Joachim had one barn set aside on his property for the beehives during the worst parts of winter, and though the bees still managed to maintain enough warmth to make it through the worst snows, having the extra shelter of the barn helped ensure that the hives would make it through the bitter cold times. Two days later the three boys met with Bug, who had sent a desperate message to Niam through old Falion that there was trouble.
“They’re still buzzing,” Maerillus said with an obvious note of concern in his voice. “I’m not sure I’m liking this.”
“Well I told you not to touch them,” Bug said in a bossy voice.
Maerillus looked at the hive he had just bumped and wrinkled his nose unhappily. “I’m not too sure we should go sit up there and talk,” he said.
“Why not,” Davin asked, smiling at his friend’s discomfort.
“Oh you think this is funny do you?” Maerillus asked in dismay. “We’ll be up there,” he said pointing to the hayloft high above them.
“And?”
Maerillus let out a completely exasperated answer. “Those things can fly up there!”
“Boys can be such sissies sometimes,” Bug grumbled and began climbing the steps rapidly.
Niam groaned and noticed he wasn’t the only one. None of them had done well after little sleep and a hard day’s practice with several of Joachim’s guardsmen. The only good thing about the day was that Niam seemed to be excelling with the staff. He found security in holding a weapon that had two business ends to it. Swords only had one, and he constantly feared that he might try to put his blade in its scabbard too quickly and stick it in his leg instead. Besides, he didn’t have the kind of strength in his arms to be terribly effective with most blades. Jolan Kine assured him that they would build his arms up, but Niam liked to go with what worked, and made a mental note to bend all the practice blades one day when everyone thought he was too far away to be blamed.
“Okay,” Davin said once they were all seated—“What’s going on, Madeline?”
Bug let out an inaudible growl of indignation. “I thought I was being followed, and I am. It started before the heavy snows hit, and I almost believed I was making it up until several days ago, and that’s when I heard him chasing me.” Bug paused a moment to collect herself, and then looked up at Niam and said, “I was stupid not to listen to you—I really was. I went into the woods alone.”
Niam felt his stomach twist, but he held himself back from choking her until she finished telling him bow she almost died.
When Bug was done, Niam sighed. Maerillus muttered, “Female version of Niam” under his breath.
Niam ignored this. Partly because it was Maerillus being Maerillus, but partly because there was a ring of truth to it. Bug wanted to face her fears and prove herself to him—to all of them. Corey’s death had hit her hard, and maybe if he had spent more time with her she wouldn’t have gone out into the forest alone to tempt trouble. Niam couldn’t be angry with her.
“I think we need to check this out.”
“Agreed,” Davin said. “Maybe Madeline can take us tomorrow after we’re done with our training.”
Bug’s face brightened at this. Though her face shone with relief, Niam fought to suppress a shudder. She had no idea that they were about to stick their necks into something that might be dangerous, and that scared him for her. He had been right about one thing, however: trouble always seemed to find them. Only, when it found Bug and dragged her along with it, everything became scarier.