Authors: Shannon Mayer
Basic swordplay was, in theory, easy to understand. But
it was
not so easy to learn in a single night. Bres settled for showing me how to block effectively.
We used t
w
o long sticks and he had me do the block
s
repeatedly
,
until I felt like
t
he Karate Kid
with his first lesson
.
“Wax on, wax off. I think I get it
,”
I said, smiling up at Bres
.
His brow crinkled. “This has nothing to do with wax.”
A burst of laughter I couldn’t contain rippled out of me. It felt good, and that made me feel guilty
for that spurt of happiness
. “Never mind. I think I’ve got it.”
“Let’s try a basic attack.” He slid through the move, making it look easy.
I stumbled the first time,
and then
slowly, my body did as I asked. Over and over I repeated
the movement
.
Bres waved his hand. “That is as good as I think we are going to get. Just remember one thing
:
don’t let her in your guard. If you do that, it’ll all be over. Don’t let her get past your sword. Okay?”
“Got it. Don’t let her stab me.” Again
,
I chuckled, the dark humour suiting me for the moment. Bres didn’t laugh.
Sitting back down, he tugged on my hand. “Sit with me.”
Curling up next to him, I wondered how much longer it would be. Would the process take days? I wasn’t sure we had that much time. I laid my head against his shoulder. What would happen if we made it through this alive, all of us? Would I be able to choose between the boys? The night drifted around us, and with it, my thoughts wandered in and out of the present, past and future.
The distant h
ammering was a continuous sound
, so when it stopped I sat up with a bolt. I’d fallen asleep in Bres’ arms and
the night sky
had
faded to early dawn, the last of the stars winking out above the
clearing.
I touched his face gently, waking him. “They’ve stopped
,
”
I whispered, not wanting to break the spell that had stolen us from the world of battles and death for a short time.
Bres sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Giving me a last lingering kiss, he stood, holding his hand out to me. “Let’s go see what they’ve got for you.”
We made our way back down the path, the way lit by fireflies and the
faded,
distant t
winkling of the stars above our heads. I could see my mother here, could see her living out her days in this peace and stillness away from the troubles of the world.
I only hoped she would come here and not make me give some other form of payment to the Smiths.
The forge fire
was
still lit
,
and
its
light filled the main clearing like
a
bonfire. In front
,
stood the three Smiths, Angus just ahead of Wil and Paddy. Across his arms lay a sword covered by a white cloth.
“
Quinn, daughter of ta
oracle.”
I walked towards him, stopping only a few feet away. This had the feeling of a ceremony, something I didn’t want to screw up. “I am here.”
“We have forged for you a sword of power. Wield it wit honour and justice, do only ta harm you must and no more. This is the creed of the blade.
Carnwennan
.” He spoke the name as he place
d
the hilt into my hand and the cover was drawn from it.
It was still the hilt that my dagger had
borne
, bone, nearly white with wear. That was where the similarities ended. Just above the handle, set into the
cross guard
of the blade
,
was Aednat’s stone
. The
gem was inset so that it was showing blue on one side and green on the other. The actual length of the sword was just enough for me, not the massive blades that Luke and Bres carried.
I held it lightly, feeling the weight of it, feeling the connection between me and it. Lifting my eyes, I couldn’t stop the tears that fell. This was the weapon I would kill Ashling with
, that Aednat’s soul now resided in
. Bres came up behind me and circled me with his arms.
“There’s still a chance. You have to believe, Quinn.” He whispered into my ear.
Wil stepped forward. “He be right. Don’t give up. Not on love. Your
mama
, she had you and Ashling because she believed in t
a
prophecy and knew it needed to come to pass, if our worlds would be mended. She laid her heart on t
a altar of sacrifice, to save ta
world. Can you do any less?”
My throat closed up
.
I knew he spoke true and it shamed me to know how Darcy had been forced to give up her own dreams and the love of a man who cared for her
,
to fill a stupid prophecy.
“No, I won’t do any less
,”
I said.
It was Paddy’s turn. He came forward with a belt and scabbard. “Here you go. Put this on. When ta blade’s gem shows blue, you’ll be cloaked in shadow, unseen by friend or foe.
Pull ta blade and the shadow will be lifted
.”
He cinched the belt around my waist, helping me adjust it. Turning the blade so the green gem winked outwards, I slid it into the scabbard.
“Thank you
,”
I said, running my hand over the hilt.
Gods,
how was I going to do this?
How was I going to kill Ashling, even if it was just her body?
Wil took my hand and slipped a ring over my right thumb. “Give this to Darcy. She’ll know what it means.”
I nodded. “Of course.”
On an impulse, I hugged each one of the three Smiths, catching them by surprise. Angus cleared his throat as I stepped back. “Well then, I guess we’d best be seeing you two off. Come on to ta stables round back. There’s no way you’ll get past that army wit out a little speed.”
Leading the way, Angus marched around to the back of the house where indeed there was a stable
, like any other. The creatures inside, however, were another matter all together.
They looked to be two large black horses, but they had fangs and their eyes were more
like
a cat
’
s than a horse
’
s
,
with a vertical slit
that narrowed as we came into sight
.
“They’re mean bastards,” Paddy said
.
“But th
ey
be fast,
and they’ll kill any
ting tat is in your way.”
“What are they?” I asked.
It was Bres who answered me. “
Aughisky
.
I thought they were all dead, died out in t
a
last great battle between Fomorii and Tuatha.
They’re
like ta
kelpie only more vicious. I don’t know that this is a good idea.” His tone was enough to make me back away from the big black beasts.
Angus let out a
breath.
“Phaw, don’t be a sissy boy. These two know that their lives depe
nd on coming back here. It’s ta
only safe haven tat they have. Right my lads?” He swatted one on the rump
.
It turned its head and bared its teeth, letting out a low growl.
Definitely
not a horse sound.
Angus and Wil ignored the growls and saddled up the two Aughisky. Bres pulled me aside and whispered in
my ear. “If we get anywhere close to
salt water, I want you to throw yourself from its back.”
“What? Why?” I asked as he pulled me a little further away
, his face grim
.
“They drown their riders and eat them.”
“Then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this!” I said, feeling a wave of panic. “And I haven’t ridden a horse in years, how am I going to stay on if we’re riding full tilt to stay ahead of the Fomorii?”
I didn’t have time to ask any more questions. Wil grabbed me about the waist and swung me up onto the back of the
first
Aughis
ky, ignoring my squeak of protest.
There were no reins, only the slick black mane that felt
reminiscent
of seaweed.
I
gripped the hair until my knuckles were white,
and took a deep breath. The beast trembled below me, its sides shivering as if flies were landing on its hide.
Bres mounted the other Aughisky, mounting as if he’d been born to the saddle and not the water.
Angus patted my leg. “Don’t worry lass, these two boys will get you past t
a
Fomorii, wit out a doubt. You only have ta tell them where it is you want ta go.”
Licking my lips
,
I nodded. “Nuadha has a camp, somewhere on the Island.” I glanced over at Bres who gave me a small nod. “So we’ll have to go to Fianna first to find out where Nuadha is.
Unless
you know?”
The three Smiths shook thei
r heads in unison. “Nope, to ta
Banshee Queen it is
,
then
,
boys, then you’ll take Quinn and Bres ta the
i
r next destination
,
then come straight back home. No hunting.”
The Aughisky below me let out a snort and Bres’ mount actually chuckled. This was seeming like less and less of a good idea.
Before I could say anything else, Angus slapped the rump of my
Aughisky
and we bolted out of the stable, Bres and his mount hot on our heels. I gripped the mane as tight as I could, feeling the strands slide through my fingers. I had to settle for gripping the front edge of the saddle.
The Aughisky was smooth, its gait
was
one that was easy to sit, but the speed was terrifying.
The trees blurred by, which was bad enough, but when the mound
we’d entered through
rose up
as if it were a living thing
and opened, the creatures we rode
dove
into it. I couldn’t stop the scream that escaped me. Hunching over the saddle, I buried my face against the neck of the Aughisky. The scent of the ocean surrounded me
,
and I actually looked up expecting to see water.
But there was no water, only the exit out of the mound into the base of the ravine where the Fomorii army waited for us.
We burst out of the mound, startling the Fomorii guards. My mount struck out with its fanged mouth, snatching a pound or two of flesh as it ripped by the Fomorii. From the squeal behind me, I had no doubt that Bres’ mount had done a follow up.
Splatters of blood flipped back towards me as the Aughisky threw its head back to swallow the chunk of flesh.
Flesh eating horses
were
not my idea of a good, safe ride
,
n
ot
that I had any choice now.
The Fomorii were in an uproar as they scrambled to stop us, but they were too late
;
we were already climbing the shale hill, covering it with a speed that left the army in the dust. At the top I yelled “Stop!” and
,
remarkably
,
my mount froze, obeying my command.
Bres and his mount had caught up to us. I stared back the way we’d come, my eyes searching for a sign of the
strawberry blonde
curls that would give Chaos away. But there was nothing. She’d gone to ground.
In a burst of anger
,
I screamed across at the Fomorii. “Tell Chaos, she is DEAD!”
My mount gave a snort and I was certain that he approved. “Let’s go.” Leaping forward
,
the Aughisky
ran
, retracing our foots
t
ep
s
the way we’d come
, bursting through the waterfall and covering the
H
all of the
D
ead in no time
. Bres kept trying to get my attention, to get me to speak to him, but I was buried in my own thoughts and wanted to stay there.
It wasn’t long before
we were
at
the edge of Cathedral grove, the Banshees
’
Enchanted Forest
. The Aughisky
s
lowed their mad pace to a simple canter, and the world no longer was blurred around us
. We weren’t stopped by the Banshee guards, but we were followed as we made our way deep into the forest to find Fianna.