Awakening - The Morrigan Chronicles

by N. A. Montgomery

  I rolled my eyes and got back into the fight. I took down two more, getting back into my stride.

  I looked to see Cian struggling to fight off three that had him cornered. I ran with all my speed and slashed them all through the Achilles. As they fell Cian stabbed their eyes.

  “Those count as mine, and I should get double points for saving your sorry ass,” I said as I headed back to the fight. I could feel his smile even though I never looked back.

  I couldn’t help myself but add, “And you’re welcome!”

  Cian fell in next to me and we continued fighting. We slashed our way to the throne where the King sat watching, as if it were a show. A guard stood on each side of him, the carnage of their people not affecting them in any way.

  Emrys was beside me as we advanced towards the King.

  The King stood and laughed. “No worries, boys. Now we each get a whole one to eat. A great feast indeed!”

  The guards snorted and grunted laughter. There was no joy in their voices. If there was a sound to define wicked that was it.

  The King said, “I am not weak like the rest of these fools. I am not King for nothing!”

  Emrys, always the inquisitive one, couldn’t help himself. “You have to answer me one question before this ends. We learned that it’s the blood of your people that enchants weapons dipped in them to kill the Gods. How did that come to be?”

  The King looked baffled that this man was asking such a question when he was surely going to face death. He obviously didn’t know Emrys. Even if Emrys believed that he really was going to die, he’d still rattle off at least twenty questions.

  The King’s bulbous eye squinted at him. “What the hell. You will die anyway. Long ago one of our Goddesses fell in love with me.”

  The look of disgust on Cian’s face distracted the King. “What? I’m very handsome and charismatic.”

  Cian shook his head. The King went on. “She had told me about the unrest of the Gods. She warned me that something was going on and that someone with great magic from another realm could help. A witch was brought here and she promised she could create a weapon that would kill a God, but it would come at a price. I didn’t ask the cost. We needed something to protect ourselves. She performed a ritual and that was that. It’s our blood. Not just a little blood either. Although it only takes a little of our blood to coat a weapon and it only needs to be coated once for it to always be a God killer, it has to come from one of us that was completely drained.”

  The King was mad from centuries of famine, thirst, and the demise of his people. He was wicked and cruel, no doubt. But in that moment the madness had lifted and I saw only his pain.

  The King shook off the lucidity and trained his eye on me. He raised his hands above his head and a massive ball of white fire began to grow.

  He growled, “I told you I was not King for nothing!”

  The ball had grown to at least twenty feet in diameter and it shot straight for us faster than we would be able to move. We would not make it.

  Emrys threw up a shield and dissipated the fire. The instant it burned out he unleashed a wave of the same white fire back at the King and the guards. The King had no shield. The fireball hit them squarely. Their gargled screams only lasted an instant. They fell and smoldered, and the fire burned out as their lives did.

  Emrys fell to the ground.

  I was on him immediately. “Emrys, take some of my energy. Take it, damn it. You need it.”

  He placed his weak hand on my shoulder. “Bitch, I’m planning on it,” he said wearily with a half-hearted laugh.

  I teared up laughing. I always felt better when he was being his sassy self. I felt the pull and drain on my power.

  Emrys sat up, still very weak.

  “You didn’t take enough,” I urged, embracing him.

  “I took enough to stay alive. We’re the only living creatures in this realm. As long as I don’t have to blast,” he paused, rolling his eyes playfully at Cian, “anyone anytime soon. I just need to rest. I’ll be fine.”

  Cian kneeled down next to us. “Everyone is dead. There is no more threat. By now Neil has taken the sword safely back. Emrys, you rest as long as you need. Morrigan and I will try to find something to put the blood of the Godless in.”

  Emrys shook his head. “We need as much as we can get, and how are we going to travel a full day, even when I’ve regained my strength, with all of it? No, that won’t work.”

  Cian tilted his head. “Then what? You want to not take it?”

  Emrys shook his head in protest. “No, not what I meant. I have an idea. Morrigan, you’re not going to like it, but it’s the only viable option.”

  I held my breath but said nothing, so he could continue.

  “Cian, I am too weak at the moment, but if you let me draw on your power I can reverse the Cup of Plenty. Instead of pouring an unending supply of water from it, we can put all the blood we want into it. So it’s an unending container of sorts.”

  Emrys was right. I didn’t like the thought of him doing something that would drain him even more. I knew he would take little of Cian’s power and use most of his own. Fear bubbled up into my throat.

  Cian pulled the Cup of Plenty from the tattoo on his arm. “Use as much of my power as you need. We need every drop of their blood we can gather.”

  I sat there feeling helpless, staring at them. They held hands, looking at one another. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. Emrys had asked Cian to let him speak into his mind and Cian had agreed. They were having a conversation that I couldn’t hear. The only reason Emrys wouldn’t want me to hear it was because he thought this was dangerous.

  “No!” I screamed.

  I hadn’t stopped screaming before it began. Both of their eyes had turned white. The cup rose into the air, a golden glowing halo radiating from it. Blood from the room began to form spiraling spinning droplets in the air. The blood that was on the floor, the blood that was still in their bodies, the blood that was in our cell streamed into the room. The spiral spun faster and faster until it looked like a giant tornado overhead. I looked away from it at Emrys and Cian. They hadn’t moved. The bottom point of the blood tornado spun until it hovered above the Cup and as the white disappeared from both Emrys and Cian’s eyes the blood drained into the Cup.

  It fell to the ground with a clang as the two men’s bodies slumped over. I was on Emrys in an instant. He was breathing, thank the Creator. I could hear his heartbeat. It was weak. I cried and tried to push my magic into him, but I only have a little magic compared to the great Druid. I only prayed it helped. His heart began to beat more strongly. I could hear it. It wasn’t much, but it would have to suffice.

  Cian began to mumble incoherently.

  I went to him and knelt down. “Cian? Can you hear me? Are you okay?”

  He was barely audible, even to me. “Just need rest.”

  Then he passed back out. They were both alive, but on the brink of being lost. I had no idea if either of them would make it. I dragged both of them to a corner of the room and then grabbed the Cup. I sat with my back against the wall and both of their heads on my lap.

  Then I prayed and waited.

  Chapter 29

  I awoke with a start like I had been slapped. I opened my eyes quickly, looking around on full alert. I scanned the room. Nothing moved. Nothing had changed. A few dozen decaying Godless bodies littered the ground. It was the smell. They were putrid alive and rancid in death.

  I shook my head, trying to clear it. I looked down and Emrys and Cian’s heads still lay on my lap. I checked their pulses. Both were strong.

  I let out a breath that felt as though I’d been holding it a lifetime. Relief poured over me. They were resting and out of the reach of death.

  I gently ran my fingers through Emrys’ silken hair. His face was peaceful and I hoped he was having dreams of happier times while he healed.

  I stared down at Cian. How many times had we fought, trying to kill one
another? How strange it was to have him here now. I could slit his throat and be done with him forever. I didn’t need him anymore. Though I knew he was holding something back, I also knew he was not my enemy. Not at the moment, at least. I’d seen him as a devoted husband, loving father, caring son and brother. I hoped that he would not betray me and force me to kill him.

  As if he could hear my thoughts he stirred and his eyes opened. “Are you planning on slitting my throat in my sleep or are you going to lean down and gently kiss me?”

  “I’m leaning towards the throat slitting if those are my only options,” I said as I pushed his head off my lap and let it hit hard on the stone.

  He rolled to his side and rubbed his head as he sat up. “Too soon for jokes? Woman, I was just on the brink of death.” He gave me an exaggerated look of distress and said, “And all of this after I saved you from certain death.”

  “I believe I returned the favor,” I replied.

  He rubbed at his throat. “Right now I’m wishing we had not reversed the use of the Cup of Plenty. I’m dying of thirst. How long was I out? And for the love of the Creator what is that smell?”

  I nodded towards the pile of bodies. “This damn place. With no setting or rising sun I’m not sure how long we were out. I poured what power I had left into Emrys and passed out not long after that. I have no idea how long it was for, but judging by the decay of the bodies it’s been a while. But then again, I don’t know how this realm works. I’ve not been awake long.”

  “So we wait for Emrys to wake up and then head back?” Cian said, standing, stretching his body out.

  I gently sat Emrys’ head down so that I could stand. My joints had stiffened as well. “That’s the plan.”

  Cian lifted one side of his mouth into a smile. “Oh, so now you’re keen on having a plan.”

  He could be irritating and arrogant but I had to admit I enjoyed his wit at times. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, I suppose once in a while I’m good with a plan. But only on special occasions.”

  Cian laughed this time. “Why Red, I had no idea you actually had a sense of humor.”

  “Daur finds me rather hilarious, actually,” I said, beginning my training moves to further work out my muscles.

  Cian fell into the same rhythm and joined me. “Daur probably finds farts funny.”

  My smile betrayed me. Cian stopped to look at me as he said, “See! I’m right!”

  I continued going through the movements. “Yes, yes you’re right. Still doesn’t mean I’m not funny.”

  I felt a storm of emotion wash over me and said, “Wait until we get back. Now that I have the blood of the Godless on my sword, I’ll be damn-right fucking hilarious when I take Artaius’ head.”

  Cian grunted an affirmation but said nothing.

  Hours passed and Emrys still hadn’t awakened. Cian helped me carry him to the entrance of the palace, away from the stench of the dead Godless.

  He sat on the steps, letting his legs dangle. I sat down next to him. Far enough away so that he didn’t get any ideas.

  We stared out into the vastness. The sun hung unmoving in the sky. The lack of sound made my skin crawl. No breeze to rustle through the leaves. No animals scurrying around on the ground. Not even an insect to climb a blade of grass.

  “Is this what will happen to our world if we go to war with the Gods?” he said, not bothering to look at me.

  I scooted closer and put my hand on his shoulder. “Cian, we’ve fought for as long as I can remember. The Tuatha and the Fomoire. If we continue fighting this is exactly what will become of our world. We need to defeat Artaius and keep the Gods in our realm. We may need to kill some of them, but not all of them. There are many that are benevolent and couldn’t care less about us or the humans, but as long as we can keep the realm functioning we have a chance. I’d love nothing more than to take the heads from each and every one of them.”

  I removed my hand from his shoulder and rested it in my lap, still watching the horizon that seemed never to end.

  Cian stood and extended a hand to help me up. I let him.

  He said sternly, “Morrigan, we will not let this happen in our realm. I swear to you on my life, and all the lives lost to my people, we will work together to prevent this.”

  His voice dropped an octave and sounded guttural as he vowed, “But Artaius will die. He will pay for taking my wife, my child… my family.”

  “I pledge my sword and all my skill to help make that happen,” I replied.

  We both turned at the sound of footsteps.

  Emrys was standing, reaching his massive arms far above his head. “How long was I out?”

  I pointed to the sun. “Well when you passed out the sun was there. And when I awoke it was there. Oh and let’s see now it’s there. So my guess is, who the fuck knows.”

  Emrys walked up to me and kissed me on the forehead. “You are rather hangry so apparently it’s been a while.”

  “I’m hungry but not hangry,” I said, bumping my hip into him.

  He turned to speak to Cian as if I weren’t there. “She gets very hangry when you don’t keep her belly topped off. Always carry a protein bar or something with you because if she doesn’t eat she’s completely unbearable.”

  They laughed at my expense. I let them as I rolled my eyes.

  “Okay, Emrys is awake. We have quite a walk ahead of us. Any idea how we’re going to get through the big rock back to our realm?” I asked.

  Emrys of course had an answer. “Easy,” he said handing us each a stone. “The necklaces that the Godless wore had traveling stones on them. I took them while you were busy fighting.”

  “This is why I make you come with me,” I said, giving him a big kiss and wrapping my arms around him.

  Emrys had the cup in his hand. “Let’s get this back home.”

  Chapter 30

  The walk back to the rock seemed much longer. The hunger and thirst were making it a much slower trip. Emrys definitely wasn’t back to one hundred percent—not that Cian and I were—and he struggled with each step.

  Finally the giant rock came into view.

  Emrys stopped to speak. “We each have a traveling rock. If ever in the future we need to meet in a safe place we meet here. Keep it around your neck at all times.”

  Cian and I nodded. Emrys had a way of always being prepared and thinking ahead. I wondered if it was because he knew what was coming or if it was just experience. Probably both but the foreboding look on his face gave me an uneasy feeling.

  We each passed through the rock and came out through the Great Oak into Missouri. Our new home, as it were. I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sky. It was night. No sun hanging frozen in the sky. The breeze brushed over my face. After having been in a void for so long the sounds that surrounded us seemed almost overwhelming.

  Emrys put his hand on my shoulder. “Feels good to be back, doesn’t it.”

  “I’m starving and thirsty as shit, but I’ve never felt so happy,” I said sincerely.

  We had a long walk back to our home but our pace quickened, the life around us fueling our souls. Emrys seemed to be soaking it in with each step. His chest rose higher, his shoulders straightened. My heart felt good seeing him strong again.

  The large estate came into view. Lights illuminated the windows and judging from the moon’s position it was still before midnight. Judging by the moon… I loved this realm.

  We made our way quickly, even jogging until we came up the stairs to the massive oak double doors. I pushed them open and we entered the hall. None of us spoke but the other two followed me straight to the kitchen.

  When we got there I tossed them each two bottles of water and grabbed a couple for myself. We sat at the marble island chugging our water then began to reach into the Cauldron, pulling out everything we could think of.

  The island was covered in smoked venison, braised beef, roasted potatoes and carrots as well as salmon and kelp, the latter obviously being Cian’s ch
oice. We didn’t use plates or silverware. There were no manners to be seen.

  Daur entered the kitchen. “Holy shit, welcome back,” he said, pulling up a stool and helping himself to the feast we had laid out. He didn’t bother with utensils either, but that was nothing new.

  Finally, our thirst quenched and bellies full, we began to slow.

  Daur continued to stuff his face and in between bites said, “So when did you get back? And why aren’t you in the big meeting with the King and everybody right now?”

  He swallowed and added, “For fuck’s sake can you believe everything that’s happened in the past two days?”

  We looked at each other and rose without a word. We used the speed that only a supernatural had and raced to the King’s Library.

  I burst through the doors first and stood center. Cian and Emrys flanked me.

  We stood frozen for a moment, taking in the room. The large round table was occupied. Conall and Brian sat facing us. There were a few others I didn’t recognize. Neil sat with his back to us, his surprised face looking over his shoulder. The one that had us momentarily paralyzed was the figure that sat to Neil’s left. Artaius.

  Suddenly, gathering our wits as if on cue, Emrys shot a white fireball at him as Cian and I threw our Godless soaked knives directly towards Artaius’ head. The scene unfolded in slow motion. Neil jumped out of his chair and in midair turned into the largest werewolf I’d ever seen, landing right in front of Artaius. Protecting him. The fireball and our knives headed straight for the giant wolf’s head. He never moved. Never flinched. He braced, making himself even bigger, to ensure he would be the target and not Artaius. Within inches of Neil, or the wolf, hellhound, or whatever the fuck he was, the knives dropped to the ground and the fireball burned into nothing.

  Artaius stood and slowly began clapping his hands. I still stared at Neil in his hellhound form. Yes, hellhound, that was it. His red lifeless eyes stared at me. Teeth bared, with black ooze slowly dripping from them. The matted hair on the back of his neck and back stood at attention. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, though I know I heard Conall speaking.