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Maelíosa made her way out of Fallon’s castle and over the hill toward the small cottage where Ariel, the healer, lived. As always, the fresh scents of the Realm in summer were intoxicating and magical. Lush flowers bloomed and waved in the breeze, and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It helped clear her head. She hoped the healer would give her some advice on Sage. As she got closer to the cottage, a strong herbal smell wafted over her. Few of the púca loved the scent of pungent medicinal herbs, and she was no different. The scent was also a trigger for some of her worst memories. Although the heat of the day was intense, she shivered as she knocked on the cottage door. Maelíosa didn’t like coming here because it reminded her of her mother, who’d died giving birth to her younger sister Darcy.
“Ariel?” Maelíosa called loudly. “Are you home?”
The healer came to the door just a few moments later. Ariel was wrinkled and old, but her eyes sparkled with youth and life. She was holding a steaming cup between her hands, and she stepped away from the wooden door to allow Maelíosa entry.
Maelíosa wrinkled her nose and coughed discreetly as she stepped inside. The cottage was blazing with heat, and sweat beaded along her forehead as she lowered her slim frame into a crudely-hewn wooden chair. “What is that stuff?”
Ariel smiled and sat down across from Maelíosa. “It comes in handy for female púca of a certain age. You’ll need it too one day. What can I do for you, dear? Have you come on business?”
Maelíosa nodded, not surprised that Ariel cut to the chase. It wasn’t like she came here often. “I have, as a matter of fact. There’s a bloke who came into The Stables this morning. He filled out an application and I interviewed him on the spot.” She shifted uncomfortably. As deft as Maelíosa was at manipulating the conversation, she wasn’t a natural liar. “There are some tests that we’ll need to run, but I think it’s safe to say that we can accept him into the Realm.”
Ariel wagged her head. “Child, let’s not be too hasty. I haven’t even seen his application yet!”
Maelíosa slid the paperwork across the wooden surface of the table. “He’s...well, he’s kind of a special case,” she said softly. “He didn’t write it on the application, but he has cancer. The physician projected he’s got less than a year to live.”
Ariel clicked her tongue and looked down at the paperwork in her lap. “Maelíosa, you know that I’m bound by our mating agreement. I can’t exactly override the rules when the British government is involved, and it’s not likely you’ll find a female in our clan willing to mate with someone they barely know. The courtship period is lengthy for good reason. Perhaps if we found someone willing to skip the courtship period, I could get special permission due to his circumstances...”
Maelíosa gulped. “Aye, and there’s such a long queue. Mating with the púca has become quite the trend for humans.”
Ariel chuckled and eyed the cat curled by her feet. “Humans like anything shiny and new. I suspect we won’t be as fascinating once the next big thing comes along.”
“I know, but it’ll be too late. That’s why we need to help Sage. Please,” Maelíosa said. Her voice had grown uncharacteristically quiet.
Ariel sighed. “I would love to, but you know I can’t.” She smiled calmly. Maelíosa didn’t return it. “The rules are there for a reason. Do you not remember how sick your own da was, when Cyn returned to London? Not that I’m blaming her, mind you. Tomas did a fine job of mucking it up, and she didn’t understand our way of life.”
Maelíosa nodded sourly. She hated how right the old woman was. “Of course I do. And I would never want that to happen. But Sage doesn’t have time to wait, Ariel. He needs our help now.”
Ariel raised her eyebrows at the younger woman. “And you think you’re just the mare to do it?”
Maelíosa shook her head quickly. “No, nothing of the sort. I just need to expedite the process of finding a mate. If I could do that...”
Ariel wagged her finger in the air and took a sip of the smelly brew in her cup. “Don’t start thinking like that. All candidates must be vetted before they’re approved. And then they must get to know each other, and both must approve of the match. We don’t want another situation like what happened with our chieftain.”
“I know,” Maelíosa agreed. “I do!”
Desperation welled up in her chest, and she closed her eyes. It was true what Ariel had said: to ask any female púca to put her own life on the line just for the sake of saving Sage’s wouldn’t likely go over. Maelíosa couldn’t think of a single female who would be up for the task. Everyone had seen Fallon suffer. He’d taken months to return to his strength when Cyn had finally come home. Maelíosa knew she couldn’t ask the same of another púca, not with Fallon’s ordeal fresh in their minds.
“There’s something else... He’s got a lass, a wee girl of about nine.” Maelíosa frowned. “Although there’s something about her that makes her seem quite the grown-up. She’s got to be close to Darcy’s age, but she looks so very serious when compared with my sister.”
Ariel frowned. “And he has no wife? No companion of any kind?”
“He said the child’s ma died.”
Ariel shook her head. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Maelíosa, but that doesn’t change anything.”
Maelíosa’s shoulders sagged forward. Even though she knew Ariel was right, she couldn’t help the rage burning in her chest as she inwardly cursed all the female púca in her clan. They wouldn’t lift a finger to save this man’s life. I wouldn’t be such a bloody coward! Her head told her heart this time would be different. She’d only met him once, but his serious demeanour somehow spoke of his character. He’d be a man of his word. And he’d come to them for help. It was a last resort, and he wouldn’t go through with it if he didn’t mean it, would he? Her mare nodded in full agreement.
Suddenly, a disturbing thought worked its way into Maelíosa’s mind. What if she didn’t have to find another female púca? What if she could mate with Sage, and help him? She bit her lip. An dá chúram a dhéanamh in éineacht. Kill two birds with one stone. After all, Fallon had made her swear to eventually choose a suitable human from the candidates at The Stables. She hadn’t actually planned on honouring his request, but now that she knew about Sage...
Maelíosa ran a hand through her dark hair. Sage needed to be healed, or else Carina would be orphaned. And who better to help her than Ariel?
