Three guards, following the example of the first, ripped the other blanket and bundled creatures into the pieces. The last creature in the cage was the one not fully transformed. The guard hesitated. There was nothing left to wrap the creature in. His hands shook as he finally grabbed the creature and ran for his horse.

Adolfo waited until the guards rode off. Then he turned to his Inquisitors and gestured toward the witch. “Take it back to a tent. Give it water. Feed it if it still has enough wits left to eat. Take care of it. I need it physically strong and healthy for another day or two. After that…” He shrugged. “The men will have another use for it.”

Aiden was already dozing off in the saddle as Minstrel crossed the bridge that would take them back to Liam’s house. If he’d been riding another horse, he might have stayed at the Old Place after finishing his watch at Nuala’s grave. But Minstrel knew the way to Liam’s as well as he did, and he trusted the horse to get them there safely. Besides, if he didn’t come back, Lyrra would worry about him and never get any sleep. And he didn’t sleep as well if he didn’t fall asleep holding her. Too bad they were usually so worn out that they didn’t do much else when they fell into bed.

Minstrel stopped so suddenly, Aiden wobbled in the saddle before regaining his balance. The horse’s attention was focused on the fields.

Reaching down to give the horse a reassuring pat, he felt the muscles quivering beneath his hand. Alarmed, he strained to see if there was anything out there in the dark. Nothing. But something was spooking Minstrel.

Then he thought he heard a muffled cry of pain. Was someone in the field?

He looked back toward the grave and saw two of the huntsmen moving toward the brook, their attention focused on the field as well.

Horses galloping away. Not Fae then. He wouldn’t have heard Fae horses. Humans who had lost their way in the dark and realized where they were when they saw the glow of moonlight around Nuala’s grave? Possible. But Minstrel still trembled under his hand, and his own skin was starting to crawl.

“Come on, boy,” he whispered. “Let’s get away from here.”

Wide awake now, he let the horse run. He didn’t want to be out in the dark. He didn’t want to be near that field.

When he reached Liam’s house and led Minstrel into the stable, Arthur sleepily offered to bed down the dark horse. Accepting the offer, Aiden gave Minstrel a farewell pat and hurried to the house. It was locked at night now, but guards kept watch at the front windows, so the door was open for him as soon as he reached it.