Chapter Thirteen
It looked like any other gorgeous field in Ireland. The remaining members of the Samhain Six stood with candles and told stories of the ancient site as Riley Enright filmed. Above them hung a fat yellow moon. They had been asked not to place the slate painting into the Oweynagat Cave, and instead they were going to hang it in their meeting space at Galway Bakes. Tara did get to enter the Cave of the Cats, and she couldn’t help but feel a tingle of wonder as she traversed the underground space. And when they emerged aboveground, and the moon shone down on them, she could feel the ancient history and awe of land.
“I can’t believe we didn’t vet Ferris,” Ella said. “We were so excited that he specialized in Celtic mythology, we simply believed him.”
“All’s well that ends well,” Hannah said. “I guess there was a lesson in it for us all—we didn’t need to add anything extra to this sacred space to bring attention to it. It’s magical just the way it is.”
Lucy Gilroy and Joe Cross had been released and the courts would have to sort out the breaking and entering, but they had been disinvited to this evening’s gathering.
“We should have kept it simple from the beginning,” Ella said. “But cheers to us, and another Samhain Eve!”
“Keep up the quest for UNESCO World Heritage status,” Tara said. “It is a special place.”
She turned to where Danny O’Donnell was waiting for her. They walked hand in hand farther down the field.
“I have two surprises for you,” Danny said.
“Only two?” He gave her the side-eye and she laughed. “Only messing.”
“First surprise—we were cleaning up Val’s shop after the break-in, and you’ll never guess what we found.”
“Ten 1943 florins,” Tara said.
Danny sighed. “You always guess it right.” He crossed his arms. “Do you know where we found them?”
“In the giant grizzly bear?”
“You knew!” he said. “How?”
“Val liked puns. What does a bear eat?”
“I know what he does in the woods,” Danny said.
“Fish,” Tara said, shaking her head. “And the bear was the other item he won from the late Mr. Quinn. What better way to give someone something you don’t want to give up than to hide them in a giant bear?”
Danny nodded. “When we were moving him around we found a loose patch of fur, and underneath was a little lock. Our key opened it and the coins spilled out.”
“If the pair of ye hadn’t been groaning so loud when you lifted the bear, we probably would have discovered that earlier,” Tara said.
“Well, thanks to you, at least his killer has been caught.” Before she knew what was happening, Danny was down on one knee.
“Danny?” she said.
“I can’t think of a better setting to do this. In a spot where they once offered sacrifices to appease the demons—”
“Maybe you should skip right to the question,” Tara said.
Danny laughed. “You get me,” he said. “And I promise my wandering days are over.”
“What if I want to wander with you?”
“Then a-wandering we will go. Tara Meehan, Ms. America. Will you marry this Irish fool?” He opened the box to reveal a gorgeous antique diamond ring. It sparkled under the light of the fat yellow moon. She loved it.
Tara knelt next to him. “Danny O’Donnell. No one tries my patience or makes me laugh like you do. I love Galway, I love my shop, and I love you.”
A barn owl screeched in the distance, making them jump. “Hurry and answer,” he said. “Before we remember this night for something other than this proposal.”
“It’s just like you to propose on the spookiest day of the year,” Tara chided.
“Hey,” Danny said. “Nothing frightens me more than commitment. Except the thought of losing you.”
“You’ll never lose me.”
“Is that a yes, Ms. America?” Danny asked.
“Yes,” Tara said. “On this All Hallows’ Eve, I say yes.”
“I think you got the trick and I got the treat,” Danny said as he slipped the ring on her finger.
“Kiss me before I change my mind.” They kissed near the ancient site that held so much mystery and history. They kissed by the Cave of the Cats. They kissed underneath the gorgeous full moon, on this All Hallows’ Eve, in the spot of the very first Halloween, and not a single monster, demon, or ghoul came forth to stop them.