Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy

by Johnson, Jenna Elizabeth

  -Twenty-

  Conference

  The Dagda left with his soldiers the next day in order to bring back the Cauldron. The rest of us remained cooped up in the castle for almost a week as we waited for his return. Outside, the sky remained slate gray and a mixture of ice and rain pelted the earth with vengeance. My mother tried to lighten the mood by providing entertainment, but the board games and music only just took the edge off of our anxiety.

  At sundown on the fifth day, and an hour before the Dagda's return, we received a message from the Morrigan in the form of the puca who had tried to entice me out into the open at Luathara. Seeing the goat man once more made my skin crawl, but luckily I was in the room I shared with Cade when the creature arrived. Despite the dismal weather outside, Cade opened the window so we could sit on the ledge and hear what it had to say. Danua, unfortunately, had to stand in the massive doorway of her castle and listen to the monster's rattling voice up close and personal.

  "Dawwwn tomorrooow. My Missstresss requests a meeeting to discuss the terrrms of waaar."

  "How can we trust her word?" my mother shouted over the patter of rain.

  "Youuu have nooo choiiice. Answeeer naaay to this requeeest and she shall attaaack toniiight. Answeeer yeaaa and you will haaave a channnce to speaaak with herrr."

  There was a long pause before my mother said, "Very well. Tell your mistress we will meet her at dawn on the edge of her realm."

  That night, the entire castle sought their beds early, but despite my weariness and Cade's warm presence, it took me several hours to finally fall asleep.

  * * *

  The sky had just begun to turn pale gray with dawn's approach as we left the grand courtyard of Erintara behind. Despite the early hour, many of the city's residents had risen to give us their blessings. Perhaps it was because the rain and sleet had stopped, even though the sky was still dark with more clouds building on the horizon. Or maybe they just knew we needed their moral support.

  Lasair walked silently beneath me, his thoughts, like mine, kept to himself. All the other horses were also strangely quiet, as well as Meridian and Fergus. My spirit guide sat on my shoulder, but for once she didn't have her head tucked under her wing. She kept her sharp eyes trained forward, her mind as still as the frosty air. Fergus kept pace with Speirling, his feet drifting quietly across the ground. The only sound that met our ears that morning was the sharp clipping of hooves against cobblestone. And then there was Cade, raging like a soundless storm beside me, his intense silence scraping at my nerves like a cheese grater.

  I know you think this is too dangerous for me, I sent using shil-sciar, but I am more a part of this fight than most.

  Cade growled, but I ignored him.

  She can hardly do anything while I'm surrounded by Danua and her guard, I insisted.

  We had had this argument already, out loud, in our room upstairs earlier this morning. I insisted on going with the Tuatha De to meet with the Morrigan, and Cade had forbidden it. Blinking at him in surprise, I had burst out laughing, telling him he could go ahead and try to forbid me, but he'd fail. For once I played the whole daughter-of-a-queen card and reminded him that I was a princess and technically outranked him because my mother was the high queen. In the end it took the Dagda's intervention to first stop our fight and then get Cade to see reason. That had been a few hours ago and I still felt like we'd resolved nothing.

  We traveled east for a few miles, passing through a wooded area, the trees bare of their leaves as they waited for winter. Not much conversation took place between the gods of the Celts and their soldiers, and I said nothing further to Cade. He knew how I felt, and even though he didn't like my coming along with them, he understood why I needed to be at this meeting with the Morrigan. Cade feared that this was just another trap to draw me out and capture me. I couldn't deny the thought hadn't crossed my mind, but the need to learn that Aiden was unharmed drove me despite my own nagging dread.

  Gradually, the trees thinned and the land descended into a seemingly endless plain. In the distance I could just make out the white and violet tips of mountain peaks.

  "The Morrigan's realm," the Dagda murmured, pulling his horse up next to Lasair. "Those mountains are miles upon miles away, but luckily we have the dolmarehn to bypass the distance."

  He nodded towards the massive stone structure that stood like a beacon about a hundred yards away.

  I set my jaw and nudged Lasair forward as the small army continued to crawl eastward. It took us a few minutes to reach the dolmarehn and I noted that it was even bigger than the one on the hill behind Luathara. Cade tried to dissuade me once again, to turn me back, but I stubbornly shook my head and said to him, This is my battle as well. If I cannot fight to defend myself, then I hardly deserve to be Faelorehn.

  Cade moved Speirling so that we faced one another. He stretched out a gloved hand and gently caressed my face, his own expression grim and forlorn. I just don't want to lose you Meghan.

  I reached up and touched the back of his hand with my own. But you would leave me behind and go fight without me? So that I could wait in fear that you wouldn't return? No Cade, we fight together, you and I. And this is just a meeting. We won't be fighting today. I hoped.

  Cade sighed and dropped his hand, curling it around my own.

  "Besides," I whispered hoarsely as we stepped beneath the cold arbor of the dolmarehn, "she has my little brother."

  * * *

  Cold. The first sensation I registered when we came out on the other side of the dolmarehn was cold. And not just in the temperature sense of the word, though it was freezing, but in the down-to-the-depths-of-your-soul cold. From the way the Tuatha De and their soldiers tensed on their horses, I could tell they felt it too. I glanced at Cade. He had hardly changed, though the bleak cut of his mouth seemed harsher.

  Cade? I asked him, reaching out with my mind.

  I am used to it Meghan, was his reply.

  I settled back in the saddle, stretching out a hand to reassure Lasair. He'd grown restless below me, just like all the other horses.

  As we traveled across the rock-strewn, desolate land, I thought about Cade's response. I am used to it . . .

  It didn't take me long to realized that the reason he was used to this awful place was because he had been here so often; because his old geis had required it. I turned my head and blinked up at him. Oh, my poor Cade. Without saying or sending a word to him, I reached out and touched his forearm. He tensed a little, but his face softened when he saw that it was me. I merely smiled, trying to put as much joy on my face as I could.

  We traveled in silence, my mother and her retinue, the Dagda, Nuadu, Lugh, Cernunnos and Epona in her horse form. The clouds overhead continued to threaten sleet, and as we approached a rise in the dead land, I squinted my eyes to make out the dark band of earth that rested on its crest. My stomach churned and my skin became even more chilled when I realized what it really was. Faelah. Thousands upon thousands of faelah. And then the Morrigan came into view, along with another tall figure standing next to her.

  Danua ordered us to spread out in a line to match the Morrigan's formation and I stuck close to her and Cade as the other Tuatha De and their men and women dispersed.

  My mother lifted her hand for us to stop when we were a hundred yards away, then she motioned for Cade and I to join her. As we closed the distance, gradually climbing the small incline, I gritted my teeth and forced my glamour to stay put. It sensed my unease and knew my enemy was near. Perhaps it had learned of her essence when it had driven her away last spring. In any case, I had to work hard to keep it, and the magic Cernunnos had given me, under control.

  When we were a couple dozen yards away, Danua slowed her horse to a stop and we followed suit. Good. I didn't want to get any closer to the Morrigan and the domineering man standing next to her. I took a moment to study him. Other than being tall, his hair and beard were black, his eyes the same color. He emanated an evil coldness that had my every in
stinct screaming at me to flee.

  Before I could consider him any further, the Morrigan opened her mouth and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "I called this parley in order to give you one more chance to hand over the girl and avoid war."

  I blinked up at her, wondering why she was even bothering with the pretense of striking a bargain. The Morrigan I knew took what she wanted and never kept her word.

  "I would never volunteer one of my children over to you. I've seen what you've done to your own," Danua retorted, jerking her head in Cade's direction, "and I know what you have planned for my daughter."

  The Morrigan thrust her hands on her hips and glanced at Cade.

  "Oh yes, my dear Caedehn. You broke your blood oath. It was never in our agreement that you use the Cauldron to undo what my Cumorrig had already done. I have something extra-special in mind for you."

  "And you broke your oath as well," Cade retorted. "Meghan was to be left alone."

  "Well then, I guess we're back to square one." She sneered and turned her attention back to my mother. "Tell me Danua, is the daughter worth more than the son?"

  Both my mother and I hissed at this, an instinctual response I was sure.

  "They are both dear to me, Morrigan, but I will not trade one for the other, especially when I have no proof you have my Aiden."

  The Morrigan lifted one of her hands and a ball of red magic swirled above it, small wisps of scarlet shredding away from the sphere in the slight breeze. The orb grew and its center became transparent. As we watched, a familiar face peered out at us. Dark hair, bright blue-green eyes . . .

  "Aiden!" I screamed, almost kicking Lasair into action.

  Cade grabbed the horse's reins before he could take a step.

  "No Meghan," he growled, his voice hard and authoritative. "That's not Aiden, only a window to him."

  I cast Cade an angry look, but he returned it with a sad one. Fighting my anguish and my glamour, I settled down, then took a deep breath and glanced at my mother. Danua's face had grown stony, her eyes flashing between their many hues; her own magic rising up to match the icy bite of our surroundings.

  The Morrigan snapped her fingers below the sphere of magic and Aiden's image disappeared.

  "So, as you can see, I have him locked away, nice and safe, where none of you will ever tread. You can only get him back by handing over your dear daughter. Of course, you can meet me here tomorrow on the battlefield, if you wish, but with that option comes no guarantee you'll see that half-breed son of yours again, win or lose. And there is always the chance you'll lose your daughter as well, should you choose to fight."

  The faelah, which had been adding their own grunts and small squeals for the past several minutes, must have taken their master's words as encouragement, because they chose at that moment to make their voices louder. The baying and howling clawed at my soul, but I forced myself to keep my eyes on the Morrigan and her companion. The tall man, Donn I decided, for who else could it be, stood with his arms crossed over his chest, the black leather pants and sleeveless gambeson he wore matching his hair and eyes perfectly. He looked like death warmed over, or more accurately, death anticipating a great party. In this case, I could only imagine that the party he waited for was the war that would begin in a matter of hours.

  "I will not sacrifice one child for another. We will meet you in battle tomorrow Morrigan, Donn," my mother nodded to both the Tuatha De standing before us, "and wipe your overbearing evil from this world for a good ten centuries."

  The Morrigan threw her head back and laughed, her curling black hair swirling around her as her magic flared. When she looked back down at us, her eyes were like brilliant rubies.

  "I was so hoping that would be your choice. Oh, how I love a good battle! Tomorrow morning then, my liege."

  In the next breath the Morrigan vanished in a dark red swirl of smoke, a giant raven taking her place. The black bird let out a cackling caw and flapped her wings, heading north and east into the mountains. I watched her, my heart pounding, my resentment building, my magic urging me to follow. No, not yet, I told it as it burned to seek revenge and save my brother. Tomorrow we fight.

  Another blast of magic drew my attention back towards the line of faelah, and instead of seeing Donn's silent, menacing figure, I spotted a huge black bull with burning eyes and an extra set of wicked horns. I gasped and tensed up, making Lasair dance below me.

  "Don't worry Meghan," Cade said in a low voice, "he won't attack us today."

  Cade's entire body was drawn taught, his muscles straining against his skin, his teeth clenched. It didn't take long for me to realize he was fighting his riastrad. Yes, it would be bad for him to change at this moment; best to save his battle fury for tomorrow.

  I reached up and ran my hand over his cheek, into his hair, murmuring his name until his wild eyes returned to their usual green. Once the initial aggression seemed to pass, he looked down at me. Cade grabbed my hand and pressed it against his face. I smiled as he took deep breaths and closed his eyes, the tension draining out of him.

  "Thank you Meghan."

  "I didn't know if I could soothe you or not, but I didn't think it would hurt to try."

  His mouth quirked into a smile and he said into my mind, Your presence always soothes me.

  I pursed my lips and arched one of my eyebrows, thinking about our fight earlier that morning. Unless we're arguing, I reminded him.

  He smiled lightly and kissed my hand. Even then, having you near is a blessing.

  The high queen and all the other kings and queens of Eile stood their ground, watching as the faelah burrowed into the earth or turned and scattered, chasing after the raven and the bull. When we were certain none were left and none would attack after we turned our backs, my mother ordered us to return to Erintara.

  "We eat well tonight from the Dagda's Cauldron and absorb the magic Eile has poured into it, and tomorrow we return to fight the battle of our lives."

  Everyone cheered and I couldn't help but notice the warrior coming alive in my mother. Her dark hair whipped around her like a banner, and despite the fact that she wore a beautiful dress best suited for court, I could imagine her in a suit of armor and bearing a sword. I smiled, a small speck of pride growing in my chest. So, I guess my relationship with my birth mother was healing after all.

  The journey back to Erintara was a dismal one. Everyone seemed to be geared up for a fierce battle, everyone except me. At first I had been ready to take the Morrigan on, but as we continued westward across her desolate territory, the fight in me gradually burned off to be replaced by overwhelming helplessness. We had only been given a quick look at Aiden, but from those few moments I could read the terror in his eyes.

  I held my breath and clenched my teeth as we passed through the dolmarehn because the anger threatened to take root again. As soon as we were back in the courtyard of Erintara's castle, I climbed down from Lasair. Cade was beside me in an instant, pulling me into his embrace. Like me, the tension coursing through him was almost loud enough to be heard. I immediately wrapped my arms around him, then buried my face into his chest and just breathed.

  My mother's guard and those of the other Tuatha De gave us our space as they moved about, handing their horses off to eager stable boys and making their way back into the castle.

  "I'm sorry Meghan," Cade rasped against my ear, "but I just need to be close to you for a moment."

  Oh, you can take more than a moment Cade, I responded.

  He sighed. I'm so sorry about all of this. About Aiden, about my mother, about not being able to protect you well enough.

  I pulled away just enough so that I could look into his face. His eyes were stark, his expression drawn. How much of this mess did he consider his responsibility? How long had he been accepting the blame for all of this?

  Cade, none of this is your fault, do you hear me? I sent, my words painted with the harsh color of conviction. It wasn't your responsibility to protect Aiden, it was my famil
y's and just because the Morrigan took him, it doesn't make it their fault either. You don't need to apologize for your mother. You are as much a victim of her evil as the rest of us. And I don't want to hear any more of this talk of not being able to protect me. I'm far more capable of protecting myself than I ever was and you have already done plenty.

  Can't help it, he sent, kissing my temple gently, it's instinctual.

  I wiggled away from him just so I could get my next point across without getting distracted.

  We fight tomorrow Cade. Together. I don't want you trying to send me off in order to protect me. Understood?

  Yes, my Princess.

  I punched him in the arm then grinned when he pulled me in for another close hug.

  Before I could really get into the moment, however, the Dagda's booming voice cut into our privacy. "Enough lollygagging in the courtyard everyone! Let me fetch my Cauldron and begin the ceremony. We'll need all the power it can lend us, and it wouldn't hurt to have one last celebration before tomorrow's big fight, now would it?"

  The men and women still lingering outside sent up an appreciative cheer. Soon, plans were made and messengers were sent to gather all those who would be taking part in the battle against the Morrigan and Donn tomorrow.

  As the castle came to life with activity, Cade and I slipped upstairs to get ready. On our way, we learned that Enorah and her fellow fighters had arrived while we were gone. She had been put up in the spare room down the hall from ours, and when Cade and I were ready to head back downstairs, we first stopped to collect his sister.

  When we knocked, Enorah opened the door with gusto. Her eyes gleamed and she gave us a wicked smile.

  "I hear there is to be a party tonight," she said after giving Cade and I one of her death hugs. "Come on, let's get to it. I'm sure my men and women are already celebrating without us."

  By the time we made our way back outside, a huge fire had been lit with the Dagda's Cauldron suspended above it. An aromatic steam rose from the great vessel and I caught a hint of beef and barley and onions. From the open castle doors, people poured out into the courtyard carrying baskets and trays full of fruit pies, fresh bread and everything else needed for the huge feast. My stomach growled in response and Cade gave me a rakish look.