The old woman shook her head and put an arm around Kat’s heaving shoulders. “Child, come,” she said, leading Kat back to the green door. “If bonded you cannot be, then a journey you must make.”
“A…a journey?” Kat blotted her eyes on her sleeve. If this kept up, she was going to have to change clothes because her entire freaking dress would be soaked in tears. God, she hated to cry! “A journey to where?” she said, sniffing and trying to get hold of herself.
“The fifilalachuchu blossom you must seek.”
“The what?” Kat was convinced that her convo-pillar was acting up again but Mother L’rin repeated the name and she realized she’d heart it correctly the first time. “But what good will this uh, fi-fi flower do? Will it break the bond between us?”
“Seek it you must,” the wise woman repeated firmly. “Back to me you will bring it. Medicine I will make for you.”
“Okay.” Kat nodded. The strange sounding flower must be the only way to break the soul bond between herself and Lock and Deep. “Uh, where can I find it?” she asked, as they left the cave and walked back to the meadow with the golden brook.
“Find what?” Deep and Lock came forward. Clearly they had been waiting for Kat to come back.
“Some kind of rare flower.” Kat found she could barely look at Deep. Why had he taken her pain? Was it out of pride? A sense of responsibility? She knew that a Kindred warrior took his oath to protect any female in his care very seriously. Could that be why Deep had submitted to the vicious beating for her? She wanted to ask him about it—to thank him for what he’d done. But one glance at the scowl on his dark face told her now wasn’t the time.
“The fifilalachuchu blossom,” Mother L’rin said firmly, pulling her thoughts back to the present.
“You mean the Moons blossom? But those are just a legend,” Lock protested.
The old woman shook her head. “In some legends, truth lies. Find it on the continent you will.”
“The continent?” Deep raised one eyebrow at her. “You want us to cross the golden strait in search of a mythical flower that only blooms when both full moons are in the sky?”
Mother L’rin marched up to him and poked him in the chest with one knarled finger. “At once you must.”
Though she was so tiny she barely reached his waist, Deep took a step back and nodded respectfully. “All right, all right. As you say, Mother.”
“Very good. Enough time have I wasted with you.” She nodded at her giant, silent assistant. “Doby, come.”
“Yes, Mother.” He shambled after her. Before long, both the tiny figure and the huge one had disappeared into the long pink and green grasses that lined the far side of the stream.
“Well.” Lock looked somewhat nonplussed. “It seems we have a quest to fulfill.”
Deep snorted. “It seems so. Though what she expects us to find on the continent besides filth and ignorance, I have no idea.”
“You heard her—she said to find the Moons blossom.” Lock straightened his shoulders. “We’d best get going if we want to make arrangements to leave immediately.”
“Immediately?” Kat asked, startled. “As in tonight?”
“If we can,” Lock said grimly. “You heard Mother L’rin—she said we had to go at once. It may be a matter of life and death.” He looked at Kat. “What did she tell you?”
“A lot of things.” Kat studied the ground, afraid that if she looked up she would catch Deep’s eyes and see the silver whip reflected in their midnight depths.
“What did she say about you?” Deep’s voice was harsh. “Are you completely well? All healed?”
Kat thought of what the wise woman had told her. That if she didn’t touch at least one of the brothers—or preferably both—her pain and weakness would come back. She opened her mouth to tell them…but somehow she just couldn’t. Not after the fight they’d had. How could she ask them to touch her when she refused to bond with them? It seemed rude and wrong—like she was using them. Besides, she had her pride. She didn’t want to sound like she was begging.
“Are you well, my lady?” Lock said and she realized she’d been silent too long.
“I’m fine.” She shrugged, trying to sound unconcerned. “What you two did for me cured me. So…thank you.”
Deep raised one black eyebrow. “So you admit the soul bond was necessary. You’re not so quick to call us liars now, hmm?”
A sharp retort rose to Kat’s lips but she bit it back when she remembered what he’d done for her. Mother L’rin’s voice echoed in her head. “Himself he hates.” Lifting her chin, she looked at Deep. “I’m sorry if what I said hurt you,” she said, staring unflinchingly into his angry eyes. “But it looks like we’re stuck together a little while longer. So I’d like to offer a truce—no more fighting. No more backbiting. No more hurting each other. Deal?”