by D. E. Morris
“It isn't about letting them go,” Rowan defended. “They won't leave her, nor should they feel they have to.”
“It is irresponsible of her to allow them to stay close to her, especially now. If she cares for them at all, she will send them away.” Gianara sat back in her chair. “If she had not been so forthcoming about who she was in the first place-”
“Then she would have lost the battle against High King Laidley,” argued Rowan. “She needed to flout her power in order to gain support and build her army.”
Gianara quirked a brow. “And what do you know of it? How old were you when that battle took place?”
Narrowing her pale eyes, Rowan answered, “I was seven, and I heard about the battle as our separate nations came together to prepare for it. Maybe I was still a child, but I had been living with the knowledge that I was not safe as a Gael all along. When I heard there was someone, a Gael who was a woman at that, who was fighting back against the years of oppression the Gaels had been living under during Tadhg's rule, who was battling for my freedom as well as thousands of others, I felt hope.”
“You were seven,” Gianara repeated.
“And I had been living in fear of who I was,” insisted Rowan. “Seven or seventeen, I understood what a lack of freedom meant just as well as any other who had been told they were not allowed to be their true selves because they risked death in doing so. Ashlynn became my hero that day. She became a hero to many. To suggest that she brought all of this to the Gaels by being so public about who she is is not only an insult to me, but to everyone else she has helped, freed, and protected since she killed Tadhg.”
Gianara stared across the table at the younger woman, no discernible expression on her face. After a moment of tension-filled silence, her gaze slid to Killian. “She is quite passionate, this young one of yours.”
“She gets it from her mother,” he said.
“I'm not so young,” Rowan added. “I'm fifteen. In some kingdoms, that's old enough to get married. Keep that in mind, big brother.”
Connor's brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why do I have to keep that in mind?”
“I heard you talking to Niam. Did you know that Kenayde was fourteen when she met and fell in love with Elas?”
It was Killian's turn to be confused and he looked at his daughter. “Who is falling in love?”
“No one.” Rowan's chin jutted forward. “Just making a point.”
Connor opened his mouth to retort, but Lilia placed her hand on his arm to keep him still. When he stayed silent, she retracted her hand and turned to Gianara. “How long have you been out here?”
“Two months. This is the longest we have been safe here thus far.”
With a nod, Connor frowned. “Usually sailors are here within a few weeks. I think the touch of the skeleton dragons flying around has helped this time.”
“I hate that you have to hide like this,” Rowan grumbled. “There are water dragon Gaels I came across when we swam here who have taken to spending as much time in the sea as they can, simply to avoid being caught on land. Even that is not as safe as it once was. They said there have been boats that catch both Gaels and dragons in their nets, reeling them in like fish to be sold off at market as exotic meats.”
Gianara growled, her fingers curling into a fist on top of the table. “This is unacceptable.”
“That is why the Keepers are being called back into action, and why Connor wishes to join our ranks,” Killian told her. “It certainly is unacceptable. Siness, Braemar, and Caedia will not stand for it and have asked for our help.”
“And the other nations?”
Connor sighed heavily. “Ibays is no longer safe. Alybaen has given no particular stance on the issue one way or the other, and the Cierian high kingdom was not represented at the summit. We can only rely on the three.”
She nodded. “Just tell me what you want of me.”
The two men looked at one another before Killian answered. “We were discussing it on the way here, and we believe it would be best to split up in order to come together. You know Keepers that I do not, and vice versa. We could cover a much larger area and reunite quickly if we act apart. Having been in Siness for the past five years, Cailin and I have made quite a few contacts who bear the Keeper mark. We cannot leave the castle for long, as it is our duty to watch over the royal family, but we can send others forward in search of more of us.”
Thinking, Gianara nodded slowly. “I have people in Ibays I can reach. If it is truly no longer a safe country-”
“It isn't,” Connor promised.
“-then we will need for them to be on even higher alert.”
Killian nodded as well. “Siness will be the location for the main cell. You can reach Ibays, and Connor has volunteered to go forth to Alybaen and Cieria.”
“Lilia and Rowan are coming with me.”
The older man's head snapped up. He looked from his daughter to Connor, and back again. “No, they are not.”
“Ashlynn gave me permission,” Connor argued evenly. “When I told her my plan to seek Gia out and then to go forth from here for this very reason, she told me they both could come with me.”
Lilia gave Killian a small, hesitant smile. “It's true.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Rowan cannot go without me.”
“Yes, I can,” she argued. “Da, I'm blind, not dumb. You have to let me go sometime.”
“Not this time.”
“Then when?” She searched for his hand, taking it between both of hers when he offered it to her. “I know I'm not normal. Not being able to see changes many things, yes, but not everything. I'm still an Elemental. I still have responsibilities to my kin. One day, you won't be there to guide me. I have to learn how to do things on my own. Besides, I'll have my own brother with me.”
“I'll protect her just as well as you would,” Connor vowed. “There are a great many areas that are filled with swamps and marshes down there. With Rowan's help, we may find new places to safely keep dragons and Gaels when we need to.”
“You can see through water,” Gianara breathed, as though the thought just occurred to her.
Everyone turned to look at the older woman, and Rowan tilted her head. “That's right.”
“Perhaps you would look at something for me.”
Rowan's face brightened at the prospect of being useful in a way no one else there could. “Absolutely.”
Had she known what she was getting into when she agreed to help Gianara, Rowan might not have been so generous with her enthusiasm. What she thought would be a short trip across the valley led them all into the woods on the other side of the clearing. Once more they found themselves climbing, sometimes slipping on gnarled and twisted tree roots, thick as a man's forearm. Animals scurried into the brush when they heard the group coming. The humidity of the morning had dissipated and was replaced by a relaxing cool; the deeper they traversed, the lower the temperature dropped. Each step took them closer to the waterfalls Rowan could hear, and though she was more exhausted than the others, the promise of seeing something so grand gave her all the encouragement she needed to press on.
When they had to climb a section of rock that formed only a small portion of the base of one of the mountains, Connor summoned Nyx with his pipes and had her fly both Lilia and Rowan to the outcropping the rest of them would eventually reach. From there, Rowan could see nearly everything around her. The waterfall to her right was wide and loud as it cascaded down a rock wall well over fifty feet tall. Mist coated everything, soaking through her thick hair and dampening her curls enough to almost tame them. When the other three joined them, they took a curving path around the waterfall and climbed just a bit higher to where a pool sat at the bottom of yet another massive waterfall.
Rowan looked around, her face glowing in excitement even as she tried to catch her breath. “I never want to leave this place.”
Connor looked at his sister, just as tall as he was despite being four years younger. Her j
oy was contagious and he grinned. “What can you see?”
“Everything,” she breathed, her eyes filling with tears.
“We are almost there,” Gianara announced quietly. She pointed to the waterfall ahead of them. “There is a path that leads behind the falls. The water covers it, but only slightly. Take care, though. The way is slick with moss and slime.” She led the way over the dry rocks and pointed to where their watery path began. Connor stepped into the shallows first, his boots and pants soaking through up to his ankle. He reached back for Gianara, who accepted his hand and stepped deftly around him. Next went Killian, the three of them forming solid pillars for Lilia and Rowan to move between and find support against. Once all five of them were across, Nyx waddled into the water to float and wait while everyone else disappeared into a cave behind the waterfall.
Darkness surrounded them as they proceeded forward, but soon, Rowan lit the cavern by holding aloft a ball of blue and gold flames. “What is this place?” she asked, looking up at the high ceiling and touching the carved rocks.
“I wish I knew.” Gianara led the procession behind the younger woman. “It seems to hold some sort of significance to the dragons. Each time I bring a new group here, they all gravitate to this cave. The ones who can fit inside, do. They stay here as though they are waiting, and when nothing happens, they leave to find other places on the island.”
Connor stepped around a clump of old dung and hay, pointing it out to the others before continuing on. “We've explored it a bunch of times, but there's never been anything of significance we've found that explains the draw.”
Gianara glanced back at him, half of her face covered in shadows. “Until recently.”
“Oh?”
Instead of answering, she brushed past Rowan to lead the charge deeper into the cave. There was only one tall tunnel, no wider across than six or seven feet, and no indication of any cavernous runoffs. It gave the odd feeling that the cave would continue on forever. Before long, they came to a dead end. A wall of rock and packed soil loomed before them, claw marks running up and down its uneven surface. Rowan reached out with her free hand to trace her fingers along the jagged marks, as did Killian and Lilia. Confused, Killian turned to Gianara.
“Were the dragons digging?”
“They were indeed,” she answered. “It was not until I moved these last two families here that they uncovered something.” She reached into a pouch tied to her waist and produced a colorful, tear-shaped gem that was almost the size of her palm. It was pink with yellow shadows and amber veins of color running through it. “This is the first whole one I have found.” The gem was handed to Connor so she could pull two more smaller, broken gems from her pouch, each of them similar in design but different in color.
“They're beautiful,” Lilia said, examining the smooth whole gem. “What are they?”
“I cannot be certain.” Gianara looked to Rowan. “I was hoping you might be able to tell me if there are more in there somewhere.”
Rowan's brows rose even as she frowned. “I can try.” With lips pursed in determination, she faced the wall once more and lifted a hand, touching it to the damp soil and rock. Her pale eyes moved back and forth as though she was reading some invisible script laid out before her. Everyone waited behind her, watching even when she dropped her hand and turned around. “There are quite a few in there, though most of what I see looks broken. Few are whole.”
“You think these jewels are what has been attracting the dragons?” Connor asked.
Gianara only shook her head. “I cannot be certain. It is only a theory. Perhaps I will return sometime soon to see what more I can dig out.”
“For now,” said Killian, “we should return to the apartment. It will be dark before we know it, and I do not think it wise for us to be out here when we cannot see the ground over which we must travel.”
“I will prepare us a meal,” Gianara offered once they were in the forest and on their way back.
“We can discuss Connor's induction into the Keepers,” added Killian.
Lilia cleared her throat and pushed her long damp hair from her face. “I was thinking...I would also like to join.”
Surprise lifted Killian's brows as he looked back at her. “Are you certain?”
Though she hesitated, she nodded her head. “Many of the people I care about are Gaels. If I can help them in some way, I would like to try. I know you may not have much use for a lady-in-waiting, but...” She trailed off.
“Can you use a sword?” Killian asked.
“...no.”
“A bow? A staff, perhaps?”
Her shoulders sagged. “No...”
Killian took a deep breath in. “I can, as can most Keepers.” When he saw her eyes lower to the ground, he stopped so he could turn around to fully face her. “Most of us, however, lack the ability to charm almost anyone we meet.” Lilia slowly looked up, hopeful. “Neither have I met anyone before who had your knack for making friends of just about anyone.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I believe you could be a great asset to us, my lady.”
“Truly?”
“Indeed.”
Gianara nodded her support. “It takes all kinds.” She climbed over a web of roots that made the tree they were connected to look as though it was about to walk away. “After we eat, we can give you your tattoos.”
“Yes!” Connor cried, and Lilia paled.
“T-tattoo?” She shook her head and looked to Connor. “I can be a Keeper without a tattoo...can't I?”
Having no answer, Connor looked to Killian, who only shook his head. “Every Keeper must bear the mark. It is how we communicate friendship when words would otherwise betray us.”
“It will be fine,” Gianara promised. “It only hurts for a little while before you become numb to the pain.” With a smile of encouragement, she helped Lilia over the branches and the procession moved onward.
“Connor.” The young man paused at the sound of his name, letting the others carry on ahead as he hung back with Killian. “Do you swear upon your life to look after Rowan while she is with you?”
“Of course I do. You can trust her with me.”
“And Lady Lilia?”
The question made his red brows come together. “What about her?”
Killian looked ahead, choosing his words carefully. “You will look after her as well.” Connor nodded as though to say the answer should have been obvious. “Good,” Killian replied softly. “See that you do. See to it as well that no word of untoward behavior between the two of you reaches my ears, either.” His dark eyes turned to look fully on the young man, “Or you will become the first eunuch among the Keepers.” With nothing more to say, he clapped Connor on the shoulder and moved on, leaving the prince standing in shocked silence by himself.
Chapter Nine
It was cool this morning, one of those summer days when it seemed as though the heat had decided to take some time off and let everyone have a bit of a break. People were always friendlier on these days, just as they were in winter when there were times of unseasonable warmth. Not being overly fond of the cold and the ice herself, Mairead could certainly understand the change of attitude. Many who saw her stared for a moment. It was not uncommon for women to wear veils over their heads, but there were few who wore them across a good portion of their faces as well. For the past few years, Mairead had grown comfortable enough to be in the castle without such coverings, but as she made her way through Altaine Village, being so hidden made her feel safer and more protected. It was a feeling that was fleeting and elusive since the explosion.
She paused in one of the side streets, head erect and shoulders squared like a deer listening for a predator. Any moment now, something small could startle her and she would bolt. It happened often in the castle, and when it did, when she found her heart racing as she fought for breath in some small, secluded corner, she berated herself for being so afraid of nearly everything around her. Ashlynn was more than patient with
her, but Mairead was quite impatient with herself. She needed to get over whatever was happening inside of her if she wanted to be an effective member of the royal household, and if she wanted to help in the fight to keep dragons and Gaels safe. It was for this very reason, this desire to build her inner strength and her fortitude back up again that she was forcing herself to walk through the village. She carried a basket with her, not for shopping, but to keep her hands full. This, for some reason, also made her feel less vulnerable.
Over the years she had been living at Altaine, she'd been to the village on several occasions and was no stranger to its various markets. This day had her searching for a new location. Inside her basket was a jar of oil and the sachet Niam had let her borrow. She hadn't known it had come from him until Vala told her just that morning, and she wanted to return it, along with a gift to express her thanks. Upon asking around, she learned that he was working with the local blacksmith when he wasn't needed at the castle. Some kingdoms housed their smiths in the castle itself, but Altaine provided armor, weapons, and metalwork for locations all over Siness. Because of this, the smith had his own shop and forge in the village instead.
She had to stop and ask several people before she found herself on the right path. It wasn't until she saw the flume of smoke rising into the sky from a distance that she knew she was finally getting close. She'd never been inside a blacksmith shop and wasn't quite sure what to expect. It certainly wasn't a place many women went, and she hoped her presence would not be ill received. If Niam was there, as she hoped he was, her visit would be a short one, anyway.
Knocking on the closed door, she waited for someone to call out permission to enter. When she heard nothing but the clang of metal against metal, she looked to her right to find a rope that was threaded into a small hole in the wall. Giving it a tug, she heard the faint jingle of a bell, Still, the clanging did not stop. Mairead felt her pulse quicken. She gripped her basket tight in one hand, and lifted the latch to push the door open.