“Okay, steady, let’s start over again,” Enorah’s calm voice crooned.
I nodded and dashed away my fears and anxiety. Focus Meghan, focus . . .
An hour later I’d mastered it, and by the end of the second week I could create a shield, become invisible and even fling small bursts of my magic in long tendrils from my fingers or throw it like fireballs in one of my brothers' video games. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, but I always managed to accomplish what challenge Enorah set for me without letting Cernunnos's power slip from my control.
The first few days of the third week progressed almost exactly as the previous days had. I would get up early and eat breakfast with the other wildren and then spend a few hours practicing (I only practiced now since Enorah was satisfied with my progress and thought it best if I just strengthen what I'd learned). After practice, we would return to the village and either play games with the younger kids or participate in archery with the older ones. Enorah even taught me some self-defense maneuvers that we tested out on the bigger boys.
After the evening meal, I would sometimes help out with the chores or read stories to the younger children as they got ready for bed. More often than not, they'd want to hear about the mortal world, so I'd tell them about my mom and dad and brothers, or share tales from my adventures with Tully, Robyn, Will and Thomas. I tried to tell them that my high school woes with my friends weren't real adventures, but they didn't care. They begged for them every night and I always gave in, grateful to somehow reconnect, even on this basic level, with the ones I'd left behind in my other life.
It was no surprise, then, that I soon lost track of the time Cade had been gone. I had grown so used to my new routine and had settled in so well with the wildren that I no longer had time to worry.
Of course, when Enorah caught me gazing off longingly into the east one afternoon, she murmured only for my ears to hear, "Three more days Meghan."
I started, not realizing I'd let my mind wander, and then smiled back at her, returning my focus on the arrow I'd placed in my longbow. Gazing at the target in the distance, I took a steadying breath and drew the string to my cheek. Three more days. In three more days the four weeks would be up, and Cade would be coming back. My stomach fluttered with anticipation, and as my arrow found the ring just on the outside of the middle of the target, I only hoped that nothing would impede Cade from keeping his promise to return.
That night, I watched the wildren place the wood around the base of the cauldron, their movements well-practiced and fluid, and savored the smell of fresh smoke as the flames licked the side of the great black pot. The muted light of early twilight spread over us and I found my mind wandering off with thoughts of Cade once again.
Now that my magic was well under control, and with Enorah's reminder earlier this afternoon, my mind had the energy to conjure up an image of Cade standing on the edge of the village, telling me he'd be back soon. My heart sped up and I began to fidget with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to see him, though I was also afraid of what news he might bring back. I'd been so fixated on getting my magic (and Cernunnos's) under control that I'd forgotten about why Cade had left in the first place. Had he been able to tell the other Tuatha De about the Morrigan’s attack? Had he told my mother? And if so, were they going to help us do something about it?
“Thinking about my brother?”
Enorah’s voice just a few feet away caused me to fall off the log I was sitting on.
I grumbled and brushed the dead leaves off of my pants as I made room for her. She sat down next to the spot I’d made and dismissed the older children who had managed to get the fire under the cauldron going.
“So,” she said as they scattered to get in some good playing time before dinner was ready, “was I right? Were you thinking about Caedehn?”
It was hard to avoid her eyes, even when that was the only thing in the world I wanted to do at the moment, but I sighed and glanced up. There was humor there, like always, but warmth and sorrow as well. There was no doubt in my mind that Enorah loved her brother, but why did she look so sad? Didn’t she know I loved him too?
The best way to go about this situation was to answer honestly and then go from there. “Yes, I was thinking about Cade." And just in case she any doubts, I added, "I love him, Enorah.”
Enorah bent over, her elbows resting on her knees, and ran her fingers through her curly hair.
“I know you do,” she answered softly, “I just need more time to get used to it is all.”
I gave her a troubled glance. All this time she'd been helping me with my magic, treating me like a close friend, and she had doubts about my devotion to Cade?
Enorah shook her head and smiled.
“Oh no, not like that." She snorted, then ran her fingers through her hair again. "We've been so busy practicing your magic that we never had time to have this conversation."
I watched as the flames of the fire flickered in her eyes. Suddenly nervous, I swallowed and gave her my full attention. What conversation would that be?
Enorah took a deep breath and said, "I am so happy that my brother found you Meghan. You have no idea how grateful I am. It’s just that long before he met you he would bring girls here to introduce to me. I could tell they made him happy, but there was always something off about them. Like deer in the meadow during summer. No inclination to look elsewhere until the good food ran out. They were simply waiting until something better came along. Cade couldn’t see it because, well, because he thought he’d finally found someone to love him for who he was.”
I listened to Enorah, remaining calm and silent. Strangely, I didn’t feel any jealousy towards these previous girlfriends, though a few months ago I may have. Perhaps it was a sign that I understood that there was no need to resent the people who had been too blind or selfish to see the young man I’d grown to love; so shallow that they couldn't look beyond his unfortunate ties to the Morrigan and the battle fury that sometimes overtook him.
“Cade and I, we have been alive a long time Meghan, you must understand we’ve been looking a long time for that perfect companion.” She smiled, but it was the furthest thing from joyful. “Some of us are still looking.”
I glanced up and gave her a concerned look.
She shook her head. “Oh no, don’t you dare feel sorry for me. I have chosen my life here, among the unwanted children of Eile. I have enough love here to last several hundred immortal lifetimes.”
She laughed, but I was not convinced. My heart gave a small twinge of remorse for Enorah’s sake, but I didn’t press the issue. Sometimes it was best not to talk about regrets.
"I just wanted you to know that it means a lot to me, that you care for my brother. For once, I feel like I can trust someone else with his heart."
Her statement was so honest, such a reflection of what I could see in her eyes and sense in her presence that I almost started crying. Here was a sister who genuinely loved her brother and although she was grateful for me, I was grateful towards her as well.
I sniffled and placed my hands no her shoulders. "And it means a lot to me too, knowing that Cade has a sister who loves him so much."
Enorah beamed at me, then wiped at her eyes.
"Don't you dare make me cry, Meghan Elam. I can't risk tarnishing my image."
We both laughed then and I gave her a hug.
"Come on, help me stir this soup until the second dinner shift gets here."
We stood, pulling each other up, then took one of the several, giant wooden spoons sticking out of the great cauldron. As we mixed the soup, we laughed and joked together. Enorah told me tales about Cade when they were younger and I told her stories about growing up with my brothers.
By the time the other kids showed up to keep the soup from scalding, both Enorah and I had tears running down our cheeks from laughing so hard.
That night, Enorah and some of the other adults brought out a few bottles of mead to celebrate Lughnasadh. The harvest
festival was still a handful of days away, but as Enorah put it, "The denizens of the Weald begin celebrating early and stretch the party out for as long as possible. Besides," she added with an impish grin, filling mugs as she walked around after dinner, "we must acknowledge Meghan's progress with her magic lessons."
A few of the children knew how to play musical instruments, so in no time we had a full-out, forest festival underway in the village square. Enorah even pulled several people up to dance and as a group, we laughed and jigged around the fire, making utter fools of ourselves and having a great time.
By the time I made it to bed in my small cabin, I was dizzy from the mead and general cheer of the evening. As I fell asleep, I thought of the conversation I'd had with Enorah. Smiling, I welcomed dreams of friendship, love and loyalty, and for once I felt like I truly belonged in Eile.
* * *
I woke slowly the next morning, my head still slightly fuzzy from the mead last night, only to find Meridian perched on my headboard. I had been letting her in before bed since the nights had been growing cooler, but she usually slept in the corner where I'd constructed her a small perch.
Meridian hopped down onto my pillow, then fluffed her feathers and nibbled at my ear. Ugh! What a way to wake up in the morning. Grumbling, I rolled over and grabbed the spare pillow, clamping it over my head. Meridian screeched in avian outrage at my attempt to ignore her.
Up! she blared into my head.
Meridian! Go back to sleep. I don't even know if the sun's up yet!
Outside! she insisted.
Groaning, I threw back the sheets in frustration, immediately hissing as the cold air hit me. I grabbed the warm cloak Enorah had lent me and slipped on my shoes, yawning and cursing my spirit guide at the same time. Honestly, the way she disdained the cold you'd think she'd want to stay in as long as possible.
I stepped outside into a fog bank, the light of dawn barely cutting away at the dark morning. No one else was stirring. Uh huh, just as I'd thought. I envied them their lack of pestering spirit guides. I wrapped the cloak more tightly around myself and turned to go back inside. I could probably get one more hour of sleep in before Enorah woke me up for breakfast, and I was more than ready to get back under the warm covers. Unfortunately, Meridian darted out the door and almost slammed into me.
"Hey!" I shouted, falling back so her wings wouldn't smack me in the face.
Glowering as she disappeared into the thick mist, I made to turn back towards the door when something caught my eye. I squinted into the distance, trying to figure out what was moving behind the thick wall of mist. A heartbeat passed and the shape grew more solid, mimicking a figure wearing a long, hooded cloak. I froze in place, my heart pounding against my ribcage. Who could be coming into the village this early and why hadn't the people standing guard warned us?
Just as I was about to dart into my cabin and bolt the door, the person stopped and pulled back his hood. I sucked in a breath and clasped my hands to my mouth. Cade. Forgetting my warm bed and that coveted extra hour of sleep, I bolted from where I stood and sprinted across the village square.
Cade watched my progress, his calm face slowly changing, as if a light within had been lit and was slowly growing. When I was five feet away from him I threw myself into his open arms. I couldn’t help myself. I had missed him so much and his smile was enough to charm the common sense right out of me.
For a long minute I simply stayed where I was, pressed up against Cade’s solid strength and blocking out all other senses. From the way he pulled me close, his arms like a vice, I could tell he shared the sentiment. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes, but I ignored them.
"You're early," I said.
Then I wanted to kick myself. You haven't seen him for nearly four weeks, worrying almost the entire time that he might be getting torn to shreds by a pack of faelah, and that's what you come up with to say to him?
"I would have been even earlier if I could have managed it. I missed you so much," he murmured into my ear.
Pure joy unfurled in my stomach and I sighed, leaning into him even further.
“Well!” someone said rather loudly.
Cade reluctantly let me go, setting me gently on the ground. Oh, I guess I'd had him in another one of my tourniquet hugs . . . I bit my lip and turned my head, my hands still resting on Cade’s arms.
Enorah stood there with her hands placed casually on her hips. Of course she was up. She was always up this early. And behind her stood a group of sleepy-eyed children. Yay! An audience for my lovely display of overactive hormones.
“If I knew keeping Meghan captive here would result in more frequent visits, brother, then I would have dragged her to the Weald long ago.”
There was humor in Enorah's voice and after our conversation the night before, I knew there was sisterly affection there too.
Cade grinned and I relaxed even further.
"Hello, sister mine. I'm glad to be back."
“Breakfast is in half an hour.” Then she added with a glint to her eye, “That should give you plenty of time to get reacquainted.”
Enorah turned and walked away, barking out orders to the children who'd stood behind her. Groaning, they scattered to start getting the breakfast ready.
Suddenly, the village was silent once again, the approaching dawn softening the blanket of fog that surrounded us.
Meridian chittered in the tree above and a soft whine from behind Cade let me know she was talking with Fergus.
Go play, I sent to her.
She responded with a joyful screech and Fergus’s spirited bark let me know that Cade had told him the same thing.
I turned my head and glanced up only to find Cade’s green eyes regarding me so intensely that it became hard to breathe.
“Meghan,” he said, right before pulling me close into another embrace.
I returned the hug and pressed myself as close to him as possible; to ensure myself that he was truly here and that he was real. Silently, Cade led me away from the center of the village and headed towards a small meadow, conveniently screened by a thicket of brush and large stones.
We were blessedly alone and there were a million things I wanted to ask him: did he find out about the Morrigan's plans? Was she organizing her army of faelah? Did she really have someone helping her? Could the Dagda aid us? Did we need to stay in the Weald longer? But none of those questions came up. Instead, I stood up on my toes and leaned into him, eager to simply absorb his essence.
Feeling suddenly mischievous, I whispered into his ear, “Would you like to see what I can do?”
I didn’t wait for an answer. Drawing on my several days worth of practice, I merely allowed some of my magic to flood over me. Only the tightening of Cade’s hold on my arms let me know I had disappeared from sight. I wiggled out of his grip and slipped away from him before he could realize what I was doing. He turned in place, reaching out as he scanned the surroundings looking for me.
“Not so fun when the joke is on you, is it?” I crooned from his right.
I had no idea what had come over me. I had missed him terribly all these weeks, and now that he was back I was trying to hide from him? But the idea of Caedehn MacRoich, faelah bounty hunter extraordinaire, fumbling around in a foggy clearing searching for me, sent a thrill of exhilaration through my blood.
Cade darted and I just barely missed getting caught. My heart was pounding and a flood of adrenaline helped me get out of the way. I’d have to be careful; he was incredibly fast and I needed to concentrate if I wanted the magic to keep working.
Cade repositioned himself and bowed his head, his eyes closed, as he took long, deep breaths from his nose.
What on earth was he doing?
Nervous, I took a small step back and a leaf crunched under my foot. I could barely hear it, but it was enough for Cade to locate me and pounce. I squeaked when his arms wrapped around me, secure but not painful. I squirmed, but there was no way I was going to escape that grip.
<
br /> My back was to his chest and he lowered his mouth, pressing it against my ear, then murmured, “Looks like you’re trapped. Whatever will you do now Meghan?”
His voice was low and seductive, and I couldn’t stop the tremor that ran down my spine. Answering him was also out of the question. He kissed me lightly below my ear and I willingly turned in his arms. The cool sensation of my invisible shield of magic melted away and when his lips finally met mine, I no longer cared about escaping. I no longer wanted to escape. Cade’s grip loosened and he dropped his hands to my hips. I mimicked him, but instead of staying at his waist, my hands began pulling at his shirt. Following my lead, Cade pushed his fingers under my t-shirt and ran his palms up my bare back, bringing me closer. I was utterly lost in sensation and all I wanted was to be as close to Cade as possible. The timid Meghan had disappeared, along with all my other inhibitions as well, apparently.
Someone cleared their throat and Cade stopped, dragging his mouth away from mine. One of his hands remained pressed against the bare skin of my back, while the other rested halfway up my stomach. My own fingers were gripping the hem of his shirt and we were both breathing heavily. From the look on Cade’s face, his mind had to be just as scrambled as my own.
“I hate to interrupt your reunion,” Enorah said, her voice dripping with amusement, “but there are young children present just around that rock outcropping and if I don’t stop you now, I’m afraid you’ll both forget you're in the great wide open. Besides,” she added with a wide smile, "breakfast is almost ready and I'm sure you're both very hungry."
Enorah winked as she turned to leave, and I silently cursed her for the blush her comment caused. Cade hadn't seemed to notice, however. He pulled me closer, his arms wrapped around me again, and took a long, deep breath.
Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy Page 15