Dreamer's Daughter by Lynn Kurland Page A

him. “Let’s revisit that moment in that bloody stream full of icy water and Bruadairian magic when you agreed to wed me.” He tilted his head and studied her. “Does an aye from you given whilst you were under duress count?”
    She considered. “I would say that death looming does tend to leave one perhaps a bit friendlier with honesty than not.”
    He smiled. “Which is why I’m so damned grateful I wrung an aye out of you whilst you were otherwise distracted. The thought of potentially having to put your father to the sword in order to have the same from him gives me pause, but I’m working up to that.”
    â€œI don’t think he’ll have a say in anything,” she said firmly.
    â€œBruadair, then.” He smiled. “Your country may have an opinion. Or at least the magic might. It seems to already have an opinion about several things.”
    She suppressed a shiver at the memory of being in that underground river with Rùnach, knowing she was about to drown, and finding that Bruadairian magic not only knew her but seemed to . . . well, care for her. She had taken the spell it had given her, used it, and found it responsive to her pleas.
    She wasn’t sure she would ever forget that moment.
    â€œI suppose we must discuss our plans,” Rùnach said quietly. “And come to terms with our magic.”
    She heard something in his voice she hadn’t before. It wasn’t so much doubt as it was perhaps unease. She shifted to look at him. “Did something happen to you this morning? Well, besides being deafened in the library.”
    â€œNothing terribly important. I took the opportunity to try out a few spells with Astar in Seannair’s lists.” He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Let’s just say that it didn’t go particularly well.”
    â€œAre you going to give me details?”
    â€œWhen I’m sure they won’t turn your stomach.” He smiled wearily. “It was either too many of my father’s spells lurking in darkened corners of my soul or perhaps just being here. For all the peace and quiet, there is something about this country that is . . .”
    â€œUnusual?”
    He nodded. “Don’t you think? In spite of its façade of ordinariness.”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    â€œI’m not sure what that means for the remainder of our journey.”
    She knew exactly what he was talking about. If his magic didn’t work as it should have in Cothromaiche, what would happen inside Bruadair’s borders? Rùnach’s grandfather had, when pressed, admitted that even his magic hadn’t worked as it should have within Bruadair’s borders. That Rùnach’s would likely suffer the same difficulty wasn’t something she wanted to think about.
    She met his very lovely green eyes. “But we should solve that before too much longer, is that what you’re saying?”
    â€œI don’t think we have a choice,” he agreed. “Perhaps we would do well to make ourselves a bit of a test here. I’m sure no one will notice us at it.”
    â€œIf Her Highness catches us together, you know she’ll turn me into a toad.”
    He leaned over and kissed her. “I know more spells than she does, I guarantee it.”
    â€œI’m not sure why that leaves me feeling so relieved.”
    â€œBecause I could turn
her
into a toad if necessary.” He looked at her. “In honor of that, why don’t you try something now?”
    â€œRùnach,” she said with a sigh, “you know I have no magic.”
    â€œThat stream of something extremely beautiful we encountered in that terribly cold river recently seemed to think so. I wonder what Cothromaiche thinks of what you can do?”
    â€œAre you purposely trying to make me uncomfortable?”
    He leaned back against the window and smiled. “Of course not.