‘What gives?’ I snarled. ‘I thought the grove was supposed to be sacred. Now you’re all trying to kill me instead. I’ve got a banging headache, I don’t feel well and I’m in a really shitty mood. Where did those fireballs come from?’

Aifric recovered his voice first although I noted that both Byron and Jamie looked relieved. Yeah, yeah. I was still around to save all their sorry arses. Hurray.

‘I’m glad you’re alright, Ms Taylor.’

It was a shame he didn’t address me as chieftain; that would have been even more fun. ‘No thanks to any of you. Who is doing this? Who’s trying to murder me? That’s two attacks in less than twenty-four hours!’

Aifric’s expression was grim. ‘I can assure you that we’re working on it.’

‘Working on it? You’re going to have to try a damn sight harder than that. Who has more than one Gift around here? Pyrokinesis and summoning? Who can do both?’

Aifric exchanged a look with his son. ‘No one that we know of. We have our best people working through the magical register though. We will find them.’

I tilted up my chin. ‘You’d better hope it’s before I end up getting fried. Where will you all be then?’

‘We will put a guard on your rooms.’

‘No, you sodding won’t. How can I trust your guards? They might be in on the plot.’

He stiffened. ‘Our people are loyal.’

‘When someone stops trying to murder me, I might believe that.’ I swept an imperious gaze across the lot of them. ‘I don’t feel well,’ I declared. ‘I’m going to lie down. Give me back my letter opener.’

Jamie and Aifric both gave me strange looks but Byron dug into his pocket and handed it over. I felt considerably more secure with Bob back with me. As soon as I’d tucked the knife away, I held a hand to my forehead and frowned.

‘You have a fever.’ Byron’s voice was quiet.

Yes, Golden Boy. I have a very bad fever. Spread that little titbit around so everyone thinks I’m about to receive some terrible Gift that’ll put yours to shame.

‘It better not last long,’ I grumbled aloud. ‘The faster we can start travelling to the Foinse, the faster I can escape this hell hole.’

‘I’ll have some chicken soup sent up to your room. That usually helps.’

My eyes narrowed in disgust. ‘I thought you guys had been keeping an eye on me. Don’t you know I’m vegetarian?’ I had no idea where that came from. I loved bacon. I must have been trying to goad poor Aifric Moncrieffe into more grovelling.

‘I’m sure we can arrange something that will suit your tastes,’ he said without a trace of a grovel. Oh well.