The Pendragon's Challenge (The Last Pendragon Saga Book 7) by Sarah Woodbury

said—”
    Taliesin sighed. “I know what your mother said, but Beli’s restrictions apply to you, not me. A path that should still be open lies beneath the abbey, which is why we’re going there.” He looked Mabon up and down. “As I said.”
    Taliesin actually hadn’t said anything before about a path to the Otherworld underneath the abbey. Catrin was sure of it. Still, she could see now why horses might prove a hindrance, even if a three-hour walk in the middle of the night meant no sleep for any of them. Maybe Taliesin didn’t need to sleep at all. Catrin didn’t know the bard well enough to judge.
    Mabon’s eyes were still narrowed at Taliesin. His earlier amusement had vanished as quickly as it had come. If they were going to survive, they would all need to get used to these abrupt mood swings and figure out how to manage them. Mabon pointed with his chin at Catrin, who was standing just beyond Taliesin’s left shoulder. “I wouldn’t have brought a woman on this adventure, but I can see why you couldn’t resist, old boy.” He clapped a hand on the Taliesin’s shoulder. “She provides good sport, does she?”
    Catrin was so shocked, she laughed. Taliesin stared at Mabon blankly, and Catrin laughed again because she wasn’t sure that Taliesin realized what Mabon had just suggested. Goronwy, on the other hand, moved so quickly that, before Mabon could see him coming, he had Mabon’s feet pulled out from under him with a sweep of a leg. Mabon sprawled on his back on the ground, with the tip of Goronwy’s sword to his throat. If Mabon had still been a sidhe , he could have slowed time and deflected Goronwy, but he’d lost the ability for now.
    Despite her appreciation of his actions and skill, Catrin put her hand on Goronwy’s free arm. “Don’t kill him.”
    “I don’t care who your mother is.” Goronwy glared down at Mabon. “You will never speak of Catrin that way again.”
    Mabon put up his hands, palms out. His eyes were so wide it looked as if he was trying to see under his chin to determine how close the sword was to breaking the skin. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
    “You most certainly did,” Goronwy said.
    Catrin glanced at Taliesin, who was gazing north and not speaking—not even paying attention as far as Catrin could tell. The man truly was a mystery. She turned back to Goronwy. “Let him go, my lord. He isn’t worth whatever trouble killing him would cause.”
    “It would be worth it,” Goronwy said, but he stepped back and sheathed his sword. “He calls himself a god, but he isn’t worthy to polish your boots.” He spat on the ground beside Mabon.
    Mabon scrambled to his feet and scuttled away, putting Taliesin between him and Goronwy.
    “Apologize to Catrin.” Taliesin still hadn’t looked at any of them, but his words proved he’d been listening all along.
    Mabon’s mouth worked. At first Catrin thought he was going to refuse, but then he straightened and bowed in Catrin’s general direction. “I apologize, Madam. I meant no disrespect.” With an abrupt turn, he faced north and set off walking. A moment later, Taliesin was marching along after him.
    From beside Catrin, Goronwy growled something barely intelligible, but included profanity and a comment about Mabon’s antecedents.
    “You shouldn’t say such things, even if Arianrhod and Arawn aren’t listening.” Catrin still had a hand on his arm, and she squeezed it once, gently, before letting go. “Thank you. No one has ever defended my honor before.”
    Goronwy growled again. “That almost makes it worse. It was an honor to defend you.”
    Ahead of them, Mabon’s mouth remained closed and his shoulders hunched, momentarily subdued by what had happened.
    Goronwy aside, it was good to have more proof, before they traveled any farther on this journey, that Mabon was a mortal man as Arianrhod had promised. Goronwy could have killed him. Catrin almost regretted that she’d intervened.
    Catrin eyed