Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy

by Johnson, Jenna Elizabeth

  * * *

  I didn't see Danua right away. The Dagda, Cade and I were welcomed into the castle by the many servants who worked there while the men of the Dagda's guard were shown to their own rooms in the soldiers' quarters. My heart beat faster as we walked through the castle of Erintara, all the memories from the previous spring flooding through my mind: the cold, disapproving attitude of my mother, the general disdain of her courtiers, the disregard of Cade's presence . . . It all sent a chill through me, but I stood up straight and held myself with dignity. I had suffered far worse after leaving the castle last time. I could handle these memories.

  A woman in a green gown greeted us at the top of the stairs. I suppressed a growl when I recognized her; the older lady in waiting who had been so rude to Cade the last time we were here. She clearly remembered me as well, if I was judging correctly by her unnatural stiffness and the sour look on her face.

  "Three rooms, I presume?" she said with haughty formality.

  I forced a small smile and said, before anyone else could answer, "Two, actually. Cade and I will be sharing."

  Her eyes widened and she stopped some automatic response in the back of her throat. A strangled noise from behind me told me that the Dagda was doing his best to smother a laugh and the warm weight of Cade's hand caressing the nape of my neck gave me more confidence than I felt.

  She turned abruptly and led us down the hallway, showing the Dagda to his room and then Cade and me to ours. She bowed quickly, informed us that the other Tuatha De had not yet arrived but were expected later that afternoon, then turned and scuttled down the hallway. I was convinced she was headed directly to my mother to inform her of the change of my relationship with Cade and the only thing keeping her from full out running was her own frigid sense of decorum.

  The Dagda had excused himself and shut the door to his room, so all that was left was for Cade and me to settle into ours. Cade carried the bags with our clothes inside and set them in the corner. The moment I closed the door he pounced, wrapping me up in his arms and spinning us both around. I squawked and smacked at his chest, but I didn't put much effort behind it and by the time he pulled me down onto the bed with him, we were both laughing.

  "What was that all about?" I asked, still smiling as I pulled a plush pillow under my head.

  Cade shrugged and mimicked me. "No reason. I just felt like it."

  I arched a brow at him, my mouth tugging up into a grin. Cade was always so careful and serious around me that it was nice to see him behaving like this. I even unabashedly gave myself credit for this change in his demeanor.

  A piece of Cade's hair came loose and fell across his forehead. Reaching out a hand, I gently brushed it aside but let my fingers linger on his face. His eyes darkened, but they were anything but dull.

  "I love seeing you so happy," I whispered.

  And then my dreary thoughts returned, thoughts about dying under the wrath of the Morrigan. Thoughts about losing Cade again. My magic jumped in response, the flame flaring for a split second before settling down once again. I bit my lip and Cade reached up with his own hand to capture mine. He pulled me gently forward. I closed my eyes, anticipating his kiss, but someone knocked abruptly at the door.

  Cade growled in frustration and released me, getting up off the bed to go answer the door. I sat up, crossing my legs and resting my elbows on my knees. One of my mother's many ladies in waiting stood on the other side of the door. She was younger than the woman who had showed us to our room, but still held the same frozen stiffness. She looked Cade up and down, then glanced past him at me.

  "Your mother requests your presence," she said. "She is taking tea in ten minutes." She wrinkled her nose and added, "You might want to reconsider your wardrobe."

  I glanced down at myself. I had put on a pair of dark jeans and a knit turtleneck that morning. Some of the clothes from the mortal world I had brought with me to the Dagda's. I shrugged then stood up and strode over to her.

  Crossing my arms, I came to a stop next to Cade. Might as well get this over with, I told myself.

  "I'll wear this," I replied. "Please, take me to her now."

  -Fifteen-

  Tuatha De

  Danua waited for me in a spacious room that was located just off of her throne room. A floor to ceiling window let in a stream of weak light and a cheery fire crackled in the fireplace at the far end of the room. Bookshelves lined one wall while a collection of portraits decorated another. My mother sat in a stuffed chair beside a table holding a large teapot and several trays of small sandwiches and desserts. She sat regally, as always, with her hands folded primly in her lap. The dress she wore today was a creamy pink color inlayed with tiny rose vines that looked like they'd been embroidered by hand. Suddenly, I felt grubby in the comfortable jeans and turtleneck I'd insisted on wearing.

  I sat down, squirming a little to get comfortable before realizing no matter how I sat, I'd never get truly cozy around Danua. Well, I might feel at ease if I had Cade sitting next to me to offer his silent support, but he had opted to wait in the hallway. Yet as much as I wanted him by my side, I couldn't begrudge him his decision. Danua had summoned me, not me and Cade, and I owed her, and myself, a chance to talk where it was just the two of us.

  The moment I lifted my eyes to glance at Eile's queen, she started speaking.

  "It would seem you have gone against my wishes and developed a deeper attachment to Caedehn MacRoich."

  She picked up her delicate teacup and took a sip as if we were discussing something as tedious as the layer of dust on the bookshelves.

  I stiffened in my over-stuffed chair.

  "I thought I told you to stay away from that boy."

  So this was how it was going to start. Not so much as a "Hello darling daughter" or, "It is good to see you Meghan" or, "How have you been since I last saw you my child?" Fine. If she wanted to be unreasonable, then so be it. I wasn't going to apologize for my actions, especially if I didn't regret them.

  "And I thought I made it clear that you had no say in the matter," I retorted.

  I was nervous as hell, but high queen or not, my biological mother or not, she wouldn't be making the decision on who I wanted to date, especially since she'd been absent from my life until recently, and also because she went around insisting that her orders be followed instead of talking to me like a civilized person.

  She sighed and leaned back in her chair, ignoring the tea cooling in front of her.

  "Meghan, I have no wish to fight with you."

  I opened my mouth to snap out a response, something along the lines of then you shouldn't have started this conversation by trying to order me around, but she held up a hand and continued. "We started off on the wrong foot the last time, and I'm afraid I'm still not reconciled with that. Unfortunately, right now isn't the best of times in Eile and I'm afraid this upcoming confrontation with the Morrigan has kept my mind occupied. I haven't had the time to worry about the strained connection I have with my daughter, and the last thing I need right now is a distraction."

  I gritted my teeth and took a long sip of my tea, disregarding the scorching sensation as the hot liquid went down my throat. As inconvenient as it was for me to show up now of all times, I resented being called a distraction.

  "I called you down here to let you know that I do wish to try and salvage what's left of our shattered relationship, but that it will have to wait."

  I tried not to feel hurt, really I did. Sure, I still disdained her for the way she treated me and the way she so callously cast me aside, but she was right. Now was not a good time to let our emotions get the better of us. If the Morrigan had any notion of the anger that brewed between my mother and me, she would pounce on it like a starving flea on a dog. Yes, waiting to sort out our differences, no matter how much it scraped at my raw emotions to put it off, was the best.

  "Now," Danua said, clasping her hands together as if she were about to use her glamour to clean off the table, "the day grows late an
d some of the Tuatha De have yet to arrive. We will not meet until mid-morning to discuss this threat that looms all around us, so you are dismissed. Use the afternoon to rest and prepare yourself for tomorrow's schedule."

  I stood to leave, a bit confused by her abrupt dismissal. Yet, perhaps her only reason for calling me down here was to chastise me about Cade and to inform me that she'd be willing to try out that whole bonded mother-daughter thing once the Morrigan situation had been taken care of. And she had handled the whole conversation as if it was simply a business meeting discussing the variety of wheat grown in her realm. I had to hand it to her, she had a talent for shrugging off emotion like an old coat.

  "Dinner will be served to your rooms tonight," she said as she ushered me to the end of the room, "so don't bother coming down to the dining hall. We'll be having a more formal welcome when everyone has arrived."

  Nodding, I stepped through the ornately carved door only to find the same lady in waiting ready to take me back upstairs. Cade wasn't in the hallway any longer, and neither was he in our room when I returned, so I killed time by browsing the bookshelves. Once I found something interesting to read, I settled into a great stuffed chair beside the fire place. The unremarkable day had faded into afternoon, and a gray wash of clouds on the horizon signaled an approaching storm.

  Appropriate weather, I mused as I flipped through the pages of my book.

  Cade arrived just before dusk settled in. I glanced up from my reading and lifted my eyebrows in surprise. His hair was damp and ruffled and his clothes looked muddy in some spots. I gasped and jumped out of the chair when I caught sight of a red smear near his temple.

  "You're bleeding!" I exclaimed, lifting my hand to touch the small gash above his ear.

  Cade quickly caught my hand, turned it over, and planted a kiss in my palm. His eyes sparkled and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. My stomach fluttered and I breathed a small sigh of relief.

  "I was only sparring with Danua's guard," he said, sounding slightly sheepish. "How did the meeting with your mother go?"

  My moment of joy faded and I took a breath. "Honestly, as well as I had imagined."

  Cade grimaced. "I'm sorry Meghan."

  Shrugging, I said, "All is not lost. She wants to mend the rift between us, but she wants to wait until after everything with the Morrigan blows over."

  My heart twinged at that thought. I might not make it past the war . . . Shaking my head, I turned back to Cade and tried on another smile.

  "It hurts that she doesn't want to work on our relationship now, but I can understand why."

  Cade nodded and pulled me into a hug. He kissed me once on the forehead, his favorite display of affection, I'd come to learn, then disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower. I sat down on my chair once again and let my mind wander back to the meeting with my mother. She had been as cold as ever, but even as my own mind fought against her distance, I could sense something hovering just below the surface. A spark of yearning perhaps? A desire to reach out to her daughter?

  A sharp knock at the door yanked me out of my reverie. I rose to open it just as Cade stepped out of the bathroom wearing his casual shirt and pants. A servant with a tray gave me a quick bow and I realized that dinner had arrived. Cade stepped up and took the tray, setting it on a small table in the corner. As we ate, he told me about his day and I told him about mine. Despite the uncomfortable and emotionally draining encounter with my mother, a cloud of comfort surrounded me. Who would have thought that such joy could be squeezed out of a simple conversation with the one you loved?

  After taking my own shower, I pulled on some old pajamas from my bag and snuggled into bed next to Cade. He wrapped an arm around me and tucked his face up against my neck, his warm breath stirring my hair. A wash of happiness flooded over me, chasing my worries away, and I soon drifted off to sleep.

  * * *

  The steady rhythm of rain pelting the windows woke me the next morning. The fire had died down to tiny, glowing embers and the room had grown cold. It was still dark out, but not so much so that I couldn't see the objects in the room. Cade's soft breathing came from behind me and I rolled over so that I faced him. He was splayed out on his stomach, his arms reaching in front of him and his head turned in my direction. His hair, a tousled mess since he went to bed with it wet, falling against his cheek. Slowly, so I wouldn't wake him, I cuddled up against his side to keep warm. I hadn't realized I'd been shivering until my body came into contact with his. Heat flooded over me and I sighed, letting my eyes drift closed.

  Cade mumbled something and took a deep breath. He shifted, rolling up onto his side and curling his arms around me, pulling me close. I welcomed the gesture without any complaints and fell asleep for who knows how much longer. The next time I woke, it was to the sensation of Cade stroking my hair out of my face. My eyes flickered and I found him staring at me.

  "What's wrong?" I whispered.

  He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Nothing," he answered in the same silent tone. Just reminding myself how lucky I am, he murmured into my mind. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead gently.

  I could have easily fallen back to sleep, but I knew it was probably already getting close to mid-morning and Danua had expected us to meet in her throne room. I wondered if all of the Tuatha De Danann had made it last night. Cade and I had gone to bed relatively early and I couldn't recall hearing any sounds of a large party arriving in the courtyard far below our window.

  Reluctantly, I got out of bed, Cade not far behind, and we donned our formal clothes. I had brought one of the dresses I'd found in the wardrobe at the Dagda's, this one a lovely dark plum color with some silver needlework. Once we were ready, we slipped from our room and headed down the hall, the soft patter of rain against the tall windows accompanying us along the way.

  As we walked, I contemplated how the day might go. The last thing I wanted to do was sit in a council meeting with my mother and the other kings and queens of Eile. Okay, I wasn't being completely honest with myself. I was dying to meet the other Tuatha De, excited but terrified at the same time. What would they be like? Would they shun me? Demand that I leave their secret meeting? I was also afraid to learn what the Morrigan was up to. Discussing it with the high queen and her brethren made the path towards an actual war valid, and I had been so enjoying this time out from real life with Cade.

  Sighing, I tucked my arm into Cade's and moved in closer to him. He arched a brow at me, but I gave a nervous smile and said with shil-sciar, I'm a little nervous about meeting all the gods and goddesses of the Celts.

  He leaned down and pulled me closer with his free arm, almost making me trip over his feet.

  You'll do fine, he responded. They're not like the courtiers who think they are far above you.

  They're not?

  Nope. They know they're far above you, so they don't even bother with proving it.

  I blinked up at him, then caught the smile that was fighting against his tight lips. I smacked his arm and he let out a laugh. My apprehension didn't go away, but Cade's attempt at making me feel better helped.

  * * *

  Cade and I were the last to arrive at the meeting of the gods of Eile. I had assumed we'd be gathering in my mother's throne room, but instead one of her guards led us through the massive hall into a side chamber. As soon as he threw the doors open and we stepped in, a blast of power, raw and unchained, hit me in a great wave. I stopped walking and wavered, both trying to catch my balance and keep control of my own power and the glamour right next to it.

  "Steady, love," Cade whispered against my ear as he held me up.

  I took several deep breaths and waited for my heart to slow its erratic beating. Fortunately, no one had noticed our arrival yet. The room was buzzing with conversation, both serious and casual. I stood up straighter, but kept my fingers wrapped around Cade's collar, and took a few moments to study the most powerful Faelorehn in the Otherworld.

  There was of c
ourse my mother, Danua, reclining at the head of the grand table. Next to her sat the Dagda, his radiating charm spread out like an invisible mantle all around him. He had his arms crossed casually over his chest as he talked with my mother. His hair had been swept back and he'd trimmed his beard. When he glanced in our direction, he winked and smiled at me, never once losing track of his conversation with the high queen.

  On the other side of Cade's foster father sat another familiar face. Epona, the fair-haired woman who ruled over the wild horses, spoke quietly with an intense, dark haired and dark eyed man. As I observed him, I noticed that one of his hands was hidden inside a finely-wrought glove of chainmail. My eyes and thoughts must have lingered on him too long, because I detected Cade's gentle words in my head.

  That is Nuadu, the famous king from the battle of Maige Tuired. His hand was severely injured and it pains him if the bare skin comes into contact with anything other than the metal used to make that special gauntlet he wears.

  I scrunched up my face and thought about the folktale that mentioned the famous battle. It had been a long time since I'd read it, but eventually the details came back to me. In the book, Nuadu had lost his hand and the surgeon of the Tuatha De had created a new one out of silver. I silently prodded Cade about it.

  The story said he lost his hand, and therefore couldn't be king, because he was flawed. That's why the false hand was made for him. There was never any mention of a glove.

  I felt Cade's smile as he pressed a kiss to my temple. Legends often skew the facts a little.

  Well, I couldn't argue with that. Once my curiosity about Nuadu was satisfied, I let my eyes continue their journey around the table. A fire-haired giant sat next to Nuadu, Oghma according to Cade, and next to him another large man with brown hair and what looked like a few burn scars on his neck, face and arms.