The kiss began as something gentle but soon deepened, and for a moment I forgot all about the chaos that was moments away from unfurling like a black cloud of death. Cade dug his fingers further into my hair, lowering one hand to my back as he pressed me closer. Of their own accord, my arms wrapped around him and I kissed him back with fervor. What had he said before all of this? Oh, yes. He loved me. That only made my stomach flip over again and I swore I sensed my stubborn magic burning fiercely through my blood.
Before I was ready, Cade broke the kiss and pulled away, leaving us both gasping for breath. He placed his right hand against my cheek and kissed me one more time, this one without all of the passion of the one before it. He let go of me, then turned and walked away, not bothering to glance back, as if he had already lost the battle and couldn’t see me anymore.
A sob broke free from my throat, and only then did I realize how close to breaking I was. I hurried towards him, reaching my hands out, but some invisible barrier blocked me, knocking my hand aside. What the heck?
“Ah, ah, ah little faeling,” the Morrigan crooned as she stepped away from her mutated Cúmorrig. “No interference from outside parties allowed.”
The goddess reached up as if to caress my hair, but her fingers also met with the invisible shield, this one administering a slight shock. She hissed and drew her hand back, cursing in the language of Eilé. She sounded bitter and angry, but I was too intent on Cade to care what she said or thought. If she somehow managed to drag me off by the hair at that moment, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even notice.
The circle of various faelah closed in around us, creating a dark ring of monsters. Speirling had finally found an opening and had trotted off, as far away from the battle as possible, and Fergus and Meridian were nowhere in sight. I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was Cade and the ten Cúmorrig he was about to fight. Cade was tall and strong, but the grotesque hellhounds were taller and appeared stronger.
“How are you going to defeat them Cade?” I whispered as the tears fell down my face.
The cold rain lashed at me and the wind chilled me even further. As the creatures circled around Cade, I began chewing at my fingernails. He didn’t stand a chance. Suddenly a surge of anger hit me and the burning next to my heart heightened. I cried out in pain, wondering if the shock of everything that was happening would cause heart failure.
I glanced up to check if the monsters had attacked yet, only to fall back down on my rump in surprise. The beasts had made a circle around Cade, but he stood absolutely still, his arms held open at his sides, palms facing out, his head bowed in concentration. I could almost make out the rage and aggression pouring off of him, like heat waves rising off a road in the desert.
With sudden violence, one shoulder dislocated with a tremendous CRACK, then the other. His hair grew and formed into spikes and something that looked disturbingly like blood gathered at their points. The rain pelted down, making it run in crimson rivulets down his pale face. One of his eyes swelled to an unnatural size and I was sure it would burst out of his head. His clothing tore as he grew larger and more like one of the Morrigan’s monsters.
There was one last crackling of joints and Cade stood transformed, slightly taller than the creatures surrounding him, but exuding a fury that terrified me. I gaped at him, my eyes gone wide, my tears long dried up. So this is what the Morrigan had been talking about. This transformation that had made Cade a pariah among his peers. This is what I’d witnessed when I nearly died a year ago.
I blinked up at the Morrigan, standing only a few feet away from me. She looked smug, eyeing me with condescending dislike.
“Who would want such a monster?” she crooned. “It’s clear you’ve never seen my son overcome with his battle fury, this warp spasm. It’s a shame he’s sacrificing himself for you.”
She sighed, having the nerve do sound like she cared. “If only I had convinced him to go into ríastrad before making the blood oath, it might have saved me so much trouble. You would’ve seen him in this form,” she waved at her newly transformed son, now carefully eyeing the creatures that circled him, looking for a weak spot, “and like the others, you would have run away screaming. Eventually, he would have gotten over you and then I’d be free to seek you on my own, taking what I wanted. Now I’m going to lose a very useful tool.”
My anger blossomed and spilled over. “I don’t care about the ríastrad.” I turned my eyes on her, my voice raw with emotion. “I love Cade. I would never leave him for something he has no control over. He cannot help who he is; who his parents are.”
“Too bad,” she snickered, nodding her head in Cade’s direction, “because after tonight he will certainly be leaving you.”
I shouldn’t have looked because the battle had begun. I cried out when the long, clawed arm of one of the monsters swung out and made contact with Cade’s own arm. But the move had been meant as a block and he quickly twisted the limb of the creature until it broke free of its body. The Cúmorrig howled in pain, and I swallowed back bile. Cade, in this horrible form, was brutal, fighting like a feral animal. His grotesque appearance almost made it hard to distinguish him from his adversaries.
The Morrigan yawned in a bored fashion as the battle raged on. A gust of wind and a sheet of rain slammed into us, driving me to the ground once more. I had long given up trying to keep my knees from getting muddy and the cloak I wore was already drenched.
“Such a shame, really,” the Morrigan said above me. “He is far more useful to me alive than dead. Who is going to fetch back my dear little pets from the mortal world when he’s gone?”
I swallowed, the lump in my throat proving to be an obstacle. No. Cade would not die. He could not.
“He won’t die,” I whispered, my head down.
I tried to ignore the sounds of the fight. The last time I glanced up, Cade had destroyed two of the monsters. I had no way of distinguishing between his shouts of outrage and their cries of pain. I guess I should try finding solace in knowing that if I could still hear them fighting, then the battle still continued. And if the battle still continued, Cade was still alive.
The Morrigan’s laughter started out as a quiet chuckle, but soon rose to match the thunder overhead. “Oh, dear girl! He’ll not survive this fight! Do you have any concept of the amount of magic I poured into my Cúmorrig?”
She leaned over me and willed me to meet her eyes. Reluctantly, I did. The irises were no longer deep red, but swirling with living flames. Her glamour at work. My stomach turned. I didn’t want to know what amount of magic she poured into her diabolical creations. Nor did I want to know how many lives had been sacrificed to gain that power.
Minutes seemed to pass, hours maybe, and I sat there, helpless with nothing but the Morrigan’s horrible commentary to shred apart my nerves. Eventually, Cade managed to kill a third monster, then a fourth and fifth. When two more died, I started to hope. Three left, only three more. I ignored the signs that Cade was tiring; convinced myself the bloodstains didn’t belong to him. The storm raged on above us and the faelah surrounding the small valley kept up their disturbing chatter.
Another Cúmorrig down, then another. Only one left. My heart swelled with hope. Cade would defeat it, like he defeated all the others. But he appeared so weary, as if all of his magic had burned away, leaving nothing but a shell.
I watched, my lungs struggling to draw breath as the two of them circled one another. Cade struck at the monster, but the Cúmorrig deflected his swing. This last attack had taken too much energy from Cade. He staggered back, his head bowed as he caught his breath, and the remaining Cúmorrig reached back with its massive arm and plunged its long claws into Cade’s abdomen.
“NO!” I screeched, running forward, tripping over the clumps of moss, grass and stones dotting the wide field as I tore through the magical barrier that had held me back all this time.
Crying, I pushed myself up, ignoring the sting in my left wrist, and gazed past my tears and the pelting rain to catch a glimpse of Cade again. Only fifty feet or so away, I spotted him. He was slumped over, the tips of the monster’s claws protruding from his back. The ríastrad was leaving him. His battle fury was coming to an end and he was beginning to change back into the form I knew so well. With agonizing effort, he reached up, grabbed a hold of the monster’s grizzled hair, and violently twisted its head, breaking its neck and killing it. Reaching down, Cade grasped the faelah’s arm and slowly pulled the claws out of his stomach.
Another sob broke free, and I reached out my hand, though I was too far away. Cade dropped the arm and the creature crumpled to the ground. He stood for a few moments, turning as if he were intoxicated, until he found me. His eye had returned to its normal size and he was no longer as large as he’d been.
He gazed at me and I barely detected the last dregs of his battle fury blazing in his eyes. He smiled then, and for the first time ever, I noticed the beginning of tears in his eyes. He looked horrible. He was deathly pale and splattered with blood, despite the rain. I followed his left shoulder, down to where his hand covered the wound in his side. I should not have done that. Blood spilled freely from the holes left by the Cúmorrig’s claws and it didn’t seem likely to stop.
“No, Cade. We’ll find someone to fix it.” My voice hitched on another sob as I pathetically tried to comfort him.
He opened his mouth to say something to me, but a hacking cough took the place of words. He doubled over, a thin stream of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. With one last gasp he collapsed to the ground.
“No!” I screamed again, crawling across the rain-soaked field, ignoring my injured wrist.
I blocked out the unmoving bodies of the mutilated Cúmorrig that lay scattered about. I only stopped after reaching Cade, and when I did, I nearly fell in anguish. He lay on his back, his hand still clutching his side, his eyes staring lifeless up into the storm clouds above.
I refused to accept what I was seeing. I sat down, rolled his head into my lap, and began stroking his face. His hair was a mess and I smoothed it away from his forehead. He must have been tired after such a fight, so I closed his eyes for him, tears streaming down my cheeks as my heart shattered.
“No Cade, no,” I murmured between sobs. “No, you aren’t gone, you’ll get better. You just need to rest.”
But I knew. I’d known the moment the last monster impaled him. He’d been too overwhelmed by such a large number of foes, there had been just too many. I squeezed my eyes shut and let the despair flood over me.
“Why didn’t you let me help you?” I whispered when my throat stopped aching long enough to allow words.
I scooped him up and let his head rest against my shoulder as I rocked him like a mother rocking her infant to sleep, and all around me the storm raged on. The faelah that had been surrounding us all this time, watching and barely reining in their desire to join the fray, started their complaints again.
“Such a pity,” I heard above me. But the voice held no pity at all.
“Such a waste of useful talent. Really, so foolish. I should have refused his blood oath, but oh, the boy has always been headstrong.”
I was too distraught to respond, to even think of how I should respond. I simply sat on the wet ground, holding Cade close and denying that he was gone.
“Well, I am a very busy goddess and I’ll ask you to please move out of the way. I’m owed quite a large amount of magic, and when someone is so freshly sacrificed as Caedehn is now, their power is even more potent.”
I didn’t move. My mind had started to buzz, and a strange, warm tingling began to bloom in my chest once again. Another reminder of my useless, pathetic, worthless magic. Why must it be so weak! Why did my glamour refuse to work for me! Why didn’t it help me save Cade?!
“Move strayling! Once I take the power owed to me, I’ll break through the barrier created by his oath and take yours as well! Drop that corpse and obey me, or I’ll make your death far more hellish than his!”
Something burst in me then, something next to my heart, and for a few seconds I thought one of my major arteries had ruptured, spilling blood into the gaping hole in my chest. I didn’t collapse, though, nor did I begin to convulse. In fact, I felt light and full of energy. I took a deep breath and rose to my feet. Funny, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say I was floating. I stepped away from Cade, but not so far away that the Morrigan could get to him without pushing past me.
And that’s when I realized the overwhelming awareness flooding my senses reminded me of my magic, only this time it was ten times more powerful than before. A rush of warm and cool sensations coursed through me like waves crashing against the shore, and a delicious realization pierced my mind: my glamour was finally fully awake and ready to do my bidding. My fear of the Morrigan had vanished, and for the moment I cast my grief aside.
“Cade might have sworn a blood oath with you, but I didn’t!”
And then I let my raw power free, willing the swirling essence to take full control and forcing it to the tips of my fingers, exactly as Cade had taught me. This time, my glamour didn’t stop there. The new experience was the most exhilarating thing in the world, like a pure rush of adrenalin but far more intoxicating. The magic left my fingertips in a bright flash and sprung forth from my hair. I imagined I looked like some terrifying angel of vengeance, standing in my ruined Beltaine party dress with Cade’s lifeless body at my feet, my arms spread wide, my head thrown back with my hair flaring out all around like a dark halo.
The earth trembled beneath my feet and the wind and rain stopped. I dared to open my eyes. The clouds above had parted, creating a column of sunlight shining down upon me. I lowered my head and gazed at the carnage scattered over the field and gaped. All of the faelah, every last one of them from the huge, bear-like creatures down to the ones that were no bigger than mice, lay strewn across the valley floor, charred black.
I shot my glance up at the Morrigan and saw on her face something I never thought to witness in my life: fear. She had paled and her ever-present confidence seemed to vanish. Despite my torn heart, I grinned with malicious vengeance because I sensed my own power surging once again. I lifted my arms, admiring the beautiful blue lightning crackling between my fingers, and summoned all the magic I had left. With a cry of anguish and loathing, I threw my arms forward, channeling all of my power directly at the Morrigan. I doubted I’d be able to kill her, but I was pretty sure I could do a good deal of damage.
The goddess’ eyes went wide with shock, but before I got the chance to so much as singe her perfect hair, she clapped her palms together above her head, spoke an ancient word of power, and transformed into a huge raven. My blue lightning missed her by inches, and as she squawked and let the winds of the fading storm carry her away, I collapsed onto the ground next to Cade.
My body was drained, both mentally and physically. And magically if I was being completely honest. I now understood what Cade had been talking about with regards to magic. Too bad he wasn’t here to enjoy it with me.
The thunder rolled in the distance and the rain had long since diminished. The sun was well above the eastern horizon, but still a good distance from its midday location. The soggy ground pressed against my cheek and when I curled my fingers into a fist, I found Cade’s damp shirt gathering between them. I lifted my head and winced from the pain pounding away at my skull. I blinked the remaining tears from my eyes and glanced around. If I hadn’t just lived through hell, I would have appreciated the beauty surrounding me. The clouds above were still dark, but below them the golden rays of the morning sun lit the raindrops, making the small valley resemble a field of glittering gems. That same sunlight splayed upon my face, warming my skin for the first time in over a day. I closed my eyes and tried to find some consolation in the welcome radiance, but since my hands still clasped Cade’s shirt, I couldn’t bring myself to feel any relief.
You’re alive, Meghan. You were sure the Morrigan would kill you, but you survived! I sighed. Oh, but Cade didn’t, did he? What will you do now that he is gone?
It was too much. A painful cry tore free of my throat and I clasped his ruined shirt even tighter, burying my face into his chest. I had never experienced despair like this and I was certain I would never recover. I don’t know how long I lay across Cade’s cold form, but at some point in time a shadow passed over me and something tugged at my sleeve.
“Go away,” I rasped.
I knew it must be one of the Morrigan’s minions, one that had somehow survived my wrath. But I didn’t care. In fact, I secretly hoped the creature would attack and kill me, then the pain would be over.
The faelah nudged me again. I blindly swiped out an arm and screamed, “Go away!”
My fingers brushed something warm and the sound of hooves and a surprised whicker jolted me away from my misery. I glanced up and saw a black horse standing a few feet away, eyeing at me as if I were crazy. Well, he did have a point.
“Speirling,” I managed softly, biting my lip to keep it from trembling. “Oh Speirling, he’s gone!”
The horse only whickered again, tossing his head and dragging his hoof against the ground. Despite my sorrow, I was glad the faelah hadn’t harmed him. He moved closer when he realized I wasn’t going to lash out at him again. I didn’t shoo him away this time, either. I could really use his comforting at the moment.
Speirling nudged me once more, so I placed a hand against his nose to let him know I appreciated his presence. I stroked his cheek, but he pulled away and turned towards the east. I stared at him, a bit hurt by his actions. He didn’t seem distressed by the fact that Cade lay in the mud, broken and destroyed by the faelah. No, he seemed alert, impatient even, as if he was eager for us to leave and head back to the castle.
Eventually he came back over to me and lowered his head. I fought my desire to simply lay there and wallow in my misery. Instead, I reluctantly reached for his bridle, using it to pull myself upright. Luckily, the stallion stayed beside me or else I would have collapsed back onto the ground.
I turned back to gaze at Cade’s prone form and a deep pain rose up and threatened to choke me. No, you’re not dead Cade. This is only a terrible dream and I’m going to wake up at any moment . . .
A wave of dizziness caused me to fall against Speirling’s flank. He turned and nudged me with his nose, as if trying to keep me on my feet. And then he swung his head to the east again, released an irritated whinny, and started walking away.
“No Speirling, no! We can’t leave Cade.”
He stopped, but refused to turn his head from where he stared. I clenched my teeth and tightened my hands on his bridle, focusing on the knot work pattern etched in the leather as I willed the nausea and impending panic to pass. The design seemed vaguely familiar, like several small horseshoes interlacing and repeating. In my haze of hysteria and despair, I thought they looked a little like the seal on the invitation the Dagda had sent me. Little omegas laced together.
I snorted. What a stupid thought to have at such a time. Then my brain froze and I sucked in a sharp breath. No, not omegas. And that hadn’t been an omega on the Dagda’s seal either. I had been holding the image upside down. It had been the crude representation of a cauldron.
I stood up straighter, a sudden rush of realization passing through me and giving me new strength. The Cauldron . . .
“This is the Cauldron I used in the battle against the Fomorians so long ago,” the Dagda said as he patted it affectionately. “So many lives restored because of its priceless power.”
The memory faded away and I was left standing, dumbstruck, in the middle of a meadow littered with the gruesome aftermath of a great battle.
“Speirling!” I hissed.
Suddenly, my legs were no longer numb and my heart was beating once again.
“Speirling! The Dagda’s Cauldron!”
Tears formed in my eyes, but this time they weren’t the result of sorrow. “There’s still a chance to save him!”
I wanted to jump up and cheer, but I was still very weak from my outpouring of magic. A whistling sound above me drew my attention to the sky. I glanced up and spotted Meridian, a white blot against the dark grey.
“Meridian! Quickly! We have to get Cade onto Speirling’s back. Where’s Fergus?” I sniffed and wiped at my face with the edge of the sodden cloak.
Asleep, Meridian pressed against my mind as she came to rest on my shoulder.
“How can he be sleeping at a time like this?”
Then I remembered something Cade had once told me. Spirit guides lived as long as their masters did.
“Oh no, where is he?”
Forest.
I glanced behind me into the thick trees scattered all over the hillside.
“He could be anywhere,” I said to myself.
I didn’t have time to go searching for him. I wanted Cade alive as soon as possible, in case there was some grace period between death and regeneration when using the Cauldron.
“We have to leave him for now Meridian, but as soon as Cade is better, he’ll find us.” I hoped.
I turned to the black horse standing beside me. “Speirling, you are a smart boy, and I need your help if you want to save your master.”
He gazed at me with dark brown eyes, his way of showing compliance.
“Now, I need you to get as low as you can . . .”
I tugged on his bridle to let him know what I wanted, and he lowered himself to his knees.
“Good!”
Using what little strength I had, I pulled Cade’s lifeless body up and over his horse’s back. He was heavy, so by the time I had him where I thought he might not fall off, I needed to sit for several minutes to gain my breath.
Before I persuaded Speirling to rise, I climbed up behind Cade, holding on to him so he wouldn’t crash to the ground.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into his ear as we set off, “I’m sure this won’t make you feel any better when you are conscious again, but it’s the best I can do.”
With one last glance behind me, I urged the huge black horse up onto all fours. I wrapped my arm around Cade’s middle, letting his head roll back on my shoulder as I dug my heels into Speirling. With a snort of alarm, he took off across the rocky valley floor and made his way east, towards the dolmarehn that would take us to the Dagda’s Cauldron.
All I could think about as we tore over the rain-soaked earth was that we must move faster. Speirling was already running as swiftly as possible, his snorting breath and heaving chest signs that he was close to his limit. I was surprised that I managed to keep Cade, and myself, on Speirling’s back, but I imagined my magic had a lot to do with it. I sensed the power flowing from my skin, warming me and making the ride seem less jarring.
Speirling slowed before entering the dolmarehn that would take us to the Dagda, and Meridian’s needle-sharp claws dug into me as we braced ourselves for the transport to the other side. Once there, Speirling picked up his pace again and I groaned when the first icy drops of rain pelted my hot face.
“Meridian, see if you can fly ahead and warn the Dagda of what has happened.”
Yes. Swift, she answered.
And with that, she was gone from my shoulder and lost in the chaos of the storm. I wondered why the rain still fell on this side of the dolmarehn since the clouds had been moving west, but when Speirling stumbled, the idea of rain and storms was quickly driven from my mind.
“It’s okay, you didn’t fall,” I managed, patting him with affection.
His breathing was labored and his steps faulty, but he had to reach the Dagda’s house. When he stumbled again an hour later I eased him back a little. A slower pace would cost us time, but there would be no hope for Cade if Speirling collapsed while we were still several miles from our destination.
I gritted my teeth against worry as the stallion’s gait slowed. I had tried to distract my mind as we moved ever eastward, but every chance it got, my brain kept dredging up the horrible image of Cade in the final minutes of his fight with the Cúmorrig. I envisioned him standing there, the last vestiges of his battle fury, his ríastrad, leaving his body wrought with tremors. The monster, taking advantage of a slight moment of distraction, plunging its dagger-like claws into Cade’s abdomen. The look in Cade’s eyes as he gazed at me one last time before collapsing . . .
I squeezed my eyes shut as the tears burned them again.
“Speirling, keep moving, please. Go at whatever pace you can, just don’t stop,” I rasped as I leaned over and rested my head against Cade’s back.
A tired whicker, a distant roll of thunder, and the icy lash of rain against my bared neck accompanied me as the black horse carried us across the open fields of Eilé. Before I let unconsciousness finally claim me, I pressed my lips to the icy skin at the nape of Cade’s neck and whispered for his sake only, “I love you.”
* * *
I woke when the force of my body hitting the ground knocked me back to my senses. A few moments passed before I caught my breath, and another minute dragged on as I realized the horrible scenes flashing in my mind were not the remnants of a nightmare, but the memories of the horror I had recently lived through.
I blinked up at the great horse standing before me. He looked absolutely exhausted and was even now lowering to his knees as if he might collapse. Just before he rolled over on his side, I recognized the still form on his back as Cade. My Cade, who had died protecting me. Crying out in anguish, I rushed over and pulled him clear just as Speirling fell over.
“Oh, no Speirling.”
I placed a hand on his side, hoping he was only extremely tired and not on the verge of death. I had pushed him too hard, and now Cade had no chance of recovery. I wanted to cry, to sleep, to just roll over and let my soul depart my own body.
Turning my face to the sky, I let out a massive sigh. The sky was dark with clouds and my eyes blurred with tears, yet I managed to make out the silhouettes of huge, dark shapes surrounding me. But not just any dark shapes: hills. I turned my head to the right and spotted a familiar door, two lit torches standing guard on either side of it. The Dagda’s house.
Crying out in pure joy, I rushed over to Speirling and gave him a hug, though he was too fatigued to notice.
“We made it!”
Without thinking, I grabbed Cade’s shoulders and began dragging him towards our sanctuary. He was so heavy, and I really should have left him and run for help, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave his side.
It took ages to drag him to the door, even though it stood no more than fifty feet away. The bonfire from last night’s Beltaine party still burned off to the left, nothing more than coals now, hissing and spitting in the rain. Finally, reaching my destination, I collapsed. Icy rain pelted me and ran down my neck and under the collar of my cloak. I was getting tired of the feeling, but I knew soon I would be warm and dry.
I trembled and strained against my own weight as I pulled myself up so I could pound on the door. Although the rest of my body was damp and freezing, my eyes and cheeks burned as tears of desperation broke free once more.
I must have hammered the wood with my fists for a good ten minutes, because by the time someone arrived, my hands stung and bled. One of the Dagda’s female companions stared down at me, not Alannah, but one with blond hair and wide blue eyes.
“Oh! My dear, what in the name of the Morrigan happened to you?”
I gritted my teeth. If only I had the strength to tell her.
“Please,” I rasped, my throat raw and my emotions nearly run dry. “Please, Dagda. Cauldron.”
I slumped to the ground beside Cade’s still form, leaking cold rain and mud all over the earthen tiles and beautiful rugs of the Dagda’s abode. I was half conscious when I heard a commotion behind the blond woman and soon many voices were barking out urgent orders.
Someone lifted me. “Cade,” I breathed, barely a whisper. “Cauldron.”
“Hush now darling, hush,” the Dagda said, for once his voice raw with anguish.
He carried me through the cavernous halls of his home. I thought I detected the warmth of a fire in the great room, the scent of food wafting in from the kitchen, the laughter and music and general joy that surrounded this god-king of the Faelorehn. Sleep tried to claim me as he hurried me along, but I fought it. Eventually he placed me on a dry, soft mattress.
“No,” I tried to say; tried to fight. “Cade.”
A huge paw of a hand rested on my forehead. My mind floated in a warm and blissful sea, and I no longer fought the sleepiness creeping up on me.
“Rest, dear heart, and let me do what I can for Caedehn.”
I sighed, and smiled. The last thought I had before everything went blank was the memory of Cade’s passionate kiss before he sacrificed his life to save mine.
* * *
I woke up with a vague recollection of what had happened before I fell asleep, or passed out. The warm buzz of happiness that seemed to permeate throughout the Dagda’s mansion clung to the edge of my awareness, but the memories of the fight with the Morrigan kept dive-bombing my brain like angry wasps defending their nest: the horrible monsters with the scent of death clinging to them, the Morrigan’s threats and the battle that ensued, Cade telling me that he loved me. Cade dying . . .
I gasped out a sob and covered my mouth with my hands. No . . .
A light chittering sound drew my attention to one of the posts of my bed. Meridian sat perched on top, looking morose.
Sorrow, her mind said to mine.
Yes, I replied in the same way as tears tracked down my cheeks, sorrow.
The door to my room cracked open, letting in a draft that danced with the fire in the corner fireplace. The Dagda himself stepped through the entrance, his huge frame appearing weary, his face looking bleak. That only made the tears flow more freely.
“I was too late,” I whispered, my throat closing up with pain.
My heart clenched and I convinced myself it wouldn’t be long before it shriveled up and died. Cade had given his life for me. Because he loved me. I suddenly grew angry. Why had he done such a thing? Didn’t he know how much I loved him? How was I going to go on without his smile, his encouragement, his touch? I was alone in this strange place once again.
The Dagda moved closer, never saying a word. He sat down at the foot of the bed, making the mattress dip and creak dangerously.
“Meghan,” he said.
I couldn’t look at him. I could only cry into my pillow and let my anguish take over me as I pushed away all of his overwhelming, cheerful, happy-go-lucky charm. I didn’t care if the Celts viewed him as a god. I didn’t care if I had grown to like him. I didn’t care about his stupid, magical cauldron . . .
“Meghan, Caedehn is going to be fine. He was very far gone when you brought him here, but as soon as I put you to bed, we placed him in my Cauldron and began the revival rights. He’ll need several weeks to recover fully, but he is alive.”
All I heard was his last words.
“Alive?” I breathed, daring to glance up from my pillow.
The Dagda merely nodded, his usually twinkling eyes looking slightly dull with worry.
“Yes, very much so,” he murmured quietly, putting a hand upon my forehead as if I were a troubled child recovering from a nightmare. “You were right in bringing him here.”
I released another wave of tears and caught my trembling lip with my teeth while trying to take a few deep breaths. I had never been so relieved in my life.
The Dagda stayed with me for several minutes and I did my best to relate to him the details of the night. He listened quietly the whole time, even when I paused several times to let a fit of crying pass. His face was grim by the time I finished.
“So your glamour has finally revealed itself, and the Morrigan is aware of it.” He sighed and stood up, gazing down on me with those ancient eyes of his. “She should be rather indisposed for a while Meghan, but I think you ought to seriously consider making the Otherworld your permanent home. Now that your power is free, you’ll only grow stronger and learn to wield it better. You’ll also need Eilé’s own magic to replenish yours if you want to remain strong enough to continue thwarting the Morrigan.”
I nodded as I shut my swollen eyes. “I know. I’ve been thinking the same thing for a long time, coming to live in Eilé.”
“Well, I think we can give it at least a month or so before any permanent decisions must be made. I’ll let you rest now. You experienced a terrible ordeal tonight.”
He started to leave, his massive size taking up most of the doorway. He stopped before entering the hall and turned to glance at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I believe you’ve gone and disrupted our quiet, comfortable lives, Miss Meghan.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
He sighed, still smiling. “You and Caedehn have started something huge, there is no doubt about that. Though, such a conflict was bound to occur sooner or later. Besides, a half-Fae and half-Fomore cannot exist without bringing some sort of turmoil into the world. Your strong magic is now the bone of contention, Meghan, but you mustn’t take on all the blame yourself. After all, you can’t help who you are.”
“The Morrigan won’t stop until she gets what she wants, will she?” I asked, the sudden realization sending a new bolt of terror through me.
The Dagda sighed and leaned against the door frame. “Every powerful Faelorehn king or queen will want to take advantage of your power. Don’t worry Meghan, Caedehn will help guide you when he is recovered, and if you’re willing to trust me, I’ll help you as well.”
He stepped away from the door, moving closer to my bed once again. He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and tilted my chin up with the other one. “But Meghan, the choice is yours. You cannot let the Morrigan or any of the other Faelorehn make you think that you must serve their side. You must choose what’s right for you; you must decide who and what is worth fighting for.”
I relaxed back into the soft pillows, but something still worried away at my conscious. Taking a shaking breath I said, “That’s why they shun him, isn’t it?”
I glanced up at the Dagda with shimmering eyes. He shot me a quizzical look, but remained silent.
“Cade. Why Drustan and his friends don’t like him. Why Danua doesn’t want me around him. Because he is the Morrigan’s son.”
The drawing of a deep breath, followed by a terse, “Yes,” gave me the Dagda’s answer.
On top of everything else, I felt sick to my stomach. Sadness wasn’t the cause, however. No, only deep anger had the ability to make me so ill.
“Why?” I hissed. “Cade can’t help who his parents are, and he isn’t evil like her.”
“Unfortunately,” the Dagda answered, “he suffers from guilt by association. The Morrigan has done unthinkable things in order to increase her power and keep her hold over the faelah. And because of the geis she placed on Cade, he was forced to help her.”
I sucked in a breath, horrified. What had she made Cade do?
The Dagda quickly shook his head as he held up a hand. “Do not fret Meghan. Cade was able to resist most of what his mother insisted. He never took part in anything too appalling, and most people know this.”
I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my cheek on them. Still staring across the room, I whispered, “Then why do they still treat him like a criminal? He isn’t his mother.”
The Dagda gave a jaded smile. “Is there no one back in the mortal world who judges you by what they perceive to be the truth?”
I opened my mouth to argue, but stopped. He was right. People in my world were constantly judging others based on their actions and what their peers said about them. And they were ready to accept just about anything as truth. The popularity of tabloid magazines was testimony to that. I looked up and found Cade’s foster father grinning at me, his kind eyes twinkling.
“So you see,” he continued, “our nature encourages us to formulate our own version of the truth. It is much harder to convince others of your merits once they’ve convinced themselves of your faults. But do not worry, Meghan. As long as Cade can count on you and his other friends to care about him, it won’t matter if most of the others do not.”
He smiled at me again and for the first time in several minutes, I was comforted.
“Now,” the Dagda stated, standing up once more and clasping his hands together, “you get some rest and on the morrow, I’ll assign a guard to escort back to your more familiar realm.”
I shot my eyes up to meet his as a realization burst through me. “My family! I was supposed to be home last night, to get ready for prom!”
I groaned and dropped my face into my hands. How on earth had I forgotten about my life in the mortal world? Oh, yeah, extreme trauma can do that to a person. What were they going to think? What were they thinking right now? Did they think I was lying in a ditch somewhere, murdered? Had Robyn told them about my lies? I groaned again and felt the panic rising, my newborn magic trying to rise up as well. Suddenly, it seemed as if someone had opened a window and the storm outside was flooding into the room.
“Meghan! Meghan, you need to calm down,” the Dagda exclaimed as he rushed to my side, wrapping his arms around me. “Your magic is newly unleashed and you might hurt yourself and destroy my house.”
I forced myself to relax and blinked up at him with teary eyes. “Why did my power have to awaken now? Why didn’t it help me before Cade fought with the Morrigan’s Cúmorrig?”
The Dagda rocked me, comforting me the way Cade once had.
“I think your magic has been awake Meghan, but it had no reason to become furious. Something powerful had to happen in order to get your glamour to stir.”
I sighed and nodded against his chest. That made sense.
“Now,” he said, pulling away from me so he could look me in the eye, “you might be rested enough to ride home. I’ll insist on sending most of my guard with you, however.”
I released a pent up breath and the small storm my wild magic had been creating vanished. Later, when Cade was healed and I recovered from this whole ordeal, I would learn how to control my magic and put it to good use. I held my closed fist up to my mouth, hiding a sudden grin. Perhaps Danua would think differently of me now.
“When will the guard be ready to escort me?” I asked, anxious to return home and assure my family I was still alive.
The Dagda stood up again and chuckled. “I’ll instruct them to saddle their horses.” Then his humor dimmed a little and he asked in a more careful tone, “Would you like to visit Cade before you leave?”
“Yes,” I said instantly, “yes I would.”
Alannah brought me a change of clothes, something more fitting to the Otherworld, but I was glad to get out of my black and white dress. It had been ruined and now served as a reminder of the atrocities of the previous night. When I finished getting ready, the Dagda led me down another hall. Despite what he had said, terror gripped me at the thought of visiting Cade, to see him so injured and defenseless.
He came to a stop in front of a door and released a massive sigh. “Now, he looks bad Meghan, but he will mend, I promise. He won’t gain consciousness for at least another week or so. Those creatures of the Morrigan took a lot out of him.”
He paused and lifted my chin with one of his large, calloused fingers. I forced myself to meet his eyes, their bright blue turning a deeper color.
“He must love you very much to have done what he did and you must return that love just as fiercely, to have brought him back here. For those reasons alone, my care for him will not falter. I’ll make sure to return him to you as he was before.”
I nodded, comforted by the Dagda’s words.
The room we stepped into was large and resembled all the others I’d seen. A fire roared in the fireplace set in one wall and I glimpsed the storm still pummeling the earth with rain through a large diamond paned window. The huge, four poster bed however, caught and held my attention more than anything else.
Crying out, I ran forward, coming to the bed’s edge and just barely stopping myself from leaping onto the mattress. Cade rested there, his bare arms and chest exposed, the rest of him tucked snugly under the comforter. One arm lay stretched out beside him, while the other was draped across his abdomen. His head rested against a pillow with his face tilted towards the fireplace.
“Careful Meghan,” the Dagda murmured behind me.
I heeded his warning, but my hands crumpled the bedspread anyway and I heard the thunder grow louder and the rain fall harder outside. I had been warned, but seeing him like this still tore at my heart. His face was the palest I’d ever seen, at least the parts that weren’t bruised and swollen. His entire chest was covered in more contusions and cuts, the worst being the slices through his side where the mutated Cúmorrig had stabbed him.
“Do not fret, my dear girl. He is healing; alive. And he’ll keep healing, just give it time.”
The Dagda’s soft voice and kind touch helped ease my distress, but only a little.
A new thought came bursting forth to the front of my mind and I nearly choked, partly in shame for forgetting and partly because it had appeared so suddenly.
“Fergus!” I blurted. “We had to leave him behind, because when Cade fell, well you know . . . Meridian said- Meridian!”
I whipped my head around and the Dagda lifted his hands. “She’s hunkered down in the stables, resting with Speirling. What about Fergus? Where did he fall?”
“She said he was in the forest, near the site where the battle took place. Near the dolmarehn leading to the mortal world.”
The Dagda sighed. “My guard will find him and bring him back after they accompany you to the mortal realm. Don’t worry, he’ll heal as Caedehn will.”
I released a breath of relief and turned back towards the bed. I watched Cade’s slow breathing for several minutes and only when I was certain the rise and fall of his chest wouldn’t stop, did I let my relief break free. The storm immediately let up and the rain slowed to a gentle patter.
The Dagda placed his huge hands on my shoulders.
“Time to say goodbye. I’ll send word when he is improved, but it may be a while.”
I nodded then glanced up at Cade’s foster father with tears in my eyes. He grinned, somehow understanding what I asked, and stepped out of the room, taking one of the servants with him.
I let go of my breath and moved closer to Cade, gently lacing my fingers with the hand resting beside him. He was as cold as ice, but I tried not to let it upset me.
“Cade,” I breathed, not sure what to say. “I’m going to go back to the mortal world soon, but when you are better, and after I graduate, I’m coming back here to be with you.”
Now that I knew how he felt about me, my fears seemed to have vanished. I was thrilled and frightened at the same time, thinking about living in the Otherworld, among my own kind, with Cade . . .
Taking one more deep breath I leaned forward, touching my lips to his. He didn’t return the kiss, of course, but it didn’t matter. I pulled my face away from his and moved in closer so that my mouth came to rest right below his ear.
“I love you too, Cade,” I whispered, remembering the look in his eyes just before he’d kissed me, “I love you too.”
I sighed, squeezed his hand once more, and stood to leave. When I reached the door, I glanced over my shoulder. It was probably my imagination, but I could have sworn his color had improved. Smiling, I left the room and joined the Dagda. He led me to the entrance of his home and outside I found his entire guard, mounted on horses, waiting for me.
I gasped, then spun around and gaped at the Dagda. “This is too much!”
I turned back and counted thirty men and women, armed to the teeth with weapons and armor. He had said half his guard, not all of them!
The Dagda took my hands and turned me to face him.
“No it isn’t. You almost died last night, along with Caedehn. He gave his life for you, and are you to think I’d let you go wandering off, unprotected while the Morrigan may be plotting revenge at this very moment? I think not! They are honored to see you to the dolmarehn.”
Before I had a chance to protest any further, he whistled and someone came trotting around the hill, leading a beautiful bay mare with one arm and carrying a white bird on the other.
“Meridian!” I cried.
She chittered and flew off of the young man’s arm, landing on my shoulder and nibbling affectionately at my hair.
“Now, I will bid you farewell my lady. Worry not about your Caedehn, he will be safe in my abode.”
The Dagda grinned and his characteristic merriment returned. His kindness overwhelmed me and before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around his shoulders and gave him a fierce hug.
He returned the hug just as enthusiastically, chuckling as he did so.
“That will be enough my dear,” he declared in his mischievous way, setting me back down on the ground. “I do not want to face Cade’s ríastrad once he heals and finds out I’ve been accepting your affections.”
I blushed, but smiled anyway, warmed by his gentle teasing.
Taking one last look around, I walked over to the mare and with a little help from Cade’s foster father, I managed to climb into the saddle. I waved goodbye once more and we started out on our journey. The soldiers made me travel in the middle of the group and the large number of them slowed our progress. To my immense relief, we encountered no nasty faelah the entire way and the weather, though not sunny and warm, didn’t get any worse.
By the time we reached the small dolmarehn that would take me back to the mortal world, back to my family, a late afternoon sun shone down on us. I slipped off my horse, sore but grateful my feet were on solid ground. I thanked the Dagda’s soldiers and told them I would be fine on my own once I stepped through the dolmarehn.
With one last glance around at the scattered stone pillars and crooked trees, I sighed and approached the cave. Meridian swooped down to sit on my shoulder, and as I moved further into the gateway, I tried not to think of what would be waiting for me on the other side.
When I took my next breath, I was already through the portal. I only knew this because the air smelled different here, like eucalyptus and dust. The strange thing was, I never sensed the uncomfortable pull of magic that usually accompanied a trip through one of the stone gateways. Come to think of it, I hadn’t felt anything when we had passed through the other dolmarehn either.
Sighing, I climbed free of the small cavern and stepped out into the woods. I merely stood still for several minutes, trying to get a hold of my wits while I let the late afternoon light warm my chilled skin.
I had been gone for two whole days. I hadn’t come home Saturday morning and I had missed prom. My friends and family were going to kill me. Where the Morrigan had failed once again, they would most definitely succeed. All of my worry had been used up on Cade, but now that I knew he was safe and healing, a new anxiety pierced my heart.
I took a deep breath and stumbled up the trail. I was beyond sore and my emotions were still raw from the events of the day before.
When I reached the house, I noticed it was uncommonly quiet. I paused before continuing. All I wanted to do was sneak into my room, collapse on my bed and pretend this was all a dream. But it wasn’t a dream.
I put off entering the house for as long as possible before making my way around to the front porch. I tried the door, cringing when I discovered it was unlocked. What I found when I stepped into the living room made my heart sink. Dad sat on the couch, his arms around Mom. Clearly she’d been crying. My two oldest brothers rested on the floor, staring at the carpet as if a favorite pet had died. The twins were too young to understand why everyone was upset, so all they did was tug on my mom’s shirt, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Aiden noticed me first. He stood apart from everyone, watching the door as if he sensed I’d be returning home soon. How odd, especially since, between all of them, he had the weakest grasp on reality. Perhaps that is why he didn’t seem worried. “Meggy!” he cried in his young voice.
He darted across the floor, his arms pumping, and flung himself around my legs.
My parents darted up off the couch, their worried faces melting in surprise before contorting with fury.
“Where on earth have you been?! We called Robyn’s parents and we had to practically strangle that girl to get her to tell us you’d run off with some boy. Meghan! What were you thinking!?”
My mom. Never, ever, had I seen her so angry, or so upset. Just last night I witnessed the death of the boy I loved and somehow managed to deflect the ire of a powerful goddess. I’d survived a close brush with an unpleasant death at the hands of the Morrigan, but the rage and pain rolling off of my mom almost brought me to my knees.
I didn’t cry. I should have, for the guilt churning in my stomach ate at me, but I needed to do something first, something that would require bravery, patience and an enormous deal of self control. I couldn’t wait for graduation, and now was, in its own perverse way, the perfect time.
“Mom, Dad,” I looked them both in the eye, noting how my dad flinched when he took in my haggard appearance and strange clothes, “Logan, Bradley, Jack, Joey.”
I glanced down at Aiden. He gazed up at me with his pale blue-green eyes and I sensed his love tugging at my heartstrings.
I took a deep breath and lifted my gaze once again.
Courage, Meghan. You faced down the Morrigan. You can do this . . .
“I have to tell you something. Something you need to know about me, about where I came from . . .”
So I told them everything. Well, maybe not everything, but as much as I thought they should know. I explained to them how I met Cade two years ago, how he’d told me, and showed me, who I was. How I could see creatures from the Otherworld and how I had visited Eilé several times. I told them I was Faelorehn, the daughter of Danua and a Fomorian soldier. And I told them that after I graduated from high school I would return to the world where I belonged. I didn’t have a future in this world, among the mortals. What happened between me and the Morrigan I kept mostly to myself, only giving them the basic picture without all the gory details. I didn’t want them to worry more than necessary.
When I finished talking, I bent down and picked up Aiden. He was getting so big, but I could still hold him, still needed to hold him, especially now. He comforted me in his own quiet way as I waited for the accusations to start.
“Have you been doing drugs?” I expected to hear from my dad.
“Perhaps we should find another psychiatrist.” I waited for Mom to say.
Only silence followed, a long, terrifying silence. So I decided to prove it to them. I wasn’t sure if my newfound magic would work so soon after being violently unleashed, but I had to try. I set Aiden down and focused on the little pinprick of glamour and willed my power to rise. The magic grew and spread throughout my body, pleasantly warm and thrillingly cold at the same time. My eyes were closed but a soft brush of wind tangled with my hair. When the rustling of paper and the surprised exclamations of my family members met my ears, I knew I had done enough to prove I was telling the truth.
I called my magic back and opened my eyes. The expressions on their faces broke my heart. Fear. Pure fear.
The tears swimming behind my eyes broke loose. I began to shake, reaching out for the back of Dad’s recliner because I didn’t think I’d be able to stand much longer. Everything I’d been holding in and trying to avoid since the Morrigan lured me and Cade into her trap was finally breaking free.
Before my hand met the recliner, I felt myself being pulled into a fierce hug.
“Oh Meghan!”
Mom . . .
Soon Dad wrapped the both of us in his arms. I cried, letting everything out, all the lies, all the fear, all the anxiety. We probably stood together like that a good fifteen minutes, however long it took me to purge myself of everything that had been holding me back. Eventually, Dad loosened his grip and stood back and Mom did the same. They held me at arms’ length and looked me in the eye.
“I find it very hard to believe what you just told us,” Dad said, his voice raw with emotion, “but I’ve always wondered about those visions of yours, and your eyes. And whatever you did just now to bring a small tornado into the living room wasn’t anything earthly.”
He gave me a sad smile. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Will, will you at least come visit us?” Mom said, sniffing back her own tears. “And if you are to run off with some young man, at least have the decency to introduce him to us.”
I nearly collapsed. Had I misjudged the fear in their eyes? Then it dawned upon me: they weren’t afraid of me, they were afraid for me.
A choked sound escaped my throat, both a sob and a laugh. I grabbed them both into a hug once again.
“I’m so glad you finally know!” I cried.
I felt my dad sigh and my mom sniffle again. “Oh Meghan, after everything we put you through when you were younger . . .”
Mom trailed off, averting her eyes.
I shook my head and glanced between both of them. “No, you didn’t know Mom, Dad. It’s not your fault.”
A few moments passed where we all simply stood around gazing at one another. Logan and Bradley remained uncharacteristically quiet, the twins kept babbling about making the room windy again and Aiden was giving me the strangest look.
“So, where is this Cade you’ve told us about?” Mom asked in a lighter tone, breaking the subdued moment. “I’m assuming he is the same boy who was supposed to escort you to your senior prom last night.”
My face must have drained of color, because she lost the little bit of cheer that glowed in her eyes and frowned. “Meg?”
“He’s extremely sick Mom. He had to stay in Eilé to recover. When he’s better I’ll bring him back here so you can meet him.”
She seemed worried, but I gave a faltering smile and said, “He’s in good hands.”
Things settled down a little after that. Mom got to work making dinner while Dad called the police department to tell them I had just been delayed and my cell phone battery had died.
The hot prickle of threatening tears gathered in the corners of my eyes as guilt washed over me again. I dashed them away, reminding myself if I’d been capable of coherent thought the night before, I would have sent a message.
The next day I stayed home from school; Mom insisted I rest. Apparently I resembled someone who’d been lost in the forest for weeks, living on nothing but pinecones and the condensation collected off of leaves. Gee, I looked that great, huh?
I slept in, relieved when I woke up and remembered no nightmares. The scratching at my door reminded me Meridian had been left out all night. She flew in, scolding me as she landed on her perch in the corner.
I spent the rest of the day tidying my room and finishing the homework I had planned to do on Sunday after I got back from the Otherworld. I shook my head, banishing those memories to the back of my mind. Homework seemed futile at this point, but the work helped to distract me. At least for a little while.
After an hour of fighting with my history book, I tossed it on my bed and stood up. I desperately wanted to go back to Eilé and make the journey to the Dagda’s house to check on Cade. Despite the fact that my parents now knew who and what I was and that I could come and go from the Otherworld, I didn’t think they’d let me leave. Not until I regained my health and they came to terms with my little revelation from the night before. I frowned and forced myself to try a different section of homework.
Later that afternoon I got a call from Tully, followed by one from Will and Thomas. They were all happy to learn I was okay and couldn’t wait to see me at school tomorrow. Another dose of guilt hit me when they told me how they spent their prom night trying to help my parents and the police figure out where I might be.
After finishing with them, I took the initiative to call Robyn. I wasn’t sure what threats and punishments she had received from her strict parents on my account, but I had to make amends. My lies had gotten her into trouble, after all. Her father answered the phone, and only after he gave me a long moral lecture on what was proper behavior between a young man and a young woman, did he let me talk with Robyn, but only to apologize since Robyn was grounded for a month.
To my immense relief, Robyn sounded happier to hear my voice than angry. I told her at least a dozen times about how sorry I was. She brushed it all off, saying she was only concerned when I didn’t show up the next day and when my parents called the police. She said all would be forgiven if I gave her every last detail of my time spent with Cade. I blew a strand of dark, curly hair out of my face. Looks like I’d be spending the rest of the day fabricating a believable story with enough juicy tidbits to satisfy my inquisitive friend. Or maybe, like with my family, I could just my friends the truth. Okay, perhaps not tomorrow, but it might be a good idea to consider doing so in the future. It would make my life a whole lot easier and would help when it came time for me to leave for Eilé.
Tully picked me up the next day and after giving me a bone-crushing hug, we headed to school. To my great chagrin, I discovered a whole new truckload of colorful rumors had been spread throughout the school about my being MIA. Not only did I get plenty of knowing glances from my fellow classmates, but a few of them took the liberty of telling me exactly what they thought.
“Word on the street is you’re shacking up with some homeless guy, Meghan. I had no idea you were so desperate.”
Michaela West. Surprise, surprise. She had managed to stay out of my hair all year, but I guess she had some last-minute insults to throw in my direction before we parted ways for good.
Tully tensed next to me and Robyn opened her mouth to provide some of her own acidic comments, but before they could do anything, I conjured up some of my power and concentrated very hard on Michaela’s perfect ponytail. I grinned and released my glamour in what I hoped was one, precise burst.
The scream that met my ears as we continued walking past Michaela and her stuck-up friends was like a balm to my heart.
“My hair!” she screeched.
Tully gasped and Robyn snorted. I couldn’t help it. I turned to see what sort of damage I’d done and laughed out loud. Michaela had dropped her books and her hands were now frantically trying to tame her wild hair. The ponytail had vanished and every perfectly ironed strand stood on end. Oh, I was going to love this new magic of mine, I could already tell.
* * *
The final weeks of my senior year passed by in a haze of graduation preparations, final exams and parties. I put on a good face for my friends, acting as if I felt sorry to be done so soon and that I’d miss them when we all went off to college. And I would miss them and I did feel a bit sad, but not to the same degree as the rest of them and not for the same reasons.
I still hadn’t conjured up the gumption to tell them what I had told my family: that I wasn’t human and I’d be moving to the Otherworld to hopefully patch things up with my birth mother and figure out how I was going to thwart the Morrigan when she decided to come after me again. Because she would be coming after me, one of these days.
None of it seemed real to me yet, so on the day of my graduation, as I stood on the bleachers with the rest of my class, I let my mind wander a little. Two years ago the thought of graduating high school terrified me. Me, out in the real world, attending college, getting a job and trying to balance tough classes all at the same time. Yes, I had been afraid of moving on with my life the way a normal human being my age might.
I chuckled harshly as our valedictorian finished her speech and everyone cheered. I wouldn’t be going to college, or getting a job or facing down difficult exams. Oh no. I’d be going to the Otherworld, to Eilé, where I’d start my new life. The life I should have had from the beginning. Instead of finding employment at the student bookstore or a campus café, I’d be fighting off dangerous and terrifying monsters, and a vindictive goddess. No college homework for me. Nope, I’d be studying my long lost heritage, trying to fit into the society of the Otherworld and figuring out what I had to do to get my mother to see me as the daughter she wanted. Yes, it was daunting, but I would have Cade by my side.
A shiver of wonderful anticipation, strong enough to drown my fears for the time being, washed through me as we got ready to throw our caps. Caedehn MacRoich loved me. I didn’t care that one of his parents was a notorious hero of old and the other a spiteful goddess (a goddess who had my demise checked off as the top priority on her to-do list). I didn’t care that he transformed into a grotesque monster when he needed to fight for his life, or for the life of someone he cared about. I didn’t care because I loved him back, every part of him, and it meant I would not have to face the unknown alone.
My turquoise cap flew into the air with everyone else’s, the tassels dangling from the ends like fluttering birds’ wings.
Here’s to my future life in Eilé, I told myself. Was I afraid of what it entailed? Nah, I wasn’t scared. I was petrified.
As always, I want to extend my thanks to my family and friends, for encouraging this passion of mine and for understanding the time and effort it demands of me. I’d also like to once again acknowledge P.A. Vannucci, for the Faelorehn font he designed for this book series. Many thanks for your artistic input and for developing a typeface that captures the essence and magic of the Otherworld.
Finally, I want to express my appreciation and unending gratitude towards all of my readers. Without your dedication to my writing (and gentle prodding every now and again), my Muse might very well lounge around all day and do absolutely nothing.
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, the very location that has become the setting of her Otherworld Trilogy, and the inspiration for her other series, The Legend of Oescienne.
Miss Johnson has a degree in Art Practice with an emphasis in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She now draws much of her insight from the myths and legends of ancient Ireland to help set the theme for her books.
Besides writing and drawing, Miss Johnson enjoys reading, gardening, camping and hiking. In her free time (the time not dedicated to writing), she also practices the art of long sword combat and traditional archery.
For contact information, visit the author’s website at:
Faelorehn (Book One)
Dolmarehn (Book Two)
The Finding (Book One)
The Beginning (Book Two)
The Awakening (Book Three)
Tales of Oescienne – A Short Story Collection
Twitter: @JEJOescienne
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Elizabeth-Johnson/202816013120106?sk=wall&filter=12
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jejoescienne
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jejoescienne
A sneak peek at the third book in the Otherworld Trilogy, Luathara:
The creature was utterly disgusting, whatever it was. Faelah, yes, but I didn’t have a name for this unfamiliar beast. Not yet, at least. So, what to call this one . . . I’d have to come up with something creative, some new word to describe the half-dead creature resembling a possum, coyote and rabbit all rolled into one. Perhaps I could combine the first two letters of the names for each of the animals: po-co-ra. Huh, pocora. It even sounded like an Otherworldly term.
The thing, the pocora, jerked its head up from whatever poor creature it feasted on, bony jaws dripping with gore. My stomach turned, and not just because of the brutal scene. The faelah was eating one of Mrs. Dollard’s cats, the chubby one that obviously hadn’t been able to outrun this particular enemy. I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t attached to my neighbor’s cats, despite the fact I once spent a summer caring for them, but the poor thing hadn’t deserved to die at the mercy of an Otherworldly monster.
I took a deep breath, pulling an arrow free of the quiver slung across my back and deftly positioned it in my bow. I’d become quite good at this in the past several weeks; arming my longbow with an arrow quickly and without making a sound. I stretched the bowstring back and aimed the arrow’s tip at the creature, steadying my arms while trying to concentrate. With a twang, I released the string and fixed my face with an expression of satisfaction as the arrow pierced the mummified hide of the pocora. The creature squealed like a pig and fell to the ground, kicking and clawing and attempting to remove the hawthorn arrow. If I had used any other wood, the faelah might’ve stood a chance, but even as I watched the small monstrosity struggling to regain its feet, smoke lifted from where the hawthorn shaft burned through nonliving flesh. I crinkled my nose at the acrid smell and turned away. Generally, I didn’t like killing anything, but the faelah of Eilé were an entirely different matter. And they weren’t technically alive, either.
The creature’s screams ceased and it went still. I waited a few more moments before moving close enough to pull the arrow free. I always kept the arrows from my hunts. It wasn’t like I could go down to the local sporting goods store and ask for arrows made with hawthorn wood. I wiped it on a nearby patch of grass out of habit. Whatever remained of the faelah would already be gone, however, burned off by magic. I glanced back over my shoulder as I left the small clearing behind, but the pocora had already disintegrated into ash, its glamour no longer keeping it alive and whole in the mortal world. I sighed and turned my eyes to what was left of Matilda Dollard’s cat. I would pay her a visit later and tell her I’d found her pet’s remains in the swamp. Another poor victim of a coyote attack.
Clear, a bright thought said in my mind, forcing my thoughts away from the gruesome scene.
I shaded my eyes and glanced up into the eucalyptus leaves only to catch the brilliant white flash of a small bird of prey darting through them. She had been scanning the forest for more faelah. I grinned.
Did you catch anything? I sent to my spirit guide.
Meridian chittered and sent back a joyous, Tasty.
That would be a yes.
I heaved a deep breath and pulled my quiver back onto my shoulders. Mid-morning had become late afternoon and I knew Mom would be worried if I didn’t get back soon. After having confessed to my family I was Faelorehn, an immortal being from Eilé, the Otherworld, and that a vindictive goddess was out to get me, she had been a little more protective of late. I guess I couldn’t blame her.
Meridian finished up with whatever she had caught and then set her focus on accompanying me back to the house. The walk home took a good fifteen minutes, but I didn’t mind taking my time this afternoon. I had a lot on my mind, after all. Actually, there had been a lot on my mind since my junior year in high school when all of this stuff concerning the Otherworld got dumped on me like a ton of bricks, but for the past month I had even more to worry about.
I made my way back to the main trail leading out of the swamp and thought about what had transpired just before graduation. It sometimes made me sick with anxiety, but I couldn’t help that. The Morrigan had tricked me, once again to my chagrin, into thinking she meant to go after my family. A few years ago, she would have been happy just to kill me. Now that she knew I possessed more glamour than the average Faelorehn, she was intent on using me as her own personal supply of endless magic. She probably would have succeeded if Cade hadn’t stepped in. Cade . . .
A pang of regret cut through me and when I reached the spot in the trail where a fallen tree blocked my way, I leaned heavily against the rough trunk and pulled a well-worn note out of my pocket. The message wasn’t from Cade, but from his foster father, the Dagda. I unfolded the edges and began reading.
Meghan,
Cade is improving every day, yet he is still very weak. I know you wish to see him soon, but please give him a little more time and don’t cross into the Otherworld. The Morrigan has been lying low; no one has seen her lately, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t lurking in the shadows, waiting to cast her net. For now, you are safer where you are. Cade will come and get you as soon as he is recovered.
-Dagda
The note should have made me happy, and it did when I first received it a week and a half ago, but I longed to visit Cade so badly I ached. I needed to know he was safe and I needed to witness with my own eyes that he was healing.
I folded the worn paper into a perfect square and returned the note to my pocket, then climbed over the log and kept on walking. Last May I’d been all set to go to prom with the guy of my dreams, Cade MacRoich, the gorgeous Faelorehn boy from Eilé who appeared one day like some guardian angel to save me from the Morrigan’s faelah and to tell me all about my strange heritage. Unfortunately, on the day of the prom, we both got tricked into running headlong into the evil goddess’s trap. Only, Cade wouldn’t let her have me, and right before he took on almost a dozen of her monsters, he told me he loved me. And then he died.
I stopped for a moment and craned my head back and leaned on my longbow, soaking in the filtered sunlight trickling down between the leaves above. I shut my eyes and tried to tell the knot of worry in my stomach to go away. Cade had died, he died defending me and the trauma of such a terrible experience forced my power to surge forth, scaring the Morrigan away, at least for the time being. The sudden rush of my glamour had soon faded and the reality of what had happened slammed into me like a train. I was convinced my heart would tear itself asunder, for Cade had sacrificed too much.
Only after recovering from my hysterics did I remember Cade’s foster father, the Dagda, an ancient Celtic god-king, happened to own a magical cauldron with a reputation for reviving the dead. A frantic horse ride against a driving storm later and I dropped like a fly at the Dagda’s door, a lifeless Cade in my arms. I’d arrived just in time; Cade would recover. But he never got to hear me tell him I loved him, too.
I had returned to the mortal world, an emotional and physical wreck, only to finally confess the truth to my family: I was an immortal from the Otherworld, the daughter of a Celtic goddess and the high queen of Eilé, and one day I’d be going back to the world of my origins. Let’s just say after such an ordeal, I needed something to keep me distracted, to give me purpose so I wouldn’t lose my mind completely. Thus, I had taken up hunting for the faelah on my own. Heck, before the Morrigan’s attack, Cade constantly pestered me about practicing my archery and this way I could kill two, maybe three, birds with one stone. I was getting some much-needed practice in, I was keeping the swamp clear of dangerous faelah, and I was keeping my mind occupied. Yup, three birds.
I fingered the note in my pocket once more as I stepped onto the equestrian trail leading to my home. I hoped the Dagda was right; that Cade was recovering. I so desperately wanted to turn around and head for the dolmarehn in the heart of these woods, to travel back to the Dagda’s home and see Cade, but like the Dagda said, I’d be an easy target in the Otherworld. And I agreed with the other thing he’d mentioned as well. I had no doubt the Morrigan would be looking for me.
Gritting my teeth, I turned my mind away from those dark thoughts and picked up my pace. By the time I reached the end of the path, I welcomed thoughts of a shower and a sit down with a good book and some hot chocolate. Summer was in full swing, yes, but the coastal fog was already creeping in and the early evening would turn chilly. I planned on crossing our backyard and slipping in through my sliding glass door, but a barrage of young boys accosted me before I could even step foot on the lawn. Apparently my brothers had been waiting for my return.
“Meghan!” Logan whined as he rushed forward. “We wanted to go with you this time!”
He crossed his arms, and yes, actually stomped his foot.
I blinked at him and my other brothers as they gathered around me, a small army of Elams.
“Huh?” Despite my claims that my hunting ventures helped purge my mind of everything Otherworldly except the faelah themselves, my wandering thoughts still found ways to wrestle free of the bonds I’d placed on them. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. I’d been too busy reminiscing.
“We want to help you hunt!” Bradley offered, thrusting out a fist which happened to be clutching a small bow.
Oh. That. I cleared my throat and took a breath. When would they realize no meant no? I was still getting used to the fact that my parents and brothers knew about my Faelorehn blood. After keeping my identity a secret for so long, I found it easy to forget I had told them (and shown them) what my Otherworldly power could do.
I squatted down so I would appear less imposing to them. Hah, me, imposing . . .
“I’m sorry guys,” I said, feeling only slightly guilty. “But you can’t go faelah hunting with me. It isn’t safe for you.”
“You go,” Bradley put in.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m Faelorehn Bradley. I have magic, remember?”
Not that it would make any difference. Whatever power I managed to store up in Eilé during my last visit had most likely burned out after my battle with the Morrigan. I was running on empty and it would take another extended stay in the Otherworld to get me back up to a level where I could do some real damage. But they didn’t need to know that.
“And I’m glad you didn’t come with me,” I continued. “I encountered something really creepy today.”
And just like that, their scowls were replaced with wide eyes. “What?” Jack and Joey, the twins, whispered together.
I grinned, despite the fact that the encounter had been more ghastly than usual.
“Well, I’m calling the faelah I killed a pocora, but I’m not sure what it’s called in the Otherworld.”
They remained silent, waiting for me to continue. “It looked like a cross between a rabbit, a possum and a coyote, and I think it might have been mummified.”
I had explained early on, right after telling my family the truth, that anything concerning Eilé would have to be kept top secret. I made all my brothers double swear, spit and shake on it (tantamount to a blood oath, or in the Otherworldly sense, a geis). They were not to repeat a single thing they saw or heard to their friends or classmates. Having to keep this promise, and not being able to go on my hunting adventures with me, was practically killing them. So, whenever I came back from one of my faelah target practices, I distracted their disappointment with a detailed description of whatever I happened to kill. Worked every time.
“Did you shoot anything else?” Logan piped in, forgetting his previous irritation at being left behind while I got to have all the fun.
“No,” I said.
Their shoulders slumped, so I thought the conversation was over. I started to stand back up and nearly fell over when Bradley blindsided me with a completely different question.
“So, when do we get to meet your boyfriend?”
After regaining my balance, I blinked down at him. “What?”
“Your boyfriend,” he crooned, “the guy in the Otherworld you always talk about. When do we get to meet him? Or is he imaginary?”
I blushed and gritted my teeth. I did not always talk about Cade. Always thought about, yes, but I only ever talked about him with Mom, long after my brothers’ bedtime. Little, eavesdropping cretins.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I grumbled, glaring at Bradley.
Then I paused. Or was he? Before the Cúmorrig had overtaken him, Cade had told me he loved me, but the last several weeks had given me plenty of time to think about it. Did he really mean it, or had he only said so because he realized he wouldn’t survive the fight? Did it mean he might have acted rashly? Of course, it didn’t change the fact that I loved him . . .
“Sure he isn’t,” Bradley snickered.
“I bet you let him go hunting with you,” Logan muttered.
I scowled at him again. I’d have to try and analyze my scattered thoughts later. “He’s my friend, and he’ll meet you guys when he’s better. He’s very sick right now.”
That’s right, because being brought back to life and recovering from what had killed you in the first place could be considered a sickness . . . sure.
To my immense relief, my younger brothers decided not to hound me about Cade anymore. We all headed back up towards the front of the house, but before we even got clear of the backyard, Meridian dropped from her perch in the eucalyptus trees above and came to rest on my shoulder.
The boys all started arguing and crowded in again, forcing me to stop so I wouldn’t trip over them. They absolutely adored Meridian. She used to use her powerful glamour to keep herself hidden from them, but now she understood it was safe to be seen and she no longer bothered with the disappearing act. Besides, I think she was rather infatuated with my little brothers as well, and I often wondered if she thought of them as her own little merlin chicks.
Chase game! Meridian sent as she chittered excitedly, leaping off my shoulder and darting around the backyard as my crazy brothers ran after her. She loved playing this game with them. Even Aiden, all too often happy with simply watching from the sidelines, joined in. My heart warmed at seeing him play like a normal boy, but a painful lump rose in my throat again. This was all temporary. I couldn’t stay with my mortal family forever.
Feeling rather morose, I reached into my pocket again and brushed my fingers against the thick paper of the Dagda’s note.
Be safe Cade and come back to me soon, I thought.
I turned to sneak back into the house, but the sudden presence I detected near my leg made me pause and glance down. Aiden. Apparently he was done playing chase. Yes, I would be leaving the family who took me in and raised me so I could live in Eilé, where I belonged. In Aiden’s own quiet way, he was telling me how we all felt about it: none of us wanted to let go. I wasn’t human, though; I needed the safety the Otherworld and its magic would grant me, especially now that my power had shown itself. Moving to Eilé would be hard, and I think I would miss Aiden the most, but I had to be brave.
Fighting the well of pain in my chest, I removed Aiden’s hand from my shirt and curled my own fingers around his. He looked up at me, his blue-green eyes trying to tell me something, but like always, his autism kept him from saying what he needed to say. Luckily, I’d become rather good at reading his face.
Taking a deep breath, I stood with him as my other brothers kept at their game with my spirit guide. I set my quiver down and leaned my bow against the house, then bent over and pulled Aiden into a rib-crushing hug.
“I know buddy, I know,” I whispered as he wrapped himself around me. I managed to hold on a little longer before a tear escaped. “I’ll miss you too.”