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"Would it do any good to waste words that I know you would not believe?" He eased back in the saddle "I a with you, Forshee Whether you like it or not Youyour helplessness tothis is a hunt ill all reirl"
She looked at Colvin, saw the set in his jaw, the defiance in his eyes Every instinct within him warned that they could not trust Dieyre She could see it plainly written on the criss-cross of his eyebrows, the frown so deep on his mouth
"You do not need to look to him for permission, love," Dieyre told her "He has already decided He will do anything to save his sister As will I Do you needthe road? We are on horseback so I assuht Colvin had decided She could see it plainly on his scowl
"No, I think we can h," Lia replied She needed to use the orb to find Ellowyn and Marciana In the dark, it tended to glow rather brightly and she kneould be difficult hiding it fro that she had it or that she could use it The less she said, the better
She opened the pouch at her waist and withdrew the golden orb His eyes widened with surprise when he saw it He looked at her questioningly
"The Alderave it to me," she answered, which was true in a real sense In her ined hoorried she was, howabducted by the Pry-rians and forced to e She saw her frightened eyes, the dull color of her hair and let herself be drawn in to the need to find her A safe road that would help thean to whir and then the spindles pointed clearly Lia gave Dieyre a challenging look "Try and keep up"
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO:
Shrewberries
Lia could not believe her good fortune in finding a thicket loaded with ripe shrewberries The patch greild and was thick with thorns, but plentiful with dark pink fruit – surprisingly so considering its remote location in the Bearden Muir It was late in the day and she was hot, weary, and soaked with sweat Colvin and Dieyre kept up with the punishing pace, but she could see Colvin swaying in the saddle, exhausted by the hard ride and lack of sleep Muck and mud spattered their mounts which foamed at the ested, pulling short of the thicket and disht left," Dieyre countered "Ride on"
"We have tortured the beasts enough for today," Lia said "Some of us need rest as well" She crouched by the thicket and began plucking buds of fruit from the thorny stems They were juicy and fat and she tasted their sweetness, finding only the hint of bitterness The patch was in a well-lit spot, so the sun had ripened them They were delicious
Dieyre’s horses snorted and wheezed, but he looked around distastefully "What are those? Thimbleberries?"
"We call them shrewberries in this Hundred," she replied "You are like as not to prick your fingers on the stalks, so be careful They are very soft You have to eat theht away" She stuffed another one in her mouth Each had hard little seeds that contrasted with the softness "They will not keep, so eat your fill"
Colvin sluard and weary She recognized the expression – saw the tight, tired lines around his eyes He was irritable when tired, so she did not speak to hiht," Dieyre co an opportunity to fill your belly with so better than mushrooms It is alise to stop and savor what the wilderness puts in your path, like a coney or a deer Always be ready for the gift and be grateful"
Colvin pricked himself on a thorn and snatched his hand back She had picked enough to fill her palers were quick and rateful nod and started eating the for the easiest fruit Dieyre studied her aoff the saddle and joined in the feast He also pricked his hand, but he did not accept any of theseveral, his expression changed
"How far do you think they are from us?" he asked her
"I do not know," she answered truthfully "We are not going the same way they did"