A Banshee's Tale

by Veronica Breville

  On the plane, waves of nausea overcame me as we waited for takeoff, but the feeling was somehow not mine. I glanced to the side and saw Anna looking quite undone. The longer I stared, the greener she became and the more flips my stomach turned. I was feeling her anxiety and fear again.

  What is this connection we shared?

  Her hand was clammy and cool when I grabbed it. I tried to remember how I had calmed her in the dank corridor of Dullahan hideout. Concentrating on making my own feelings of nausea subside and forming a peaceful cocoon around us, I continued holding her hand until I saw her relax.

  “Thank you again, Catherine. You seem to be my key to relaxation. Do you mind holding my hand for a while longer?”

  “Not a problem. When the plane takes off and leaves the ground, you will feel a bit goofy in the middle but focus on me instead of that feeling, okay?”

  Closing her eyes tightly she replied, “Mm hmm.”

  Zane stretched around her to shoot me a reassuring smile, making my insides flutter as they had from the very moment I had met him.

  Taxiing down the runway, feeling the pull of gravity as the wheels left the ground, I tightened my grip on Anna’s hand to remind her to concentrate on that and that alone. For the most part, it worked and once we were airborne she settled in and slept, as did Zane. I had insisted he take something for his flying issue before we took off, rather than drinking himself into a dazed and sleepy stupor, and he agreed with no resistance at all.

  While my companions slept, I turned all my new knowledge over in my head.

  1. The Badbeh had henchmen, the Dullahan, and they were vile and not terribly bright.

  2. The Dullahan had lackeys, the Grogoch, to which Batty belonged... not so scary, but I was not sure they could be trusted, although I trusted Batty implicitly for a reason I hadn’t figured out.

  3. The Badbeh and their legion of otherworldly creatures were after me. Now they wanted me more than ever because I had taken back their most treasured and feared prize... Anna.

  Making sense of it all would take a lot of research and time. I also had to worry about Anna. She had been taken before her transformation, but in the two days since our escape, I had noticed her youthful face gaining the faintest signs of age. I had to wonder if the enchantment merely kept her from aging while there.

  Always more questions than answers, always. When I answered one of the questions on my very long list, there were two more waiting in the wings to replace it. Bah!

  Falling asleep somewhere over the Atlantic, I dreamed of Millie and the earthen fortress that Anna had called home for so long. The beauty and mystery of Ireland, painted in vibrant shades of green, filled my dream and brought with it a longing to belong to the land, to be a part of it. Or perhaps I was a part of it already and the song the land sang called me home, back to where my ancestors were born and died. The thrill of pain and terror, beauty and magic, love and betrayal played around me like some warped Broadway musical and pulled me further and further into the mythology. No, reality, that was my ancestry. Music as sweet as a warm summer day carried me to the shores of the sea and into the loving embrace of the seals that dwelled on the volcanic sand beaches. I lay down in the middle of them as they shed their satiny skin and became human. The scene was familiar and frightening at the same time, but the music lulled me to sleep as the seal-humans came closer to me with hands outstretched and fingers aching to touch me. Their true identity was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t find it inside of me to care enough to search the corridors of my mind for the answer. The closer they came the more frightened I was, but I couldn’t move, my limbs were pinned to the sand by hands made of black mist.

  The most beautiful creatures I had ever seen were attached to those hands. Hair the color of coal shined with a blue tint in the fading sun. Their skin was as white as bone, but it didn’t appear solid and their eyes were endless pits of nothingness. Flat and dead. As I stared into those dead eyes, their appearance rippled like waves on a beach and changed their once flawless skin into a sallow, hollow mess of skin hanging on bone. Their hair was no longer lustrous and long but rather jagged and torn out in patches, exposing bits of their yellowish skull beneath. They were hideous and capable of transforming into whatever it was they needed to be to make an impact on the person they wanted to control. Innately, I knew what these abominations were. The things holding me down were the Badbeh and with that realization came the sudden knowledge of my who my creeping attackers were.

  When I was young my father told me of a magical people that came from the sea, the Selkie. To a mere mortal, they appeared to be a normal seal, but they had the ability to shed their skin and live on land. They were beautiful creatures, which caused many a human to fall in love with them. Hearts were often broken because the Selkie couldn’t bear to live on land for very long. The ocean called to them, and without its loving embrace they became sad and eventually died. This, however, didn’t stop humans from doing the only thing they could to keep their love from the sea. If you could steal a Selkie’s sealskin, then it would have no ability to return to its home among the waves. I don’t recall my father ever mentioning that these creatures were a malevolent sort, but as I focused on the scene surrounding me, I felt nothing but hate and anger. These Selkies were real, and in addition to being evil, they were hungry. Like all living things, there were good versions and bad... and these were decidedly the bad version, and the Badbeh meant for me to be their dinner.

  Armed with the knowledge that this was all some sort of warped dream most likely meant to scare me, I pulled myself up through the vaporous hands holding me down and flew over the ocean to once again occupy my body in the seat of the plane, leaving the horrific wails of the Badbeh and Selkie behind me.

  Tremors racked me as I woke from the dream, or whatever it was, and alerted Anna to my discomfort.

  “I was there with you, you know,” she whispered.

  Startled by Anna’s voice I turned to look at her. “You were? I didn’t see you.” I wondered quietly why that had been, although when I had started to pull away I felt a power surge similar to the one I had felt when we pooled our resources to open the knoll door. “Were you afraid or comforted by the music?”

  “A little of both. It started out so peacefully but the tone of the song became morbid, although you didn’t seem to notice.”

  “More questions that will need answers, I’m afraid. From now on, remind me to be careful of my dreams.” A humorless chuckle ripped from my throat as I considered the complication this might mean for me. Lack of sleep equaled a cranky Guide, maybe Millie would have something to help me. More questions indeed.

  The announcement of our landing on US soil elicited a sigh of relief from me and a groan of sleepiness from Zane. Anna was alert and tense, even while concentrating on my hand in hers, and I understood it was less about landing and more about meeting her new family.

  “We still have a short flight to Kansas City and then a drive to Council Grove to go before you need worry about being bombarded with unwanted hugs and attention,” I said with a kind smile.

  Her eyes wide, trying to imagine how I could have discerned all that from a mere hand squeeze, she replied, “Hugs, truly? They don’t even know me, why would they want to show me any kind of affection? Your attempt to save me almost cost you and Mr. Zane your lives.”

  “Your saving was just a by-product of our attempt to put me back together. I must say, though I had seen you before I was surprised to find you in the same room, and from that point I knew I wouldn’t leave there without you. You have invaded my dreams since I was little. I’m sure saving you is one of my life’s missions. Keeping you safe is surely another, but being able to call you sister, as I hope you will one day allow me, will be a privilege and honor that no words can describe.” I wiped a rogue tear from my eye as I said this, only then realizing why our connection
seemed so strong. Fate, the word I loathed, had brought this girl into my life, and I intended on seeing that she would never be taken from me. She was my sister, not blood related perhaps but my sister all the same.

  “Sister it is, and I am equally as privileged and honored to consider you the same. Together we are stronger than apart. Would you consider being my teacher when it is my time to fill my role as Guide?”

  “As much as I would like to say yes, I am still but a novice. I think the best teacher you could have is my aunt. But I will remain by you throughout your training; that I can promise.” I squeezed her hand before standing to walk the aisle of the plane.

  After using my mind trick to get us through customs, we ran through the crowd forming in the terminal to catch our flight to Kansas City. We settled in for the short flight with little time to spare, deciding to discuss what Anna could from my family for the drive home.

  After another landing, we were back in Kansas. The familiar terrain of my home sped past as we drove toward Council Grove. Anna was all eyes and began her barrage of questioning all over. With all the sleep Anna and Zane had gotten on the plane and my reluctance to close my eyes, afraid of what sleeping might mean, we arrived at my parents’ house full of energy.

  Having contacted my aunt before we left Ireland and informing her of our extra passenger, she had wasted no time filling in the rest of my family. My entire family had turned out for our homecoming, and as they all rushed us like a pack of linebackers at a free buffet, Anna took shelter sandwiched between Zane and me.

  “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Catherine! I thought you would never come home. Don’t worry yourself over filling us in, Lucie did the honors already. Is this the lovely young Anna we’ve heard so much about?” my mother cooed, effectively wrenching Anna from us and wrapping her up in her arms.

  Anna stiffened on impact, melting into my mother’s arms only after she found my gaze and I smiled. Once relaxed she looked as if she had always belonged there. I winked at her to let her know this was just my mother’s way, and she allowed herself to be led into the house.

  Spying my aunt at the back of the bunch, I rushed to her and threw my arms around her. “Oh, how I’ve missed you bossing me around. I actually had to think for myself and solve my own problems... good thing I have an awesome teacher. Oh, and speaking of great teachers, I think I have a new student for you.”

  “Oh, you! I’ve already been doing research so I will be prepared, but by the looks of it I won’t need to worry for some time now,” she said, hugging me back with equal intensity.

  “I don’t know about that. I’ve witnessed subtle changes that hint her age is progressing rather fast. I just hope she doesn’t bypass the transformation completely and become an old woman within the year.” My tone took on a note of seriousness, prompting my aunt to raise her eyebrow in response.

  “We’ll have to observe her closely and keep her apprised of the situation; it is her body, after all. Your mother should know what is happening, as well. Seems she has already endeared herself to Moira. A little more estrogen in that house can’t hurt.” Her eyes twinkled and she laughed, instantly lightened my mood.

  “Remind me to tell you about Millie, our new friend in Ireland. Talk about a character! And she’s very talented, if you know what I mean.” I winked.

  My parents’ house smelled just the way it always had, and I breathed in the comforting aroma deeply. I was surrounded by those I loved and wanted to savor this one moment, completely unremarkable to an outsider but full of satisfaction for me. One by one, we filed into the small living room. All eyes were on Anna, Zane, and me, waiting to hear the entire story in detail, but all I could do was smile.

  After a lifetime of answering questions and reliving the harshest days of my life to this point, we were carted off to our respective rooms to relax. Mom had set Anna and me up in my old room, knowing she would be more comfortable with me at her side and not wanting to let me out of her sight just yet. She had also informed Zane that he would be staying with us in my brother, Orin’s room. My father looked a bit green at this revelation but took it in his stride as he knew it was for our protection. Zane followed my aunt back to town, to the house we had both called home for a short time before my mishap, to get our things and bring them back. Things were shaping up just as I had hoped they would and that pleased me.

  I fell asleep after Zane had returned, sneaking in a chaste kiss in the hall before anyone could catch us. I clutched Anna’s hands as I drifted to sleep, feeling deliriously happy. The comforts of my life before becoming a Guide surrounded me. Anna had fallen into my family like a perfectly shaped puzzle piece. All in all, it was a good homecoming and the future, while still mired in myth and monsters, seemed a lot brighter.

  The morning sun filtered through the filmy curtain and announced a new day. Lying beside me, as she had every day since her liberation, was Anna. Slowly, she eased her eyes open, looking around the room as if she were trying to remember where she was. The awareness inched across her face until a glorious smile lit her face.

  She was happy to be here, not scared or uncomfortable, but truly happy.

  “What should I call your mother?” she asked dreamily as she sat up.

  “I suppose you should ask her. I imagine she will tell you to call her whatever makes you comfortable, but she relishes her title as mom of all who enter her home.” I laughed. My mother would never expect more that Anna could give, but I was sure she hoped that eventually Anna would come to think of her as her mother.

  “I’ll ask her. I’ve been without my mother for so long it would be nice to know there is someone out there who wants to fill that spot. Being here makes me miss my parents so much. I hope I can find out about their lives someday.” Her face was drawn and pale and a single tear escaped the corner of her eye.

  “Don’t cry, Anna.” I tried to soothe her with gentle strokes across her back, but her tears didn’t let up. “I’m sure your parents never stopped searching for you, and I know they loved you till the very end. I can only tell you that my parents will treat you as their own but will never try to take the place of the parents you were so wrongly taken from.”

  “Thank you again, Catherine. Being here is truly helping me; I can feel it deep inside.” She wiped her face and raised her chin. “Will your aunt be here today as well?”

  “She mentioned coming out today so that we could start some research. We also mean to talk about you. Have you noticed feeling different since you left the Dullahan hideout?”

  Biting her lip, she shrugged. “That is why I wondered if your aunt would be here. You mentioned that she was your teacher and had a great knowledge of our people, so I thought she might be able to tell me why I seem to be growing up overnight. I feel older than I did before. I haven’t looked at myself yet, but I imagine I look older, too.”

  “Yes, I’ve noticed that, as well. The research I mentioned was to find some answers for you. For now we need to keep a close eye on you... you are over one hundred years old, after all. Aunt Lucie will answer any other questions she can, as well,” I reassured.

  This would be a lengthy process, I was sure, and I just hoped we would be able to find something out before her body aged too much.

  As the days grew shorter and colder, our family ties grew stronger. Needing a history for Anna and explanation for her arrival, my parents decided that she would be the orphan daughter of a cousin. Knowing everyone thought my parents virtual saints for having raised four boys and a strange daughter, it didn’t seem odd that they would take on another child. Everyone thought it best to keep her out of the public eye until we knew how far her aging would advance, giving the excuse that she was sickly and needed to stay indoors. I decided to stay home for a few weeks to help her get acclimated to the new modern times and her new home.

  Mom reveled in her duties as teacher and mother—things that came as
natural to her as breathing—and Anna was content to be showered with love and affection daily. My mother made it her mission to fatten up Zane, which caused much grumbling on his part. He said he wouldn’t be able to protect me if he couldn’t see his feet. We settled back into a normal life, well, normal by our standards.

  Will was my one outside constant throughout all of this. The first time he met Anna, Will had looked at her strangely before commenting that he felt something akin to déjà vu. Of course his sweet demeanor and winning smile put her at ease immediately, and when she met Emma, I thought I might lose my new sister to my best friend and his girlfriend.

  Emma and I did indeed take Anna shopping. On one such trip, with Zane trailing behind us at a respectable distance so Emma was none the wiser, we introduced Anna the confusing world of the young male mind. She had matured to a girl of about thirteen and was awed by everything around us. Emma and I were constantly taking her hand and putting it down at her side as she’d taken to pointing at any strangely dressed person she saw. It was a bit like taking a five-year-old out. Loaded down with our purchases, we walked to the food court for some lunch. Knowing that Zane was watching us, I decided it was safe to get my food while Emma helped Anna. I had already loaded a fork up with a bite of the burrito I’d picked when I saw a stunned looking Anna trailing a laughing Emma. My brow shot up in question as Emma sat their trays down on the table. “What’s up, Anna? You look a little startled.”