Free Dreamer's Daughter by Lynn Kurland Page A

he’s so unsettled from this afternoon.”
    â€œHim?” she said incredulously. “What of me?”
    â€œI believe you two might be sharing a few of the same feelings.” He walked with her for a bit before he dared speak again. “How are you, in truth?”
    â€œI’m not sure how to begin answering that.”
    He nodded, because he understood that very well. He had never used any of Soilléir’s spells, but just having them rattling around in his head was unsettling enough at times. At least he hadn’t begun his magical career with a spell that overwhelming.
    Then again, he’d had a full morning of magic acting in unexpected ways, so perhaps he had a bit more sympathy for her than he might have otherwise. The thought of that problem being magnified inside Bruadair’s unfriendly borders was enough to give him pause.
    He walked with Aisling into the library, then shut the door behind them. There were three chairs set there in front of the fire, waiting patiently. Soilléir was there already, standing in front of the hearth. Rùnach waited until Aisling was seated, then sat down himself. He didn’t imagine he was going to hear anything he hadn’t already discussed with Soilléir, but he supposed he wasn’t past being surprised.
    â€œWell?” Rùnach asked. “Or dare I ask?”
    Soilléir only smiled at him, then turned to Aisling. “I understand Queen Brèagha gave you copies of her paintings of Bruadair.”
    Rùnach blinked, then smiled. “Subtle.”
    Soilléir lifted his eyebrows briefly. “So I am. Aisling, might I look at them?”
    She nodded, produced them from the satchel she was never without, then handed over the little folio. Soilléir looked through the paintings slowly and carefully. Rùnach glanced at Aisling to see if he could tell what she was thinking, but she was watching Soilléir peruse the queen’s artistic endeavors. He wouldn’t have called her expression wistful, though he wasn’t sure what else he could have termed it. All he knew was that Bruadair had been one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen.
    Before.
    Soilléir finished, then tied the folio shut again. He was silent for quite some time, then he took a careful breath and nodded.
    â€œIt looked like that.”
    â€œAnd you would know?” Aisling asked.
    â€œAye.”
    Rùnach waited, but Soilléir, damn him, seemed perfectly content to say nothing else. “And?” he prodded.
    Soilléir sat back and stretched out his legs, crossing his feet at the ankles. “And I think nothing more than what you and I have already discussed at length, my friend. If it were a lesser country that had been taken over by a man with no right to the throne, we could leave that to the inhabitants to sort in their own good time. But this is Bruadair and it isn’t just its inhabitants that are being affected.” He hesitated, then shook his head slowly. “I don’t like to interfere.”
    â€œBut you will here?” Aisling asked quietly.
    â€œWill and already have,” Soilléir said, “more than I’m comfortable with. But I’m afraid the true work of the day will fall to you and Rùnach. And before you cross the borders, I think you must have a plan in place. I’m mostly here to listen.”
    Rùnach had no doubt that was exactly what he intended to do unless pushed. He looked at Aisling. “What do you think, love?”
    â€œI would say I was trying not to,” she said reluctantly, “but I must admit I’ve been thinking of little else as I’ve been spinning. I suppose it might be wise to begin in Beul to see how the fight is progressing.” She looked at him. “What do you suggest?”
    â€œI think we need to see if we can’t find where Bruadair’s magic has gone,” he said. He knew he didn’t need to add that they