Tower of Thorns (51 page)

“Because you did the deed, and they were back to themselves without the need for it,” said the little healer, nodding. Her beady eyes had lost some of their combative look. “And then you were changed.”

“I tried to tell Grim about the herb, but I . . . my mouth was odd, deformed, and I couldn't make him understand. And then . . . suddenly I was myself again, and he hadn't used it either. I don't know what undid the spell. Or why the woman who invented the curse didn't make it end with Lily and Ash.”

“Her?” The little healer lifted her brows in scorn. “She wasn't only bad; she was as mad as a half-witted dog at full moon. Did what she wanted and didn't give a fig about anyone else. That's why she was so angry when the girl, Lily, crossed her. Angry enough for two hundred years of sorrow and a bit more. Be glad your man broke the spell for you.”

“Grim broke it? But he never even touched the herb.”

She threw back her head and let out a hearty laugh. Heads turned toward us from everywhere. “For a wise woman,” she said, “you're a touch blind about some things. Tell me, did your man weep over you up there? Did he weep over the poor thing you'd become?”

I recalled Grim wiping my face with the red kerchief. Wiping his own. Saying he'd stand by me for two hundred years, if that was what it took. “Yes, but—”

“There you are, then,” she said. “Now it's time we were on our way. Your fellow will be fit to ride by the morning. Trust me. And safe journey to you.”

“And to you.”

I thought about it later, when Grim was feeding the horses and I was readying our bedding for the night. What she'd said couldn't possibly be right. True love's tears? That was just nonsense. It wasn't like that with him and me and it never would be. What we had was far too precious to be complicated by that kind of thing. Grim would have a good laugh when I told him.

He came back. We shared a brew and settled to sleep. I didn't say a thing about true love's tears. In the morning we struck camp and rode for
Cahercorcan. I put the herb in the part of my mind reserved for
too hard
. It could wait for Winterfalls and Conmael. If indeed I decided to broach the topic at all. For now, there was court and a royal baby to deliver. I found, to my surprise, that I was almost looking forward to that.

Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!