Cill Darae

by Donald D. Allan

  As he ground the henbane leaves into the other herbs, he heard and felt the rest of the house waken and stir. In the other room, he heard Dempster shuffle into the kitchen and grunt when he found the stove already stoked and hot. It often was in the morning, Will rose earlier and earlier and always started up the stove. He drew strength from the land and found sleep nothing more than a distraction these days.

  Upstairs he heard Anne slipping out from under the bedcovers. The large warm spot beside her was cooling now that Dempster was downstairs. Will smiled, happy for the two of them. Little Frankie was fussing, and Anne scooped her up and headed to the changing table to clean her up.

  Also upstairs he could sense Nadine. Their bond burned bright white, and it led him to find her lying on their bed, on top of the covers, and wide awake. She was staring at the ceiling and Will knew she was watching him work in his laboratory—or his hideaway, as she sometimes called it.

  I see you, Nadine, spying on me again. Being sneaky?

  I’m not being sneaky.

  What are you doing then?

  Sneaking.

  Will laughed out loud, and he felt Dempster turn to the sound before resuming his task of frying up bacon.

  I love to watch you work, Will.

  Come down here and help me then.

  What? And get my hands all green? No, thank you. I’d rather just watch.

  Dempster is getting breakfast started. You could help him.

  No, thank you. I’m very busy at the moment.

  Busy?

  Yes, thinking up ways of bothering you later.

  Oh, really?

  Yes, just you wait, young man.

  Will shook his head in laughter and resumed his work. He allowed his thoughts to roam the realm and he paused in a southern forest to count the rabbit population. The foxes were decimating the numbers and soon the foxes would be looking for food elsewhere. He still hadn't come up with a solution, but for now he merely watched. I find it simpler to allow events to play out, eventually, as they often do, they sort themselves out...

  * * *

  Later, after breakfast was over, Will and Nadine remained at the kitchen table drinking tea that was now not nearly hot enough. Will gave his cup a little surge of his power and the cup in his hands grew warm enough that steam rose from the contents. Will frowned at his cup.

  “What’s wrong, Will?” asked Nadine looking from the cup to Will’s face.

  “Our power is a little different,” said Will. “Hard to describe. It just feels different.”

  “Hmm, yes. We’ve all noticed. It’s a little too quick. Too strong, at times.”

  “It has a different flavour,” mumbled Will, and he took a sip of his tea. It was blackcurrant, and he loved it. One of the draoi who had ventured up to Cala to spread Life Salt had brought it back. The draoi reported the city was still recovering from the horrors Katherine and Dog had unleashed. Will frowned at the thought. What they had done was unforgiveable. Draoi should never take lives. Gaea saw to that.

  Nadine had pursed her lips. “Different flavour… yes, I suppose it does at that.”

  They grew quiet in thought and were startled when someone knocked on the front door.

  Will looked at Nadine and then used his senses to probe for who was at the door. He was startled when no one was there. Nadine’s eyes widened. Anne trotted down the stairs and opened the door. They could hear her from the kitchen.

  “Oh, hullo Kennit. Will or Nadine expecting you?”

  “No, they are not.”

  “Well come in, they’re in the kitchen. Go on through.”

  “Thank you, Anne. How is Little Frankie?”

  “Good thanks. She loves the rattle you gave her. Thanks again.”

  “My pleasure. I made them often in Shape for the babies. Back when I was a simple carpenter.”

  Will and Nadine heard Kennit Doirich approach the kitchen. With their senses they could sense nothing of him. Even the draoi bond was gone. There should be threads of power going from Kennit to every other draoi in the realm. But there were none to find. Nadine was struggling to her feet just as Kennit entered the kitchen.

  Will stood up and moved beside Nadine and they stared at Kennit for a long moment. Kennit finally smiled and raised his arms up from his sides. "What do you think? Pretty neat, don’t you think? Here, watch this…"

  Will and Nadine were startled when the draoi bond to Kennit snapped back in place. Threads radiated out from him, one for each draoi. Immediately they could sense Kennit as they would any other draoi. They felt his heartbeat and his emotions, strong and familiar.

  Will was the first to speak. “How?”

  Nadine’s question followed her husband’s. “Why?”

  Kennit chuckled. “I’ve been experimenting with our new powers. There is so much more to learn. I thought that perhaps I could shield myself from the other draoi. It’s much simpler to do than you would think. It’s more about applying your will to the problem.”

  Will shook his head. “But the bond? Where did it go? We never even felt it disappear. We should have felt that!”

  Kennit smiled. “It’s still there. I just hide it. I turn it back on itself.”

  Nadine frowned. “Show us how. Demonstrate it.”

  Kennit's smile faltered. “I will, just let me work on it a bit more first.”

  Will noticed his bond to Kennit flicker ever so slightly and he looked closer. Just then a powerful pulse of Nadine's power washed over her bond with Kennit and she grabbed it. Will felt the shock back along his own bond. All the draoi felt it. I didn’t know you could grab the bond, thought Will.

  Nadine moved up to stand in front of Kennit. “You just lied, Kennit. Why would you lie to me, the Cill Darae? Or the Freamhaigh?”

  A flash of anger crossed Kennit's face and Will stared. The anger didn’t surprise him that much, but not sensing it across the draoi bond did. Nadine looked back at Will and Will could see the concern there. She was worried.

  Kennit stepped away from Nadine and held up his hands. “Another thing I’ve discovered. We can mask ourselves. Hide our emotions across the bond. It’s wonderful, don’t you think?”

  Nadine growled and pulled on the bond she held. “No, I do not. The draoi bond is part of who we are, why would you want to hide yourself from other draoi?”

  Will could see Kennit's discomfort with having his bond held to tightly by Nadine. Then Kennit scowled. “Have you forgotten the Purge? How the church used the bond to find other draoi? How about what Erebus and Katherine did across the bond? So many people in Belkin died from that pulse. We need to protect ourselves. I offer nothing more than that. I thought you would be pleased?”

  Nadine growled again and stepped closer to Kennit. “You weren’t even alive during the Purge. I was. How dare you accuse me of forgetting the loss of all my friends? The fight between Erebus and Katherine had nothing to do with the bond. You know that. This talent of yours, how many more know how to do this?”

  Kennit flinched when Nadine tugged the bond. “Just me.”

  Nadine hissed. “Again, you lie.” She looked back at Will. “Can you see it when he lies, Will?”

  Will knew what she was hinting at. When he lied, his bond flickered ever so slightly. Will nodded.

  Nadine turned back to Kennit. “Explain yourself.”

  Kennit frowned. “I don’t think so.”

  Nadine hissed. “Excuse me?” Will stepped forward to speak but stopped when Nadine raised a hand to forestall him. Nadine’s eyes bored into Kennit’s. “You are speaking to your Cill Darae.”

  Kennit looked Nadine up and down for a moment. “I see a draoi who didn’t listen to the other draoi. You let Gaea be destroyed. You murdered her! How could you do that?”

  Will was confused. He struggled to make sense of what Kennit was saying. When they had confronted and beat Erebus, they had been able to destroy him. Gaea's purpose had been to remove the threat of Erebus from the land. Now that her purpose had been
fulfilled, Gaea had asked to be removed from the world. Will had allowed the draoi to vote, against Nadine’s wishes. Will had wanted to allow Gaea to go, others had not. It was an even split. There were many of the draoi who almost worshiped Gaea. She had so drastically changed their lives that their love for her had known no bounds. When Will, as Freamhaigh, had allowed Gaea to be destroyed, the draoi had split in reaction. They called it the Gaea Decision. Kennit was one of the draoi who had been the angriest when she had been destroyed. He openly blamed Will and Nadine, despite Nadine having voted to keep Gaea. It was lost on the group that Gaea had asked to be destroyed. They chose their version of the truth and clung to it despite the facts and evidence. It was this fracture in the draoi that kept Will awake at nights.

  Nadine sighed and looked back at Will for a moment.

  This seemed to make Kennit angrier. In a blink his bonds disappeared and Nadine's hold was gone. He stormed out of the kitchen. They heard the front door open and slam closed. Out on the farm, Will could hear draoi calling out to Kennit, but Will could no longer sense him or where he was.

  Nadine reached out a shaking hand for the edge of the table and sank onto the bench seat. Will sat next to her. Across the draoi bond, they could sense the confusion from the draoi. Many had been focused on Kennit's bond and when it had disappeared questions poured in on Will and Nadine seeking answers.

  Nadine clutched Will’s hand. She felt her reach across their bond to him. Look at who responds. Which of the draoi ask questions. Mark those who are silent. Can you sense them?

  Will reached out and after a moment he nodded his head at Nadine. Will could feel the despair enter Nadine’s heart.

  We are fractured, Will.

  Kennit cursed and entered the barn. He went to the back and climbed up to the hay loft and sat heavily into the chair he kept there. The smell of hay soothed him and reminded him of his days in Shape. He had been one of many close friends of Eylene Kissane and often she had taken him into a barn to educate him in on the finer things in life.

  Memories of his times with her almost banished the dark thoughts he had at the moment. He cursed again and smacked his thigh in frustration. I let them see what I could do! How stupid!

  Kennit had only meant to speak to Will and Nadine about the draoi. Plans were already well in place, but he had wanted to give them an opportunity to see reason. Instead, I exposed my powers. It’s too soon. Too soon. I have to warn them.

  Kennit had been slowly exerting his influence over Will. He constantly wove his power into Will's and influenced the decisions he was making. For some reason, Nadine was able to resist his effort and it frustrated him. It was decided to divide Will from Nadine. It was slow and careful work. If he pushed too hard, Will would notice. Lana had found the knowledge to new and unknown draoi powers in the Device in the Chamber in Munsten. Their new knowledge would allow them to gain control of the realm and support Eylene in her goals. Meanwhile, Lana was doing the same thing to Brent and others in the Councils. Slowly they were separating Will from the draoi bond and Brent from making the right decisions. The two of them had the potential to thwart the plans which had begun so long ago in Shape by Eylene.

  He reached out across the draoi bond to Lana. He found her immediately, and she paused what she was doing to give him her full attention.

  What’s up, Kennit?

  I made a mistake.

  Mistake? What do you mean?

  I exposed my power to Will and Nadine.

  Lana said nothing. Kennit could feel her surprise and anger. After a moment, she responded. What happened?

  I approached them to speak to them. I hoped they would see reason.

  Reason? They have made their position clear. We spoke of this. You, me and Eylene. We know the better way. The old way of the draoi is over. We have a vision. A purpose.

  Yes, yes. I know. I’m sorry.

  What do they know?

  Only that I can hide the draoi bond. Hide our presence.

  Oh, Kennit. That is not good.

  Kennit threw back his head and stared at the dust motes glinting in sunbeams high above him. No matter. I will continue to work on Will. He has no idea. Neither does Nadine. My touch is so gentle. He suspects nothing. She is much harder and I've had little luck. The Device is giving us knowledge they will never possess. They have no idea.

  Kennit felt Lana’s approval. Good. Let me know if anything changes.

  I will. Give my regards to Eylene. I can't wait to meet her.

  Kennit severed the link and lowered his head. Gently and carefully he found the bond to Will and eased his power along the thread. Kennit smiled and started his daily routine.

  Katherine stood forward on the bowsprit and relished the cool sea spray as it washed over her. The Oriole was making terrific speed with a brisk following wind. The captain said they were doing fifteen knots. He measured the speed by having a sailor throw a rope with a series of equally spaced knots tied in it over the side and into the wake of the ship. The number of knots on the rope pulled into the sea over a set amount of time measured their speed. But it was no concern to Katherine what a knot was; she merely enjoyed the excitement of speed and the motion of the ship. It was so far removed from the farm life she had grown up with.

  The Oriole skimmed effortlessly up over the swell top and then plunged down the other side. As the bow smacked the water at the bottom, a great deluge of water was forced up on either side. Some water sprayed over her and she grinned and spat out the cold, salty water. It was thrilling. She loved the sensation and the freedom it offered.

  I can almost forget Cala at times like this, she thought, and her heart pounded with excitement as the ship rose up and started to climb the next high swell.

  Please come away from the water, thought Dog from where he was in the cabin.

  Katherine frowned. Dog had an irritating way of intruding at the worst times. Shush, you.

  The water is not good for you. And it is salty. Makes you throw up.

  Just because you don’t like water doesn’t make it bad for you. And you don’t drink sea water, that’s silly.

  Silly human.

  Katherine laughed out loud. Dog had discovered humour it seemed. He was often making cracks now. She loved it even though he was rarely funny.

  Excuse me, Katherine? Heather asked across the bond. Her touch was tentative and a little unsure.

  Katherine sighed. Yes?

  Sorry tae intrude. Th' captain said tae tell ye that Munsten is ainlie aboot ten hours awa'. Th' foremaist island shuid be appearing soon. We shuid mak' Munsten harbour aroond midnight.

  So you should stop what you are doing and get ready, added Dog.

  You just want me to stop. I have nothing to get ready.

  I could use a belly rub. Maybe James would like one, too?

  Katherine felt the shock from Heather across the bond and laughed as the ship plunged down once again.

  Dog, perhaps Heather could take care of both of you?

  Katherine laughed as Cala curses erupted from Heather and then screamed into the wind with joy and abandon as more spray washed over her.

  * * *

  They reached Munsten after midnight, just as the captain had predicted. Katherine, James and Heather shook hands and thanked him and then crossed the gangplank with Dog to the shore. They walked a short distance away from the docks and stopped at a street corner, lit with a dim street lamp. They had yet to agree to what they should do next.

  Dog immediately went to a lamp post and peed for a very long time. That's so much better than trying to pee in that stupid bucket in the cabin. That was hard. Especially pooping. Why'd I have to do that?

  Heather and Katherine covered there mouths in laughter.

  James looked around, and not being able to hear Dog, leaned in and whispered. “So now what?”

  Heather chewed her lip. “Ah wid fancy a crakin' room in an inn. I’m tired o' sleeping in hammocks. Mah back’s bent.”

  Dog sniffed arou
nd the area of the lamp post. Katherine watched him before looking up. “I say we head straight to the museum. The sooner this is over the better. I would like nothing better than to inform the others we found what we were looking for and be done with it.”

  Heather’s gaze faded a moment, a sign of her using the draoi bond. “Huh, everyone’s asleep. Lana, too. Right, so what’s it to be then? Inn or museum?”

  “The museum,” answered James. “I’m with Katherine on this. Let’s get it over with.”

  Katherine crouched down and Dog came over for a scratch. She looked up at James. “Dog agrees with you.”

  “Ach, weel. Thare ye hae it. Museum it is. Let’s gang, ma wee bairns. James, leid oan, ye ken th' wey.”

  They followed James down many streets, all the while climbing higher and higher and closer to the castle. The Museum of the Revolution was an old mansion, owned by some noble who had been killed during the Revolution. When the new regime had seized the house they had forced the owners out into the streets. During the Revolution the building had lived on as the higher headquarters and coordinated all the actions of the Revolutionary active supporters. After the Revolution, they found the house filled with the maps and belongings of the more famous heroes of the Revolution and decided it was far easier to turn the place into a museum than to cart the belongings elsewhere.

  At some point the curators had started going out and gathering items of interest; such as the items tied to the Great Debate. At some point, Benjamin Erwin's belongings had found their way into the building and stored to be added to the collection. According to Brent, everything the man had owned was down in the storage rooms.

  They made their way up a steep set of stairs that opened onto a wide-open cobblestone street. The street lamps were brighter here and long shadows crisscrossed the road. A chill breeze blew steady here and Heather shivered and pulled her shawl tighter. Katherine tutted and drew power and warmed Heather.