“Birgit!” Meghan called over her shoulder, her dark, curly hair falling out of the ribbon she had used to tie it back. “Can you grab that extra basket of spring onions on your way in?”
If I hadn’t been so frozen in the shock of seeing my friend for the first time in months, I probably would have squealed like a little girl and flung myself at her. Fortunately, for the sake of my dignity, that honor was taken from me.
As she was turning her attention back on her forward progress, Meghan caught sight of us. For just a few heartbeats she paused, her mouth forming a puzzled O. She looked exactly the same, yet different, as if everything she had lived through in the past two years had added an Otherworldly patina to her skin. I bit my lip even as the smile struggled to break free.
And then, Meghan dropped her basket and cried, “Robyn?!”
She bolted forward, that regal image I had painted in my mind over the past several months disappearing in a flurry of skirts. Her reaction snapped me out of my trance. I dropped my enormous backpack on the flagstones and sprinted forward. We met halfway, Meghan throwing her arms around me and laughing.
“I can’t believe it! I can’t believe you are actually here, at Luathara, in the Otherworld!”
I suspected she was crying a little, and I couldn’t blame her. I was dangerously close to losing it myself. Fortunately, I was far too stubborn to give in.
Eventually, we fell apart, and Meghan looked up at Devlin who had wisely kept his distance.
“And you must be Devlin!” she said, her smile brilliant, as she used the apron she wore to wipe her face free of tears and the dirt from the garden. “Cade has told me all about your adventures together.”
Her hazel eyes flashed grey and green, and then back to hazel again, her face glowing with joy.
Devlin gave a short bow. “And Enorah has told me much about you,” he said in response. “And it is an honor to finally meet you, Lady MacRoich.”
Meghan’s mouth quirked up on one side, and she said with more conviction than I would have expected from her, “Oh, no, I’m just Meghan. We aren’t overly formal around here.”
I turned a curious eye on my friend. She had always been so shy and reserved in high school, and although she had started coming out of her shell a little during our senior year, this was a whole new side of her altogether. She was simply oozing confidence.
And are you really surprised, Robyn? She is not that person she was in high school. Just like you, she has a new, wonderful life, and from what you can see right in front of you, she has finally found her place.
The very thought of it made me beam. Finally, my timid friend was no longer afraid to be herself.
“Where is Caedehn?” Devlin was asking.
Meghan heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes a bit. “The people of Kellston have been complaining about faelah, so he took Speirling into town early this morning. He had hoped to be home when you arrived, but we weren’t sure exactly when you’d get here.”
Devlin chose not to question her further, but I would have pressed for more information if not for the sound of shuffling feet behind us. A tall blond girl, around the same age as me and Meghan, appeared through the archway with a large garden basket full of winter vegetables resting on her hip.
Like Meghan, she stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted us. “Forgive me, my lady. I didn’t know we had guests.”
She gave a small curtsey, and then stood straight again, as if waiting for orders. I arched a brow at Meghan, and she shook her head.
“It’s okay, Birgit. This is my friend Robyn from the mortal world and her . . .” Meghan’s voice trailed off, and she bit the inside of her cheek.
Ah. Not sure what to call Devlin? Surely, the term ‘boyfriend’ was not Otherworldly enough, and ‘lover’ would have sounded a bit too melodramatic.
“My beau,” I blurted, speaking up for the first time.
Both Meghan and Devlin glanced at me in surprise. Lovely. That antiquated term was even worse than ‘boyfriend’ or ‘lover’. Honestly, what on earth had prompted me to say it? Oh well. I gave a sheepish shrug and smiled.
Devlin moved in close, pressing his hand into the small of my back. His movements were so subtle that Meghan and the other girl didn’t seem to notice. Without being too obvious about it, he leaned in slightly and whispered, “Your beau?”
The slight strain in his voice told me he found my term for our relationship status to be entirely hilarious. Only decorum kept him from snorting in amusement. I gritted my teeth as I continued to grin at my friend and her companion. I wanted more than anything to stomp on Devlin’s foot, but that would only make the situation worse.
“Uh,” my friend said, not sure how to take my announcement, I assumed. “Devlin, Robyn, this is Birgit. She is Briant’s and Melvina’s oldest daughter. Melvina is our fabulous cook and also helps me with the duties of running Luathara when Cade isn’t around. Briant is Cade’s steward. They also have a son, Niall, and two little girls, Oriana and Wynne.”
Birgit dropped the submissive servant act and smiled, striding over to us with an outstretched hand.
“Oh! I’m so glad to meet you! Meghan’s told me all about you and your other friends from her childhood.” She turned to Devlin, her smile faltering. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know as much about you.”
Devlin barked in laughter, and Birgit’s face pinkened. I took a step back and elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a stern look.
“That’s perfectly alright,” he coughed, appearing somewhat chastised as he rubbed the spot I’d injured. “Cade only knows me from the one quest we went on, a handful of years back. I know his sister Enorah much better.”
Birgit shrugged and gave a shy smile. “I don’t know much about Enorah, either.”
“Why don’t we get inside, and I can show you two to your room?” Meghan interjected cheerfully.
I reached for my pack, but Birgit held up a halting hand. “No, wait. I’ll go get my brother to help.”
She disappeared around the corner and shouted, “Niall! Meghan’s guests are here, and we need you to help get them settled!”
A boy with dark hair and brown eyes appeared through the arch. I guessed his age to be close to ten or eleven, despite his size. He might be tall, but there was still a look of innocence around his face. His posture was similar to the boys in the Weald who were the same age: loose and easy, but not clumsy in the least. I imagined should a troupe of raiders burst into the courtyard to attack us, this Niall would slip easily into battle mode. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were a decent swordsman, despite his youthfulness.
“You know,” I tried to say, “I can carry my own backpack. I mean, I’ve brought it this far.”
“No, I got it,” the boy responded, his voice cheerful.
He smiled and grabbed the straps of my pack, hefting it up onto his back as if it weighed nothing.
“Careful with the crossbow!” I blurted, fighting the urge to reach out and untie Venom from her perch.
I quickly dropped my hands to my sides, not wanting to imply the boy was inept. One quick glance at Devlin told me I had already given myself away. He was standing tall with his arms crossed over his chest. Like a man watching two children fight over the same piece of candy when an entire bowlful sat right in front of them, he shook his head carefully from side to side. I bit my lip and looked away. Maybe he had a point about my obsession with the crossbow after all.
“Sorry,” I finally muttered, giving Niall a weak smile.
He hadn’t moved yet and wore the same, slightly disquieted expression as Devlin. Great. I hadn’t been at Luathara for fifteen minutes, and already I was developing a reputation as a lunatic.
“It’s the only weapon I’m good at using at the moment,” I continued, “and it was a gift, so I’m a bit protective.”
With a half-hearted smile, I shrugged and held my hands out to the side. What else could I say?
To my relief, the boy beamed. “I understa
nd. I have a sling I’m rather fond of. It has caught my supper more times than I can count. I’ll be careful with your crossbow.”
And because I couldn’t help myself, I said, “Her name’s Venom.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught an image of Devlin dropping his face into his hand and shaking his head ever so slightly. Behind him, Meghan let out a light laugh, and Birgit looked somewhat relieved. Perhaps she expected her brother to be rude.
The boy thrust out a grubby hand and gave another toothy grin. “And my name’s Niall, by the way. Figured since I’m newly acquainted with Venom here,” he gave my crossbow a friendly pat, “I should probably make friends with her master as well.”
“Right,” I managed. “And I’m Robyn.”
I shook his hand and returned his smile. There was something pleasant and entirely selfless about him, and the fact that he didn’t think less of me for being protective of Venom made me like him immediately.
“Alright, enough loitering around in the courtyard,” Meghan announced in mild exasperation. “Now that we are all introduced, inanimate objects included, let’s go inside. I don’t see the day growing much warmer, and the fireplaces of Luathara do no good warming a half-empty castle.”
I gave my friend a glare, then grumbled, “Venom isn’t all that inanimate when you put a target in front of her.”
Meghan arched a brow at me, then glanced at the cool, partly cloudy sky. “If the weather doesn’t get any worse, maybe we can take advantage of the archery range Cade and the others installed down the road.”
That sounded like a wonderful idea. Perhaps she or Cade could give me some pointers. They had faced and defeated the Morrigan, after all.
“I’m game,” I piped, with a tilt of my chin.
Meghan laughed, her eyes flashing from shade to shade once again. Her eyes had always changed color, but not so obviously or brilliantly as they did now. Maybe her glamour had something to do with it, or the glamour of Eile. Or, more likely, perhaps she was just happy. I smiled, the joy from seeing my friend spreading through me once again.
And who knows, I told myself, maybe this reprieve from training and the shadow of the Daramorr is just what you need to get your own magic to return. It was a stretch, but one could only hope.
Meghan led the way into the castle, with me and Birgit behind her, and Niall and Devlin taking up the rear. I proceeded to strike up a conversation with the quiet girl, but didn’t seem to get very far. Although friendly enough, I got the impression Birgit shied away from strangers and stuck strongly to proper decorum, or what she perceived as proper decorum. It annoyed me a little, the way she was so careful around Meghan, but I said nothing. After all, I was in Eile now, and even though Meghan had made it clear she didn’t want to be treated like royalty, Birgit still treated her as such. I made a note to myself not to hold it against her.
The moment we stepped through the massive door and into the great entrance hall, I forgot all about the disappointing conversation with Birgit and stopped dead in my tracks. Niall, who was chatting animatedly with Devlin about hunting faelah, almost tripped over me. I didn’t even notice. I was too busy drinking in my surroundings. Holy. Crap. We had stepped into a spacious room that put the exterior of Luathara to shame. The walls of the castle’s interior climbed twenty feet or more, the monotony of stone broken every now and again by a tall, tapered window or a colorful tapestry. A massive stone staircase, leading up to a mezzanine floor, hugged the south wall. An open archway at the top of the stairs and to the right revealed a spiral of stone steps that climbed up what appeared to be a small tower. The way to access the third floor, I assumed. Passageways fenced in with balustrades and columns extended from the two upper floors and followed the three outer walls of the main hall. Two fireplaces, both big enough to roast an entire elk, sat on either side of the large front door, the flames of their fires flickering and dancing like troupes of tiny demons. Several feet in front of us, another archway yawned, exposing the throat of a cavernous hallway that stretched farther into the depths of the castle.
Niall, who had managed to recover from my sudden desire to imitate a roadblock, turned and pulled the heavy door closed behind us.
Devlin stepped past me and crossed the massive entrance hall, his boot heels ringing out against the smooth stone. He stopped in front of a set of doors I hadn’t noticed at first. The wall on the right angled away from the hallway to meet up with the base of the staircase, and a set of beautifully carved oaken panels hinted at a room beyond.
“This craftsmanship is impressive,” Devlin murmured, gently brushing the wood with the tips of his fingers. He turned to look at Meghan, and she beamed.
“Carved by our very own artisans in Kellston,” she said with pride.
“What’s behind them?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Meghan hesitated and cast her eyes elsewhere before answering, “My personal study.”
My eyes narrowed in slight suspicion. Back in high school, anytime I ever accidentally stumbled upon something Meghan was trying to hide, she’d adopt that same look. And right now, I’d bet my left pinkie toe that her personal study was harboring a secret. Hmmm. Perhaps I could get it out of her later when there weren’t so many people around.
“The dining hall is directly behind it, but it can only be accessed from the hallway and the kitchen,” Meghan said, trying to move the conversation along. “And the kitchen is the second room to your right, down the hallway. The library and Cade’s study are down that way, too, as well as the ground floor bathroom. I’ll have to give you a tour later.”
Meghan smirked, then turned toward the staircase.
“Cade and I thought you two might like a room on the second floor,” she threw over her shoulder.
I hurried to follow after her, eager to see what other wonders this castle held. We reached the first landing, and Meghan continued walking forward along the mezzanine-style second floor before taking a right down a long hallway. She stopped in front of the second door on the left and turned the knob, then stood back to let us examine the space for ourselves. The first thing I noticed was the set of windows that spanned the entire far wall. A long stone bench topped with cushions stretched beneath them, and the small diamond panes caught the late morning light, splaying it across the brilliant scarlet and violet rugs that covered the expansive floor. Through the crystalline glass, I could see the waterfall Devlin and I had noticed earlier that morning, tucked farther back into the canyon. The frothy white spray of water tumbled down the hillside to join up with the creek below. A four poster bed dominated the center of the room, its canopy and comforter matching the rugs in tones of red, purple and pale yellow. A large wooden chest that doubled as a bench, pressed up against the foot of the bed, while a wardrobe and free standing mirror occupied two corners of the room.
I must have stood there for five whole minutes drinking in my surroundings. When I finally returned to reality, my backpack was resting gently against the wooden chest, Venom still tied securely in her place. I blinked and turned around, searching the room. Niall and his sister were long gone.
“We thought this room would be best because it would give you two some privacy. And, it is the only other room in the castle with a finished bathroom.”
Meghan gestured to the wall across from the wardrobe. On the side facing the canyon, there was an open archway without a door. Getting over my stupor, I stepped forward and through the arch. A very short passage with another window facing the waterfall ended in a smaller room, one complete with what looked like a shower, a stone basin I assumed was meant to be a tub, and a pair of sinks. My jaw dropped. We didn’t have anything like this in the Weald. I mean, Devlin and I had a bathroom, but it was little more than a toilet and a tiny shower. I let Meghan know it, too.
She laughed. “Ugh, I know. I stayed there a few times before. I must say, living in a castle has spoiled me. And you have no idea how much I appreciate the fact that the bathrooms in Eile w
ork nearly as well as the ones back in California.”
Once convinced we knew our way around the room, Meghan left Devlin and me to settle in.
“Mine and Cade’s room is just the next floor up, on the right side,” she said over her shoulder, “just in case you need anything.”
“We’ll be back downstairs as soon as we’ve unpacked,” Devlin assured her.
Meghan grinned. “Hopefully, Cade will be back by then,” she added.
The door snicked shut behind her, and I took a great breath, turning to face Devlin. He had started removing clothing from his bag, so I walked over to join him. For the next several minutes, we filled the chest and wardrobe with the items we had brought along with us. We didn’t have much, but we took our time, admiring every last detail of the room that would be ours for a week or two.
“Well? What do you think?” he asked, his tone light and carefree.
“This place is so wonderful,” I murmured. “And to think, you could have had something like it.”
I hadn’t meant to say those words aloud, but somehow, they just slipped out. I bit my cheek. Way to go, Robyn. Couldn’t I just forget about the whole fiasco with Mikael and Moira for at least one day?
Before I could make myself feel even worse for bringing it up, Devlin stepped forward, moving in close to me. He used a finger to tilt my chin up, and my eyes met his. Ah, hell. How could I feel bad when he looked at me like that?
“Robyn, how many times must I tell you I do not regret my decision until you start to believe me?”
His voice was soft, soothing and calm. But beneath all of that I could sense longing, desire and love.
I closed my eyes and replied, “Far too many, I’m afraid.”
When I opened my eyes again, I caught Devlin giving me a hard look. Sighing, I gently pushed away from him.
“Devlin, you don’t understand. I’m not trying to torment you, and I’m not trying to be hard on myself on purpose. It’s just, after I graduated from high school and my parents kicked me out, I had to learn how to survive on my own. It was very difficult and terrifying, and I know what it took to earn what little freedom I had.”
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