Stop it, you fool, she told herself. Bridei risked his life for you; there’s no reason for you to be jealous.
“Emer,” she called out. “I haven’t thanked you for helping Bridei rescue me.”
“I would do nearly anything to spite that worm, Tiernan O’Bannon.”
“Why? What did he do to you?”
Dessia listened in amazement as Emer told what O’Bannon had done. When the young woman got to the part where O’Bannon told her to cut the babe out of his recently dead wife, Dessia’s stomach squeezed with revulsion. She’d known her enemy was ruthless, but not to this extent. “And you think O’Bannon deliberately caused his wife’s death?” she asked in horror.
“Bridei does,” Emer responded.
“I do,” Bridei said. “I think once he came up with this plan to abduct you, he knew he had to get Morrin out of the way. Women die in childbirth all the time. There was no reason anyone would question what had happened.”
“Except that he made it look as if it were my fault, and caused everyone at Dun Cullan to despise me!” Emer broke in fiercely.
Dessia nodded, turning things over in her mind. It was cunning scheme. O’Bannon’s wife dies and Emer takes the blame. Then the widowed chieftain is free to take another wife. “The part I don’t understand,” she said, “is why after all these years, he decided to abduct me.”
“It’s hard to say what gave him the idea,” Bridei answered. “Perhaps he thought of this plan long ago, then had to wait until he had an accomplice at Cahermara to help him carry it out.”
“Aye, the accomplice,” Dessia said. “Do you know who it was?”
“Emer said it was Beatha,” Bridei answered.
“Nay, that’s not possible!” Dessia exclaimed. “She had no reason to do such a thing.”
“Aye, she did,” Bridei said. “Her husband died defending you. Then when she thinks there’s a new man in her life, you take him from her as well.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“It appears she was infatuated with me,” said Bridei. “While I only had eyes for you.”
“But why would she think she had a chance with you?” Dessia was more puzzled than ever.
“It happens all the time,” Bridei said. “It’s one of the hazards of my trade. If I sing a love song, half the woman in the room think I’m singing to them. Or, at least they hope I am.”
Beatha had hated her enough to betray her to O’Bannon. The thought shocked Dessia. “I scarcely even noticed Beatha,” she mused. “Yet she nearly cost me everything.”
“That’s often the way it is,” said Bridei.
“Think of all the time I wasted mistrusting you,” Dessia said ruefully.
“I could scarce blame you under the circumstances. I appeared out of nowhere, acting cocky and arrogant. Why should you trust me?”
Again, Dessia thought Bridei’s response sounded odd. Then she guessed what he was trying to tell her: You ignored Beatha and thought her unimportant, and she ended up nearly destroying you. Don’t overlook Emer. We might need her.
“You are very clever to figure all this out,” Dessia said to Emer. “Few women your age are so shrewd.”
“I’ve had to be clever,” Emer answered in bitter tones. “I have nothing else to rely on. Certainly not my looks.”
“What’s wrong with the way you look?” asked Dessia.
“I’m too thin. My teeth too prominent. My nose too sharp. And I have this wretched red hair.”
“What’s wrong with red hair?” Dessia asked.
“Everyone knows it’s bad luck to have red hair.”
“If that’s true, then almost everyone I know is cursed,” said Dessia, laughing.
“Perhaps they are. Perhaps that’s why the rest of your family were killed long ago and why one of your own people turned against you and betrayed you to O’Bannon.”
Dessia suddenly felt cold. She’d been jesting, but Emer had answered seriously. What if the young woman’s words were true? What if she was cursed?
“What nonsense,” said Bridei. “My mother has red hair, as do three of my siblings, and none of them have experienced any great misfortune in their lives. You’ve been taught to despise your red hair because it makes you look different. But among some tribes, it’s very common. It seems to me that it’s your ‘difference’ that caused your misfortune, rather than the color of your hair.”
Bridei’s calm explanation reassured Dessia. When she’d first met him, she’d thought him flippant and shallow. But he’d shown himself to be thoughtful and wise, brave and strong. He’d managed to rescue her against enormous odds. She loved him so much.
“How long will we have to ride like this?” Emer asked.
“It’s still a good distance to the Forest of Mist,” responded Bridei.
“Why are we going there?” Dessia asked. “Why not Cahermara?”
“I’m not certain we’ll be safe at Cahermara.”
“The wall is almost finished, thanks to you and the other workers,” she said. “With it in place, I feel certain we can hold off O’Bannon’s forces, at least for a time. We have to make a stand against him now. Even if I die fighting him, we have to finish this. Otherwise I’ll have to live in fear the rest of my life, dreading what he will do.”
Bridei pulled the stallion to a halt. Dessia’s mount stopped beside him. Dessia experienced a sudden flare of dread as he spoke in soft, gentle tones: “I would agree with you, except for one thing . . . You have no warriors, Dessia. They’ve all left Cahermara.”
“What do you mean—left?” She couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“After you were abducted, people were afraid. All these years they believed they were protected by a magical spell. But then you were gone, and they felt vulnerable and afraid. So, they left the hillfort and went back to their families, if they had any. Otherwise, they scattered among the hills and forests.”
Dessia found herself gaping in shock. “How could they betray me like that?” she whispered.
“They haven’t betrayed you. Once they know you’re free, they’ll return to Cahermara, I feel certain. But for now, the hillfort is nearly deserted and it isn’t safe to go back there. That’s why I think we should go to the Forest of Mist.”
She hadn’t expected this. The realization of how alone she was struck her like a blow. The next moment she brushed aside her fear. She wasn’t alone. Bridei was with her.
Chapter 21
They rode all night. As dawn broke, the bare trees of the Forest of Mist loomed ahead of them. “I’ve never approached the forest from this direction,” said Dessia. “We need to find a place where we can enter.”
Bridei watched as Dessia gingerly slid off the mare’s back. She stretched to loosen her muscles, then led the mare toward the trees.
Even in winter, the dense oak and elm trees and holly and hawthorn bushes created a nearly impenetrable barrier. Bridei followed on the stallion as Dessia and the mare walked along the edge of the woodland, searching for an opening in the underbrush. As time passed, he grew anxious. What if the forest wouldn’t let them pass?
At last she called out, “Here!”
Bridei rode closer. “I’ll try to follow you on the horse. That way we won’t have to wake Emer until we’ve reached the lake.” He motioned with his head to Emer, who’d fallen asleep leaning against him.
Dessia led the mare into the forest. Bridei attempted to follow, but as soon as he reached the edge of the woods, the vegetation closed up in front of him. “Dessia!” he called.
“What’s wrong?”
“The forest won’t let me enter.”
Dessia returned with the mare, the forest opening up for her. She gazed at him in dismay. “I don’t understand. The forest has always permitted you to pass.”
“Perhaps Emer is the problem.”
“Aye. That might be it. What are we going to do?”
“Perhaps she could stay at Cahermara with Aife and Doona
. Nay. That won’t work. While O’Bannon isn’t likely to hurt Aife and Doona, if he found Emer there, he would certainly kill her.”
“I have an idea,” said Dessia. “We could have Aife take Emer to stay with her family. They live some distance away. Far enough that Emer should be safe from O’Bannon.”
Bridei wasn’t entirely pleased with this plan. It meant they would have to go to Cahermara, something he’d sought to avoid. Seeing the abandoned hillfort would break Dessia heart. And, having returned to her home, she might insist on staying there, rather than seeking sanctuary in the Forest of Mist. But there seemed no other answer.
Dessia mounted the mare and they started around to the other side of the woodland. As the stone walls of Cahermara came in view, Bridei watched Dessia anxiously. “We can’t stay here long,” he said.
They rode through the open gate. Bridei halted the stallion and called out, “Aife? Are you here?” When Aife didn’t appear, he shouted Doona’s name. Again, there was no response. “Perhaps they’re in the kitchen area,” he suggested. “That’s where I found Doona last time.”
Dessia nodded and dismounted. Leaving the mare with her reins dangling down, she set off toward the hall.
Bridei’s tension built. If everything went as planned, O’Bannon wouldn’t know Dessia had escaped until much later that day. But something could always go wrong. They had to get to the safety of the Forest of Mist as soon as possible.
Time dragged on and his insides churned with worry. He reached back with his free hand and gently shook Emer. “Wake up, Emer.”
“What? What is it?” she mumbled, sitting up.
“We’re at Cahermara.” He disengaged himself from her grip and slid off the horse, then reached up for her. As soon as she was down, she grabbed for him. “Oh!” she cried. “My legs won’t seem to hold me!”
Bridei steadied her, then drew away.
Emer looked around. “Why have you brought me to this place? I thought we were going to some sort of enchanted forest.”
“Our plans have changed. We’ve decided you’ll be safer away from here. One of Dessia’s people is going to take you to the farm where her family lives.”
“A farm?” Emer frowned. “Who will protect me there?”
“You won’t need protection. O’Bannon won’t go searching you out in the countryside. He’ll assume you’re with Dessia and me, and when he can’t find us, he’ll give up and go back to Dun Cullan.”
“I thought you were going to take me to Ath Cliath.” Emer’s frown deepened and her voice rose. “You said you’d find me a place as a healer there.”
“Plans have changed. We can’t leave for Ath Cliath for several days at least, until O’Bannon has given up looking for us. In the meantime, Dessia and I can take shelter in the Forest of Mist, but the wildwood won’t let you enter.”
“You’re lying!” Emer’s amber eyes flashed. “You only want to be rid of me! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! I should never have helped you free that haughty bitch! She’s the reason you won’t let me go with you!”
Bridei was at his wit’s end. He didn’t know how to explain things so Emer would be satisfied. Maybe they would have to take her back to the forest so she could see for herself that the dense woodland wouldn’t let her pass.
He glanced toward the hall, hoping to see Dessia returning. When he didn’t, he decided he would have to seek her out. He led the stallion over the gatetower and secured the reins to a post, then motioned to Emer. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“To find Dessia.”
Emer set her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not going. I’m tired of you always worrying for her. What about your promises to me?”
“Stay here, then.” Bridei started walking toward the hall.
Emer hurried to catch up with him. “I don’t want to be alone!”
Bridei gritted his teeth. The sooner they were rid of this troublesome woman, the better.
They found Dessia in the kitchen with Aife and Doona. Dessia’s and Aife’s eyes were red; it was clear they’d been weeping. “Did you tell Aife of our plan?” Bridei asked Dessia.
“Nay. We were discussing other things.” Dessia looked at him, her expression resolute. “There’s no reason to go back to the forest. We’ll stay here and bar the gates. Even if O’Bannon comes with a whole army of warriors, they won’t be able to get in.”
Bridei shook his head. “They could burn down the wooden gate and get in that way. Or attack from the north where the stone wall is only partially finished. With only five of us, we could never hope to defend this place by ourselves.”
“Then we’ll go and search out some of my warriors. Now that I’m free, I’m certain they’ll overcome their fear and fight for me. It wouldn’t take that many men to fend off an attack. ”
“We can do that later, after O’Bannon has been here looking for you,” Bridei said desperately. “For now, there’s only the five of us, and it isn’t safe to stay here, or go searching the countryside for your men.”
“But what if he takes over the hillfort while we’re gone?” Dessia persisted. “Then it will be much more difficult to reclaim.”
Bridei drew near to her and stroked her arm soothingly. “I’m afraid we’ll have to take that chance. For now, we must concentrate on keeping you safe. If you fall into O’Bannon’s hands again, he’ll likely kill you.”
He watched Dessia’s face. She must feel as if she were on the verge of losing everything she’d fought so hard for. While he sympathized with her distress, he wasn’t about to relent. “Dessia,” he said, “I went to a great deal of trouble to free you. I’m not going to risk losing you again. We have to stay in the forest, at least for a time.”
Dessia let out an agonized sigh.
Motioning to Emer, Bridei said, “Aife, this is Emer. She can’t stay in the forest with us because the woods won’t let her pass. Would you be willing to take her to your family’s farm? I’m certain O’Bannon won’t pursue her there. Once he sees our tracks leading into the woods, he’ll assume she’s with us.”
Aife shrugged listlessly. “I have nothing better to do.”
“I won’t go there.” Emer raised her small chin stubbornly. “You can’t make me.”
“Very well.” Bridei met her gaze with a determined look of his own. “But since you can’t enter the forest, you’ll have to stay here. And I’m fairly certain O’Bannon will search this place thoroughly. Those are your choices: You can either go with Aife or you can remain here and hope that O’Bannon doesn’t find you.”
“That’s not fair!” Emer exclaimed. “You’re so concerned for Dessia’s welfare, but refuse to think of mine.”
Bridei gritted his teeth. He was sick to death of arguing with this woman.
Doona spoke, her voice cold. “Dessia is our queen, Emer. The future of our whole tribe depends upon her. I agree with Bridei. She must seek refuge in the forest, at least for now.” She looked at Dessia and her voice softened. “Please milady, listen to him. He loves you. His only concern is that no harm comes to you.”
Dessia let out another sigh, then she met Bridei’s gaze. “You’ve risked a great deal for me. I owe you a debt for my very life. I will do as you say.”
“Come on, Emer,” Aife said resignedly. “I’ll get my things and we’ll set out.”
Emer looked as if she were going to argue some more. Then she shot a glance at Doona. Seeing the cook’s forbidding look, she said, “Very well, I’ll go with Aife. But I won’t forget your promise, Bridei. I’ll expect you to take me to Ath Cliath find me a place as a healer. If you don’t, I’ll make certain you pay.”
Aife hugged Dessia and Bridei, then left the kitchen. Emer trailed after her.
“We must also leave. I want to get to the forest before dark,” said Bridei. “But first, we need supplies. “What’s left that you can spare, Doona?”
* * *
As they rode out of Cahermara a short time
later, Bridei said, “Don’t worry, cariad. We’ll come back. The gods favor you. They intend for you to rule these lands.”
Dessia repressed a sigh, hoping his words were true. It seemed wrong to leave the hillfort behind. And yet, she couldn’t help recalling the night O’Bannon had burned the old rath. She hadn’t wanted to leave her family, yet she’d known they were beyond hope. The only choice she could make was to save her own life. As she’d trusted the spirit cat to lead her to safety, now she must trust Bridei.
It began to rain. Bridei pulled up the hood of his cloak, and Dessia did the same. Her body felt stiff and wooden. Part of it was her fatigue. But there was also a terrible emptiness inside her, a sense of defeat. As much as she loved Bridei, even his tender concern couldn’t banish the ache inside her. Until she reclaimed Cahermara and her kingdom, she feared she’d never feel whole again.
At last the winter bare branches of the Forest of Mist appeared out of the gloom. Bridei headed for the pathway they’d always taken before. Finding it, he dismounted. Dessia did likewise. She waited until she saw him lead the stallion into the woods. The magical realm had accepted him. It seemed a sign she must trust him.
As they walked along, rain continued to fall. Dessia’s cloak grew sodden and heavy with moisture. Bare gray branches surrounded them, their starkness broken only by gleaming dark patches of rowan and thorn bushes. Dessia had the sense that forest was in mourning for her lost kingdom along with her. As it was winter in her heart, so it was cold and desolate in this place.
They reached the place where the mist usually came, but nothing happened. Further on, Dessia caught sight of the lake through the trees. Bridei led the stallion down to the water’s edge to let the animal drink. Dessia followed with the mare.
“Should we look in the water today?” he asked.
Dessia shook her head. “I’m afraid of what I might see.”
Bridei came to her and put his arms around her. “Come, cariad. Let’s find a dry place to sleep.”
The Dragon Bard (Dragon of the Island) Page 27