The Spark of a Feudling by Wendy Knight Read Free Book Online

away. “Forgive me.”
    â€œI knew… you would come. I knew you… could heal me.” Her eyes fluttered open, dazed with pain, dark orbs barely reflecting the moonlight.
    â€œAlways, Ada. Forever.”

Chapter Three
    â€œMy father is playing both sides of the war, Christian. Why? Why would he do that?” Ada paced furiously, as if she hadn’t been at death’s door only hours before. Her hands lashed out at the briars, every so often sending a sheet of sparks to burn them out of her way — to give her more room for pacing.
    â€œYou found this out last night?” He kept his voice mild, leaning back against a rock and staying well away from the force of her wrath.
    â€œYes. Secrets. From a dying man.”
    Christian raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard of this before. How did you do it?”
    For the first time in several minutes, Ada paused, brushing her curls away from her face. “I tortured him. I chased him down, and I tortured him.” The sparks scalded her skirts where her hands fisted. “And then I killed him.” She turned wide eyes on him, and he could swear he could see the very depths of her soul. There was something frightening there, something he’d never seen or sensed before. “And he told me my father had paid them to attack the English troops. Their own people.”
    Christian pushed away from the rock, coming cautiously toward her. “Ada, whatever your father plans, there must be a reason for it.”
    She squinted at him like he’d grown another head from his neck. “Weren’t you the one who put this asinine idea into my head?”
    â€œI… well, that is to say—”
    â€œNever mind.” She sighed and sank to the ground, trailing sparks idly through the air. “How is Charity?” she asked without looking at him.
    â€œMuch recovered. My mother believes she just needed rest. Perhaps she got too tired and couldn’t find her way out of the vision.”
    Ada leaned over, dousing her flame in the small pond. The air hissed and steam rose, curling through the air. “Did she ever say where she was all day?”
    Christian swallowed hard. He had his suspicions, but he’d just gotten himself back into Ada’s good graces. He wasn’t going to tell her now. Later. I’ll tell her later . “No. She can’t remember anything after walking into your father’s study.”
    Ada looked up sharply. He should have known she was too astute not to realize what he implied. Scrambling to her feet, she swore as her tangled skirts pulled her back to the ground. When she finally looked up, her face was white. “Christian.”
    â€œAda, that isn’t what I meant—”
    â€œChristian, do be quiet.” She put a hand to her forehead. It shook violently. “The rumors, Christian.” She paced again, but this time there were no angry sparks.
    Christian closed his eyes. If it made him ill to think Richard could possibly be the monster they’d all been running from, he couldn’t imagine what it did to Ada.
    â€œWhat if he’s the one stealing the seers’’ sight?” she whispered, but her words seemed to shatter the air around them. Their peaceful clearing was thrown into chaos by her accusation.
    â€œAda, this has been going on for years. Years. We would have known. It isn’t possible that he could have all those seers at the estate and we not know.”
    She seemed to ignore him, wringing her hands and pacing so quickly around the pond she was almost running. He could practically see her mind working, calculating, going over every person ever to visit the estate. And then she pulled up short. “Charity.”
    He frowned, confused until his sister crawled slowly from under the briar tunnel. “Am I still welcome here?”
    Ada’s chin dropped. Christian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Of course you