Come on. We need to keep moving if we want to help Cade and all of our friends.
Your friends, not mine, Aiden corrected. His words were the color of doubt and sadness.
They'll be your friends too, I promise.
Just as I took the first step on what would definitely be a long, grueling journey, a sharp whinny cut through the air and brought me to a jolting stop. A fiery red horse came bursting around the corner, trampling what plants had managed to live in this desolate place. The stallion danced around wildly as several small, ugly faelah snapped at his heels.
"Lasair!" I cried, dropping Aiden's hand and moving to run towards him.
The horse let out another irritated scream and pinned his ears to his head, baring his teeth and snorting. I stopped my forward progress and instead flattened myself against the closest stone, Aiden at my back. Guess the stallion wanted to dispatch the faelah first. Who was I to argue?
With efficient grace, Lasair crushed the rotten creatures under his heavy feet and came trotting up to me, throwing his head back and digging at the earth with his hoof.
I stepped away from Aiden and the rock, crossing my arms and wincing against the lingering pain in my injured arm and leg.
"I told you to leave this place!" I demanded, though I couldn't hide the raw joy I felt at seeing him.
He tossed his head again and then nickered, as if reminding me I was wasting time.
"You're right," I breathed.
Grabbing his mane, I pulled myself into the saddle and then reached out a hand to Aiden. My brother gave me a wary look and swallowed hard, his aqua eyes filled with fear.
"Aiden, this is Lasair. He's my horse here in Eile and he is very smart."
When my brother remained where he was, I tried again. "He won't hurt you, he only kills faelah."
Lasair rumbled and lowered his nose to try and sniff at my brother.
Please Aiden, I whispered into his mind, Cade needs our help.
Taking a deep breath, Aiden stepped forward and reached out a tentative hand. I didn't give him a chance to change his mind. With a sharp tug, he was atop Lasair and sitting in front of me.
"Let's go!" I shouted, giving the red stallion full permission to head westward towards the epic battle that awaited us. As we left the canyon and rocky hillside behind, another screech filled the air and the sting of tears broke free of my eyes as Meridian landed on my shoulder.
"Does no one listen to me?" I sobbed as she nibbled at my ear.
Protect, she insisted. Never leave.
I hugged Aiden close as Meridian took off again, screaming her own battle cry as she led the way. I wanted my friends to be safe and I was unhappy that they hadn't listened to me, but I was also happier than ever to see them.
Luckily, the time it took us to breach the distance between the Morrigan's hold and the dolmarehn was so brief with Lasair running at full speed, I didn't have too much time to think about all that could go wrong now that everything was coming to a head. After what seemed like an eternity of monotonous landscape, the flat terrain began to lift into a patch of small hills. I knew the dolmarehn that would take us to the edge of the Morrigan's realm couldn't be more than a mile away now.
"Almost there," I breathed, pulling Aiden close.
As we crested one final hilltop, Lasair slowed to a stop and whinnied in distress. Far below us all hell was breaking loose. Literally. We couldn't have been more than fifty feet up, but on the flat plain spread out before the looming dolmarehn in the distance, a sea of carnage awaited our arrival.
For several heart-wrenching minutes I simply sat in Lasair's saddle, my mind numb as my eyes scanned the battlefield, seeking out those I held closest to my heart. Donn's Dotarbh dominated the scene, their black shapes barreling through faelah and Faelorehn alike, trying to cause the most damage. Quickly, I located most of the Tuatha De: Lugh using his Spear from horseback, impaling faelah like marshmallows, their rotted corpses going up in flames and burning away as soon as their flesh touched the wood of his magical weapon. Epona, in her horse form, stood out like a beacon, her pale coat and mane stained with the dark blood of faelah. The equine goddess and her fellow horses used their teeth and powerful legs to bring down the enemy. Lasair let out an eager whicker as he watched his friends run down and destroy any faelah standing in their path.
"Alright Lasair," I growled softly, sliding off his back before helping Aiden down.
I quickly removed the stallion's saddle, then his bridle. Before he took off, he turned to give me one last appraising look.
"Be careful," I murmured as moisture pooled in my eyes.
He tossed his head, then let out his own battle cry before charging down the hill. I wiped away the tears and made sure one of my hands held Aiden's tightly before I returned my attention back towards the fight.
The sights, sounds and smells of conflict bombarded my senses. The screams and roars of animals and Faelorehn alike scraped at my ears and forced goose bumps to break out on my skin. Death, its aggressive smell akin to a malicious parasite, made me sick to my stomach, and the grand image of suffering all around me, like a serial killer's slide show gone berserk, was almost enough to make me turn tail and run. But I couldn't. My loved ones were down there and if that wasn't enough to motivate me, I had that bone to pick with the Morrigan and the conviction that the Tuatha De needed me if they wanted to win this fight.
Gritting my teeth, I continued my search. I wasn't doing anything until I found Cade, so I kept scanning the ongoing carnage, holding my breath and hoping to see some sign of the one I loved the most. I spotted the Dagda and my mother next, both of them on horseback and holding their own. The Dagda used a great battle axe to take out his enemy, while my mother threw arcs of magic that blasted the faelah into clouds of black dust.
A sharp scream followed by the tell-tale thlunk of several arrows striking flesh jerked my attention to the small patch of trees off to the left. I squinted, then grinned when I spotted Enorah and her archers in the branches of the trees, picking off faelah with arrows. Good. She was still in the fight and still alive. But where was Cade . . . ?
My eyes darted around frantically, but it wasn't long until they came to a screeching halt. Just at the base of our small hill, something large and dark rose above all the dead monsters surrounding it. The Morrigan. She sat astride a great horse. No, not a horse, but a faelah that looked like a horse. She wielded a curved, black sword and the sleeves of her dress were torn away. Wild, unfettered bloodlust gleamed in her scarlet eyes and the skirts of her dress billowed around her like a black cloud of death.
Ice pooled in my stomach and I forced my hands to stop shaking. I could not lose it now.
Something big slammed into the goddess's demon horse and she was thrown from its back, only to land soundly, her sword ready to do more damage. I watched in horror, unable to look away, as she mowed down men and women with that weapon of hers. When someone wearing the uniform of the Dagda's guard caught the sword on the handle of his axe and tore it from her hands, she simply threw the smoky edge of her skirts over him, the black substance sucking the life right out of him and making him age before my eyes. When the Morrigan pulled her skirts back, nothing but dust and a bleached skeleton remained.
"Meghan!"
The familiar, guttural roar dragged my attention away from the slaughter. My eyes flashed to the left and my bones almost melted. Cade.
He was coming out of his riastrad, his arms shrinking to their normal size, his huge frame returning to its usual proportions. He looked utterly spent and he stumbled as he tried to make his way towards me. Too much blood. There was too much blood covering his body and I could only pray it wasn't all his.
The Morrigan stopped dead in her tracks. She had been busy burning her way through a group of soldiers wearing Lugh’s colors. I looked up and gritted my teeth. They were in the way of a direct path to Cade. The scorn and malice that gleamed red in her eyes only confirmed my suspicions. She wasn’t even botheri
ng to check and see if she had killed any of her adversaries; she was far too intent on getting to her son.
Over my dead body, I thought with fury. I took in a deep breath and let my magic grow and surge. Aiden clung to me, but I felt him tense up, as if he were about to bolt.
Once her path was clear, the Morrigan gave her son one hard look, then followed his gaze up to where it rested on me and Aiden. As the shock rippled over her face, pure hatred and anger took its place. Her ruby eyes darted between Cade and I, and before Cade could close the gap between us, the goddess spoke a string of ancient words and sent the edges of her living skirts unfurling towards her son. The black cloud pooled at his feet and began climbing up his legs. He stopped mid-stride and lifted his hands to his throat, gasping for breath as the Morrigan continued her chant, her words becoming lost in the cries and screams of the battle still going on all around them.
"No!" I screeched. My magic reacted with me, bursting forth and saturating my every cell.
Not yet, I told it, let me get her a little closer first . . .
"Morrigan!" I shouted even louder.
This time she heard me. Jerking as if she'd been slapped, Cade's mother dropped her magical hold on her son and whipped her head around. As soon as the Morrigan's attention was on me, Cade fell to his knees, coughing to catch his breath, the aftermath of his battle fury having sapped all his energy. A few faelah noticed he was down, but out of nowhere something white blurred by and attacked. Fergus. A small flush of relief joined the rush of my magic as the wolfhound made mincemeat out of the Morrigan's abominations. Good. He would keep Cade safe for now. As the magic in my veins pulsed and cried out for action, I turned quickly to Aiden who had remained plastered to my side.
No more self-control, no more holding back. This was it. The final hour. My final dance with the woman who had been making my life miserable for the past two years. This ended, right now.
Taking a breath, I crouched down so that Aiden and I were eye to eye. Speaking into his mind, I tried my best to make my shil-sciar words seem calm, controlled.
Aiden, this is it. I'm going to use my power to try and end this. I'd send you away if I could, but I don't know where you could go that would be safe at this point.
Aiden's eyes grew large and worried and he shook his head.
No, listen, okay?
I had to take a few deep breaths to gather my bearings. I needed my brother to hide Cernunnos's magic; to create a shield of his own glamour to stretch around me as I allowed it to bloom to its full extent. This way the Morrigan would only be focused on his magic and not mine, and if I could gather Cernunnos's power and throw it at her in one large blast, I might just be able to obliterate her. But if I told Aiden about my extra glamour, then I would break my geis. How ironic it would be, to make it this far and lose everything. I gritted my teeth. The magic had to be hidden from the Morrigan. She had to believe I only had my little bit to use against her. The element of surprise would not be there if I revealed my extra glamour too soon.
Think Meghan, think . . . What did Cernunnos say to you? About your geis, about his magic, about not telling a single person . . . And then it dawned upon me, like brilliant, pure golden light bursting through an ocean of storm clouds after a week of rain. His words came rushing back to me: You cannot tell a single Faelorehn man or woman Meghan . . . That's right, I couldn't, and Cernunnos had told me this twice. Why? Because he'd wanted me to remember his exact words. I couldn't tell any Faelorehn men or women about my gift, but he hadn't said I couldn't tell any Faelorehn children . . .
I quickly turned my attention back on Aiden, the ridiculous urge to smile like an idiot flitting across my mind. Unfortunately, my intense fear and anxiety pulled the plug on that plan. Taking a deep breath, I prepared the words in my mind. Well, here goes, I told myself.
I have my magic Aiden, I sent to him, but I also have someone else's magic as well. I'm going to let it free, and I'm not sure what will happen, but I want you to stay by my side.
I paused for a moment to take a shaky breath, realizing that I had to use everything I had to make sure the Morrigan didn't rise again this day. It meant risking more than I was willing to sacrifice. It meant taking the chance that my own flame of magic might burn out, but as I cast one more glance over my shoulder to survey the fight below me, I also realized that this might be the only way to save Danua, the Dagda, Aiden . . . Cade.
A light touch pulled my thoughts back up to the hilltop. Aiden had placed a hand on my shoulder.
Don't worry Meggy, he whispered into my mind. I'll protect you.
I pulled my brother close, fighting the warning in my head that kept telling me not to do this, not to risk my own life. But I had no other choice. I would not lose Cade again, nor would I lose Aiden or anyone else if I could help it. I drew in a deep breath, my body shuddering as I did so. I had to make a sacrifice, and the only sacrifice I could live with would be one of my own offering.
I glanced over my shoulder and checked on the Morrigan's slow climb up the low hill. Her immense power was gathering and crackling around her like a scarlet web of electricity; her skirts of smoke and death billowing out over the ground, smothering anything that dared approach.
Meggy? Aiden asked, his own silent words tainted with terror.
I closed my eyes and let the tears fall silently as the clash and shouting of battle continued to rage on just below us.
It’ll be okay Aiden, but you have to do exactly what I say, okay?
He nodded and hugged me closer. A twinge of bitterness coursed through me, matching the tingle of the magic I was building up in my blood. I had to push it away. It would do me no good to reflect on what I was being forced to give up. No. I would not dwell on regrets.
I knelt down on the damp grass and looked Aiden in the eye. I’m going to use my magic to stop all this, I repeated as the first icy raindrop fell from the black clouds above, but I need your help.
Aiden nodded, his dark hair ruffling in the wind.
Remember what I taught you about your magic? How you can never let the candle go out?
He nodded again.
And remember how I showed you how to build a shield with that magic?
Yes.
Good. I blinked hard and took a deep breath.
How is all this possible Meggy? Why do we have this magic? Does anyone else have it?
I knew he meant the rest of our family in the mortal world. Biting my lip, I shook my head. I reached up and placed my hand on his cheek. Just us buddy, and when this is all over, I'll explain it to you. But first I have a job to do and so do you. I need you to build a shield and I want you to place it around both of us. But Aiden, you must never, ever, let your candle go out. That is the most important thing. Do you promise me to never let the candle flame go out?
I knew my fingers dug into his arms, but I could not loosen my hold.
Yes Meggy, I promise I won’t let my candle go out.
I pressed my head against his small chest and murmured, “Thank you Aiden.”
Then I pulled back and reached my hands up, lifting the mistletoe charm from around my neck. I never took it off anymore, but today I had good reason to.
This was the first thing Cade ever gave me from the Otherworld. It is a charm to protect you against evil. I want you to have it.
Aiden shook his head fiercely. You need it to keep safe.
No. I have my torque, see? I brushed my fingers against the smooth metal.
Reluctantly, Aiden took the necklace and looped it over his head.
I stood and carefully removed Enorah's dagger from its hiding place. I remembered what Cade had said to me long ago, about how magic was more potent when the barrier between blood and skin was breached. Despite the wounds I'd received from the Cumorrig in the Morrigan's cave, I didn't think they were enough.
“Look Aiden, look at how dark the sky is over there. I think I saw some lightning."
Once he turned away, I dug the sharp edge of the
dagger into my arm. I gasped, but bit my lip so I wouldn’t cry out. I made several more cuts, two at the base of my neck, two on my palms and one on each of my forearms. I could feel the blood trickling over my skin and I could smell the metallic tang of it. But I could also see the pale blue aura of my glamour gathering around me like a small storm. And for the first time since acquiring it, I allowed the magic Cernunnos had given me to join my own. It flowed free, an exhilarating, cooling rush of darker blue as the rose burst into bloom. The strength behind the antlered god's glamour made me gasp, but I refused to give it full control, at least not yet. Behind Aiden's shield, away from the Morrigan's immediate sight, I let my magic and the foreign magic build and grow until it nearly consumed me. I had one shot to end the Morrigan's assault for good, and I couldn't blow it.
I took Aiden’s hand, my own bloody from the cuts I'd made.
His blue-green eyes held concern, but I smiled at him as the tears gathered in his eyes once more.
Now Aiden, keep the shield nice and strong. But remember, never let your candle flame go out.
What about your candle Meggy?
I gritted my teeth and fought the tremor that tried to take over me.
Don't you worry about my candle Aiden. You just take care of yours.
“Hold onto me Aiden," I breathed down to him in my best big sister voice, ending our silent conversation, "hold onto me no matter what and when I say let go, I want you to let go of me but keep the shield of magic over yourself, okay?”
His bottom lip quivered, but he sniffled and nodded, then buried his face into my side. Taking a deep breath, I sent a prayer out to the spirits of Eile and then I turned and faced the Morrigan once more.
My power crackled down my arms, making the small hair stand on end, and a supernatural wind stirred around me, but the goddess of death was undeterred. Pure fury engulfed her, her black skirts like a great cloud of death and strife spreading out behind her, the dark tendrils of smoke seeking out new souls to ensnare as she finally breached the crest of the small hill.
Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy Page 33