran my hand along the rough bark of a tree, following one branch as it wove in and out of