Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy

by Johnson, Jenna Elizabeth

  I blinked between the two of them. I hadn’t heard of the first thing she mentioned, but I had heard of the Fomorians. Heck, my father was of Fomorian descent. But why would they help the Morrigan? All Tuatha De despised the Fomore. Unless she, or they, were desperate. I swallowed hard. Oh, if my glamour had done the damage everyone seemed to think it had done, then the Morrigan might very well be desperate enough to recruit the help of a sworn enemy.

  Cade released a ragged breath. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”

  Before the conversation could continue in its current direction, we were attacked by a flock of small children, all yelling and laughing and trying to get a better look at their visitors.

  Enorah laughed and scooped up a small red-head, the same girl who she'd kept a close eye on the last time we visited.

  “What are all of you doing up?! Honestly, if there were chores to be done you’d all still be hiding in bed.”

  She turned to face Cade and me. “Come on the both of you. Enough serious talk, let’s go get a good fire going and make something to eat! Apparently everyone is ready for breakfast.”

  I readily stepped forward to join her, but Cade caught her arm and said, “I’m afraid I can’t stay.”

  Enorah furrowed her brow at him, then set the girl down and drew herself up to her full, authoritative height.

  “What do you mean you aren’t staying?”

  I was just as surprised as Enorah, but Cade's sister beat me to the question on both our minds.

  “Meghan is staying, but I have to go inform the others that she is here and that we need to start thinking about how to deal with the Morrigan, because you know she won’t rest until she gets what she wants or until someone stops her.”

  Enorah looked like she was about to argue, but Cade cut her off. “Someone has to tell them, and you know Meghan can’t come with me. Her power isn’t strong enough yet and this is the best place for her until it is. If she comes with me then the Morrigan will surely hunt both of us. With just me she is less likely to care.”

  “Meghan, what have you got to say about all of this?”

  Enorah turned to me, her face impassive. Honestly, I didn't like it one bit, and if I had been at all lucid during his meeting with Briant before we left, I would have paid closer attention to what was said. Cade had mentioned getting in touch with the Dagda and the rest of the Tuatha De. It just hadn't occurred to me that he meant to go visit them himself.

  I hated the idea of him going out into the outside world alone. Yes, he had more experience in the Otherworld and definitely had more experience dealing with the Morrigan, but that didn’t make me feel any better. Especially since I knew she was capable of murdering her own son. But Cade was right. It made more sense for me to stay in the Weald. As much as I despised the idea of him being vulnerable, I knew if I were with him then the two of us would be a bigger target. And unlike the last time we encountered the Morrigan, I didn’t have a nice store of magic just waiting to wreak havoc.

  I took a deep breath through my nose and released it before answering Enorah. “I don’t like it, but I’m going along with it because Cade is right. I’m safer here than anywhere, and I’d just draw the Morrigan's attention if I went with him.”

  Enorah thought about that for a while, then nodded sharply. “Very well. And of course Meghan can stay here with us.”

  Cade released his breath, clearly relieved, then addressed his sister, “While she's here, I was hoping you could teach her how to control and use her power properly. I had hoped to teach her myself, but now that the Morrigan seems to be preparing for war, Meghan will need all the knowledge she can get, as soon as she can get it. Perhaps you can even take her to the Tree of Life.”

  I blinked in surprise. The Tree of Life? Where was that? What was that?

  Enorah nodded. “I’ll take her once she's had a chance to sleep. From what you've told me I can safely presume you've been up the whole night.”

  Cade nodded then opened his mouth and called, "Fergus!"

  The spirit guide trotted up to us, as silent and ethereal as ever.

  "Go wait for me down the trail."

  Without so much as a wag of his tail, the wolfhound took off towards the edge of the settlement, disappearing down the path.

  Cade turned to follow him, but paused and gave me a long look. Accompany me to the edge of the village? His shil-sciar voice felt smooth in my mind.

  I sighed, then closed my eyes. I didn't want to do this, not this soon. I had hoped for at least a good week or two in Eile before I had to worry about the Morrigan. Now Cade was leaving me in the care of his sister and I wasn't even sure if I'd ever see him again. No tears Meghan! my conscience told me as my eyes threatened to well up.

  I took a deep, shuddering breath and whispered back to him using the same, private method of communication. Of course.

  Cade stepped away from Enorah, but she caught his hand before he could move any further. “Be careful brother. Now you have two women who would be heart-broken if you never came back.”

  He gave her a curt nod, then looked at me again before walking away.

  “I’ll be just a minute,” I told Enorah. My voice shook a little, but I hoped she didn't notice.

  “Take your time Meghan, there is no need to rush and it's still plenty dark out.”

  Despite the somber mood, she managed to lighten it by winking at me. Ugh, I could appreciate her attempt to make me feel better, but I didn't appreciate the flush creeping up my neck . . .

  Shaking off Enorah’s suggestive remark, I wrapped my arms around myself and followed after Cade. We walked like that, in silence, until the village was out of sight and we were blocked by a bend in the trail. The sky was still very dark, but I could see the beginnings of pale grey coloring the eastern sky. My skin prickled with goose bumps, but I knew it wasn’t just because of the cold. I was worried beyond belief. True, Cade knew what he was doing. He was a faelah bounty hunter for goodness’ sake and the son of a goddess. But I had seen what the Morrigan could do and I didn’t ever want that to happen again. I'd be worried about him the entire time he was gone.

  When Cade finally stopped walking, he stepped to the side and leaned against a great beech tree covered in moss and shoved his hands into his pockets, his cloak falling all around him like an extension of the green forest. I just studied him like that for several moments, grateful for the encroaching light of dawn. I sighed in appreciation. He looked like some long forgotten god of the old forest, beautiful, strong and intense. He was just standing there, still as the trees, but the power he exuded was almost too much to take in. I felt my heart swell again, reminding me how much I loved him.

  I’ll come back Meghan, I promise, his mind whispered against mine.

  I know, I answered, my own thoughts shaky and raw as I transferred my gaze to the leaf-plastered ground. When will you be back?

  He took a long time to answer, but finally he said, No longer than a month. Maybe five weeks.

  A month! Five weeks! That was an eternity! Cool it Meghan, I told myself. You’ve waited longer for him, remember? Okay, so maybe it wasn’t that bad, but it would seem like forever. I would just have to spend every waking moment focusing on fine-tuning my magic so that I could defend myself when it was time to leave the Weald.

  The soft sound of rustling clothing was the first clue that Cade had moved from his resting spot against the tree. I glanced up, only to catch his gaze as he stepped towards me. My heart caught in my throat and I froze on the spot. When he was mere inches away, he reached up and took my face in his hands.

  Without thinking about it, I lifted my own hands and placed them on his forearms. I knew my eyes were filling up with tears, and I knew it made me look pathetic, but I was too overwhelmed with emotion to care. I had just left my family behind, perhaps never to see them again, only to learn that Cade was leaving me for a month to traipse across the wilds of Eile in clear sight of his bloodthirsty mother.

  “Shhh,
” Cade murmured, resting his forehead against mine. “Hush, love. When this is all over, we’ll go back to Luathara and start over again properly.”

  I tried to swallow, but there was an annoying lump in my throat. So, did that mean Cade wanted to marry me after all? If so, why had he nearly panicked when his sister joked about it? And, despite the fact that I loved him beyond all reason, was I even ready for such a huge life step, especially when I had the potential to live forever?

  Shut up Meghan and just enjoy the moment while it lasts, my oh-so considerate conscience told me. Okay, good advice.

  I licked my lips and turned my face up to Cade's. He smiled and leaned in closer, kissing me softly at first, but then deepening the kiss so that my nerves sparked all the way from the tips of my toes to the very ends of my hair.

  I wrapped my arms around him and added my own fervor. Hey, why not play along if he was willing? Cade responded by wrapping his cloak around me and moving his hands from my face to my lower back. We were both lost in sensation for who knows how long, but at some point a screech from above forced us to break the kiss and we were left standing there, staring at each other as we caught our breath. Cade’s eyes were flickering from green to brown to grey and I’m sure mine were doing the same. The screech sounded again and I saw a flash of white tear by. Meridian. I bit my lip to hide a grin as my cheeks turned pink.

  Cade smiled back at me and leaned in to give me another kiss, this one not nearly as disarming as the last. I tried not to feel disappointed. After all, he did have to get going.

  I grabbed the edges of his cloak and pulled myself up on my tiptoes to give him one last peck on the lips, then I forced myself to step away.

  I quickly turned and walked back towards the village, glancing every now and again over my shoulder. Cade stood there, in the middle of the trail, looking like some cloaked avenger, watching me. I smiled and turned back around, telling myself the sooner he left, the sooner he’d return.

  Just as I was entering the village again, I felt Cade’s words sift into my mind.

  A few weeks, my love. One short month.

  I know, I returned. Be careful and come back to me whole and alive or I shall make your life miserable after I take you to the Dagda.

  Cade’s soft chuckle was the reply I got, but that heartwarming sound soon drifted out of my conscious like smoke in the wind.

  Five weeks max, Meghan, I told myself as I met up with Enorah and the sleepy children in the center of the village. Only a month.

  -Nine-

  Guardian

  When I woke up later that day, I nearly panicked. The bed I was lying in wasn’t my own, the air held the distinct scent of wood smoke and damp earth, and there were several pairs of eyes (not belonging to my brothers) gazing at me with intense curiosity. Fortunately, I didn’t scream, but I came darn close. Then it all came flooding back to me in one painful rush: leaving my family and home for the Otherworld, fighting off the attack on Luathara, the horrible puca delivering the Morrigan’s threat, traveling to the Weald, Cade leaving to take care of business without me . . . A wave of emotion overtook me and a sob escaped my throat. I clasped a hand over my mouth before I lost it completely. That action alone scared the kids off, but they were soon replaced by Enorah.

  “What’s wrong Meghan?”

  “I’m fine,” I managed as I wiped away the stray tears.

  I would not break down in front of Cade’s sister. What was wrong with me? I had been fine earlier that morning after Cade left and I’d had something to eat. Perhaps the shock was just now wearing off.

  Enorah sank down onto the thin mattress next to me and swung an arm over my shoulder, pulling me close and leaning the side of her head against mine.

  “If you need to cry, go right ahead. You have every right to be upset right now. No one will judge you harshly for it.”

  I shook my head. No, I could control myself. I was just taken by surprise is all. I kept my tears at bay and refused to lose it. Time to be strong, Meghan, my conscience told me. And for once, I agreed. Instead of crying, I simply took several deep breaths, willing myself to remain calm.

  Ten minutes later Enorah was leading me out into the middle of their small town. From the angle of the light pouring through the canopy above, I judged the time of day to be around noon. Huh, guess I hadn’t slept that long after all. Would explain why I still felt groggy.

  “Sorry, our accommodations are a little primitive, but we do have a shower,” she said, grinning as she pointed out what looked like a shed with steaming cauldrons of water simmering beside it.

  I smiled. Despite the rustic set up, a hot shower would help soothe my nerves.

  When I was done cleaning up and had donned a fresh set of clothes from my backpack, I sought out Enorah again. She sat with a few other adults her age around the central mid-day fire. Several children, ranging in age from two to fifteen darted around, either helping their older comrades with chores or playing games of chase. There seemed to be a lot more kids than what I remembered from my last visit and quite a few extra adults as well.

  I asked Enorah about this and her usually bright face turned gloomy. She nodded once and said, “The Morrigan’s creatures have been more active of late. I think Cade is right; she is up to something and everyone in Eile can feel it. Those who think they might have wronged her, and those who live too far away from established settlements to protect themselves have sought shelter with us and others who will take them in.”

  She turned and looked at me, her grey-green gaze hard. “A war is brewing Meghan, I can feel it in my bones. The trees can feel it,” she glanced up at the boughs high above us, “the animals and the very earth can feel it.”

  A stone seemed to have formed in my throat, only to slide down to the pit of my stomach.

  “Oh no,” I whispered harshly, “this is my fault. Cade had warned me about this, when we first met, before I'd even come to Eile.” I looked up at her and I knew my eyes were flickering with my magic once again. “He told me that my mixed blood would bring turmoil to the people of the Otherworld.”

  Enorah only shook her head, then placed a hand on my shoulder. “No Meghan, don’t look at it that way. Yes, your presence has brought about this change, but it has been a long time coming. The Morrigan has been working for years to inflict her reign upon our world. Only now does she think she stands a chance, but it is a risky bargain.”

  I furrowed my brow. “How so?”

  “She wants you Meghan, she wants your glamour. If she succeeds, the power she steals from you will make her all but invincible. But if she fails, then she may be rendered powerless for centuries.”

  I shivered at that. I knew the gods and goddesses couldn’t be killed, but I could, immortal or not. That gave me an even greater reason not to fight the Morrigan. And despite what Enorah said, and what the Dagda had once told me, I couldn’t help but feel guilty about all of this. Only one thing to do about it though . . . I sucked in a deep breath and let it out just as forcefully.

  “Okay, maybe I should start learning how to use this immense power of mine then.”

  I grinned, despite my unease, and Enorah laughed. “That’s the spirit. Let’s have some lunch and then I’ll take you to the Tree of Life.”

  As we headed towards the village square, I said, "Cade mentioned something about that this morning. What is the Tree of Life exactly?”

  Enorah’s eyes took on that mischievous glint once again and all she said was, “You’ll see.”

  Great, I thought, more surprises . . .

  * * *

  Meridian volunteered to be our lookout as we made our way deeper into the heart of the Weald. I had no idea where exactly this Tree of Life was supposed to be and Enorah wouldn’t tell me. What she did do, however, was point out all of the wondrous creatures that lived deep within this magical place as we hiked. I saw several more twigrins, following quietly after us for a few minutes before disappearing into the branches again, and even some of the pixies t
hat had greeted me in the swamp those many months ago. A few times we passed by a small clearing bedecked with what looked like a cluster of small, dome-shaped houses. I probably wouldn't have noticed them except several had streams of smoke rising from their roofs. I lifted an eyebrow at Enorah and she said with a smile, "A cranobh village."

  "Huh?"

  "They are distantly related to brownies but prefer to live in the forest. Cranobhs are generally shy and keep to themselves, but are incredibly strong and ferocious if you anger them."

  My eyes must have been huge because Enorah let loose a string of laughter, pausing long enough to slap a hand against her thigh.

  "Don't worry Meghan! The only way to offend a cranobh is by cutting down a tree in its presence. They are very protective of the forest."

  We started walking once again, moving deeper and deeper into the ancient forest. On more than one occasion, I stepped on a moss-covered rock only to squeal when it jerked itself out from under my foot, scuttling off into the brush while emitting clicking sounds. The first time this happened I gave Enorah a look of horror, but she only smiled and said, “Litterbug.”

  Oh, right. I’d encountered one of those before, only it had looked different than the living rock version.

  “Um, do they all blend in so well with their surroundings?”

  If Enorah said yes, I didn’t think I was going to make it through this day with my nerves still intact. And just like that, my wonderful imagination conjured up an image of me grabbing onto a branch for support only to find that it was some creepy crawly thing that didn’t appreciate being touched.

  Enorah chuckled and nodded her head to answer my question, looking like a woodland elf ready for mischief. Great.

  Eventually, we came upon a wide, flooded meadow and the natural magic of the Weald, which had been brushing against my skin for the past several hours, intensified into something far more substantial. I glanced down at my arm, expecting to see goose bumps. Instead, an almost imperceptible pale blue glimmer shimmered just above the surface of my skin, making my blood sing and my own growing glamour flare ever so slightly.