Chapter Nineteen

Maedbh could hear the noise of a chair being bounced on its legs, getting closer. Then she felt his bare knee touch hers. She steeled herself, knowing not to let the contact affect her.

“Well done Oengus,” she said, pulling her knee away. “But you wasted your energy. You won’t be able to loosen these chains.”

“I could tip the chair and try to break it. That might loosen the chains.”

“Oengus we are cuffed at the wrists, neck and ankles and they are held by strong chains.”

“Right, but maybe I could get the scarf off your face. Would that help.”

“Might do. I could cast a ‘frozen spell.’”

“Lean in,” Oengus instructed.

Their heads bumped together.

Maedbh tried to keep her patience as Oengus rubbed her head to try dislodging her blindfold. Outside she was calm but inside she was seething with emotion. To be captured and helpless was bad enough. But to be held by someone who was obviously a witch. She was ashamed and embarrassed wondering what her mentors, the Drimnagh Witches would think of her incompetence.

“It’s no use,” she said.

“Let me use my teeth,” Oengus offered.

Maedbh leaned as far forward as her chains would allow. She could feel them cutting into her wrists and her chest, and pulling at the collar on her neck, but she got her head down to allow Oengus chew at the knots at the back.

“Think of it as a small thing, an insignificant knot,” Maedbh urged, feeling Oengus pulling her hair and hurting her.

Then it gave and the scarf slid down around her chin to her neck.

They sat opposite one another, Oengus trying to keep his gaze on her face and she found herself trying to do the same.

“Stupid situation,” Maedbh said with a half grin half blush.

“Worth it to see how beautiful you really are. I’ve never been this close to a naked woman before,” Oengus confessed.

“Listen Oengus, I pick my men when I feel the urge, they don’t pick me. You are not and won’t be one of them. You need to concentrate on our dilemma.”

“Can you do a spell to get us out of here?” Oengus asked.

“No.”

“What about the frozen spell?”

“That may help. When the witch comes back I’ll freeze her. But she may counter with a spell of her own. She’s a qualified witch, or at least I think she is. She’ll be ready and on her guard.”

“And you’re not a great shot Maedbh, remember when you hit the door in the apartment.”

Maedbh managed a smile.

“My advice is get them off guard. When they get back try nothing. Just seem powerless and be patient. We need to find out what they want,” Oengus said.

“They Oengus?”

“I doubt the witch is alone. They did have a group at the station.”

“OK.”

They sat for a moment in silence.

“What do you think they want?” Oengus asked.

“At the least they may just want to eat my heart. But it’s not up to much as I am only an apprentice witch. More likely they want you Oengus.”

“Why do they want me?” Oengus asked.

“Oengus I lived a peaceful life until you arrived. No one bothered me. I think they are after you.”

“Me?”

“Don’t be naive Oengus.”

Oengus thought about it. He couldn’t figure it.

“The chains,” he said. “We have to get out of the chains.”

“You got a key?” Maedbh asked, her tone a touch sarcastic.

“You got a spell?”

“Not one that works on silver chains.”

“Magic resistant?”

“So they say, anyway I’d need my notes to look up a spell.”

“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” Oengus offered.

“Great,” Maedbh said.

“Could you freeze the chain.”

“Why?”

“Frozen metal is easier to break,” Oengus said.

Maedbh gave him a smile, “Good thinking,” she said. “But I’m not very accurate. I might freeze you and your hand would fall off.”

“The link holding the collar around my neck?” Oengus suggested.

“No I’d probably freeze your neck and you’d die.”

“Some where I can get leverage and twist.”

“Your legs will still be attached to the chair and your arms behind your back.”

“The chain links to each of the collar and the bands around wrists and ankles. I need to break it so I can pull it through and then I just have the silver bands. I could move easily.”

“OK, lets’ try,” Maedbh agreed.

She wished she’d practiced more. But her exams were months away. Still it was the only stand-alone spell she could remember and execute. Just a question of aim.

Oengus stiffened and sat still when he heard the door locks being opened. Maedbh was concentrating on the spell and did not seem to notice.

Deirdre came in first, cautiously, followed by Leanan.

“Isn’t that cozy,” Leanan said, seeing Oengus and Maedbh sitting side by side.

“Careful, she may have a spell or two,” Deirdre cautioned, noticing the blindfold was gone.

“What about him?”

“Unknown factor. He must have bounced the chair across to her. I left them well apart.”

Deirdre knew immediately she looked at Maedbh that Maedbh was in process of pulling up a spell. She stepped in front of Leanan and countered.

Maedbh, was in process and couldn’t stop when the women arrived, but she re-aimed in their direction as it came on line. Her shot hit the ceiling above the door, Leanan squealed in surprise but Deirdre shook her head in disgust.

“Not nearly on target and anyway young lady, and I have a counter spell. So I insist. Desist immediately!” Deirdre said sharply.

Maedbh gave her best ‘I am sulking’ look but she desisted. She knew better than to take on a fully qualified witch.

Deirdre put the scarf back over Maedbh’s eyes.

“Thanks,” Leanan said, still shaken by the spell and the sight of an icicle on the ceiling, knowing that could have been herself.

They inspected their captives and decided the silver chains were still intact and in place.

“How will we torture them?” Deirdre asked with a cackle.

“My methods are subtle, psychological,” Leanan explained.

“I’ve got a gas burner and some metal rods,” Deirdre offered.

“So?”

Deirdre went to the wall near the door and came back with a handful of iron rods. “look,” she said.

“What?”

“Well Leanan if we heat the rods they are great for torture,” Deirdre said.

“No, I prefer the psychological for true and reliable results. People lie under physical torture. I want to be sure.”

“Very well, Morag did put you in charge of interrogation,” Deirdre conceded.

“But keep them in reserve,” Leanan encouraged.

Deirdre was disappointed but she held on to the rods. As far as she was concerned heated iron rods could achieve wonders in an interrogation.

Leanan sat herself on Oengus’s lap, directly facing him.

“Interesting eyes,” she remarked as he met her gaze.

Naked with a grown woman in jeans sitting on him caused Oengus a reaction with a red blush reaching up his neck and into his face. But he held her gaze and noticed that she too had interesting eyes.

Deirdre observed the proceedings with amusement. Leanan Sidhe was renowned in Gaelic mythology and she was looking forward to seeing her in action.

Leanan did not drop her stare but began to massage Oengus’s shoulders.

“Relax,” she said softly, “your shoulders are very tense.”

At first it felt relaxing, warming, but then Oengus could feel a terrible sadness come over him. He was not given to depression but somehow he was getting a desperate feeling and wondering what his life was about. The lonely memories of childhood came flooding back and the taunts he’d endured as a teenager.

“Now darling would you like a kiss?,” Leanan said gently and began humming softly as she stroked him.

“Are you going to seduce him?” Deirdre asked with a repressed cackle.

“Don’t interrupt,” Leanan upbraided sharply.

“His kiss might affect you?” Deirdre teased.

“It will be insignificant,” Leanan said sharply. “Butt out!”

“Sorry,” Deirdre said in a muted voice. She too was beginning to feel depressed and wished she were back in Kerry with a slice of tourist roasted and ready to eat.

Leanan leaned forward and kissed Oengus on the neck while holding him by the ends of his broad shoulders.

“Surrender to me,” she whispered.

Oengus met her eyes as she came out of the kiss. Were her eyes laughing at him? He felt another wave of depression, as if he was worth nothing.

Leanan put her hands behind his neck and gently forced his head down towards hers.

He felt her kiss on his lips. Her mouth was sweet and sad. Their tongues touched.

For the first time on her long existence Leanan did not feel a sense of ownership of her victim. She did not feel him surrender. The shock of his tongue caused her to melt into him, to glow all over and to feel a mad desire. For those few seconds she trembled and wanted him with every fiber of her being, to save him and keep him for herself alone.

Deirdre sensed something was up. Something in the dynamic was wrong. Leanan came off Oengus’s lap with her eyes blazing, moving towards Deirdre with unknown intent. Deirdre hit her across the head with the iron rods she was holding and Leanan collapsed unconscious on the ground.

Deirdre gave a nervous cackle.

“What did you do to her?’ Deirdre demanded.

Oengus shook his head as if coming out of a trance. “Who is that?” he asked.

Deirdre dragged Leanan out of range and propped her against a wall near the entrance.

“I’ll be back,” she threatened. And then she dragged Leanan out of the cellar.

Leanan was coming around. “He’s so beautiful,” she was heard to murmur before Deirdre locked the cellar door again.

“What just happened?” Maedbh asked having seen nothing from behind her blindfold.

“I’m not sure, but one of them just kissed me. I was feeling terribly depressed but now I’m fine.”

“Men,” Maedbh said, but without bitterness.

“I wanted to tell her everything and then dash my head on the floor and kill myself,” Oengus said with a growing wonder.

“Must be a spell, a depression spell or something. Did the kiss break the magic?”

“I think so. But she was a good kisser. I’m getting to like kisses. Even though they told me not to.”

“Serves her right,” Maedbh said with satisfaction.