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Last night at the evening meal she excused herself claiming exhaustion. She said she wanted to rest. I had no cause to doubt it, my lord. Forgive me if I have failed you. I like Dianthe, never would I wish ill upon her," she bowed deeply.
    "You did well, Brónach. I do not hold you responsible at all. You could not have known how long she had gone without or that she was so weak. You are dismissed." Brónach hesitated before glancing at me cautiously.
    "May I see her, Lord Cernunnos? I understand that you do not care for others in your sanctuary," she trailed off.
    Caught off guard, I paused before answering, "Yes, Brónach, go and visit with her. It may comfort her having you with her." With a quick nod, Brónach disappeared up the stairs.
    "Now for you, Cú." I stared stonily at the hound. "You have betrayed your lord and endangered your mistress. What do you have to say for yourself?" I glared. "If it was not for the female you failed, I would end your miserable existence now."
    Caomhnóir lowered his head to his paws cowering and sent mental images to me. The way the hounds communicated were in a form of telepathy. They could send images and feelings along mental links.
    Caomhnóir sent me images of Dianthe talking to him. How he did not want to lead her into the wood but felt he had no choice. She would have gone without him. At least if he was there he could watch over her. I understood the hound’s reasoning and could not fault it. He was protecting his mistress in the only way he could.
    "I understand, but you are not forgiven. Do you understand?” His eyes rose to my neck and he nodded his great shaggy head. "Go back to your mistress then," I sighed in disgust when he wagged his tail; tongue lolling and he scampered up the stairs as quickly as he could. The damn girl had turned one of my best hunters into a lap dog.
    Less than three days and this female called Dianthe Mclearey had turned my world upside down. Danu, goddess of us all, only knew what it would be like by the time she left. At the rate things were going, it would be a while before that time came. Someone wanted her badly enough to risk my wrath. She was going nowhere until I had satisfied that wrath.
     

Chapter Six
     
    Dia
     
    I was lying somewhere soft and comfortable. That was my first thought when I began to swim from the darkness. I was warm and dry, so I wasn’t in the forest. The last thing I remember was Robin. I thought I had seen Robin and he was leaving me. Was he really there or did I imagine it? I tried to open my eyes but they felt as if they were glued shut. Next, I tried to open my mouth to speak. No luck there either, my lips barely parted and the only sound I could make was a grunt.
    I was still only half-awake and the fogginess in my brain was taking too long to clear. I needed to find out where I was, and get something liquid in me. Once again, I tried to open my mouth and this time, lick my lips. My tongue felt like it was twice its normal size and my poor mouth was so dry, I could almost believe half the desert had been dropped in it.
    That could explain my eyes; they were gummed shut from all the grit in them. That was feasible, I pondered in my muddled brain. Before I could process anything, a cool wet glass was at my lips. I pried them apart as far as possible and beautiful, cool, sweet liquid fell into my gasping mouth.
    "Careful," a melodious female voice advised. "Small sips, Dianthe. Too much will make you ill. You have been asleep for two days now. Your body is not ready for more than sips." I knew that voice. Right now I couldn’t place it but I was not afraid of it. So I let my instinct rule and drank what I was given.
    When the cup was pulled away, I managed to croak out, "More please." A hand gently lifted my head up to where I was in a more upright position.
    "Remember small sips, if your belly begins to hurt you must stop." Deep down I understood and tried to obey. After a few moments, I sighed and stopped