by Nora Roberts
There were shouts and whoops, and he smiled as he heard the arguments already starting for who would be the sorcerer, who would be the queen.
Because his senses were still keen in some areas, Cian lifted his hand to the back of the chair, and covered Moira’s.
“You tell it well.”
“Easy to tell what you’ve lived.”
“Easy to enhance what was,” she corrected, coming around the chair. “But you stayed very close to the truth.”
“Wasn’t the truth strange and magical enough?”
Her hair was pure white, and her face as she smiled at him, lined with the years. And more beautiful than any he’d known.
“Walk with me before twilight comes.” She helped him to stand, hooked her arm through his. “And are you ready for the invasion?” she asked, tipping her head toward his shoulder.
“When it comes, at least you’ll be finished fussing over it.”
“I’m so anxious to see them all. Our first circle, and the circles they’ve made. Once a year for the whole of them is so long to wait, even with the little visits between. And listening to little pieces of the tale brings it all back so clear, doesn’t it?”
“It does. No regrets?”
“I’ve never had a one when it comes to you. What a fine life we’ve had, Cian. I know we’re in the winter of it, but I don’t feel the cold.”
“Well, I do, when you put your feet on my arse in the night.”
She laughed, turned to kiss him with all the warmth, all the love of sixty years of marriage.
“There’s our eternity, Moira,” he said, gesturing toward their grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “There’s our forever.”
Hands linked, they walked in the softening sunlight. Though their steps were slow and measured from age, they continued through the courtyards and the gardens, and out through the gates while the sound of children playing rang behind them.
High above on the castle peaks, the three symbols of Geall, the claddaugh, the dragon and the sun, flew—gold against the white.
Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places
a chroi (ah-REE), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my heart,” “my heart’s beloved,” “my darling”
a ghrá (ah-GHRA), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my love,” “dear”
a stór (ah-STOR), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my darling”
Aideen (Ae-DEEN), Moira’s young cousin
Alice McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith
An Clar (Ahn-CLAR), modern-day County Clare
Ballycloon (ba-LU-klun)
Blair Nola Bridgitt Murphy, one of the circle of six, the “warrior”; a demon hunter, a descendant of Nola Mac Cionaoith (Cian and Hoyt’s younger sister)
Bridget’s Well, cemetery in County Clare, named after St. Bridget
Burren, the, a karst limestone region in County Clare, which features caves and underground streams
cara (karu), Gaelic for “friend, relative”
Ceara, one of the village women
Cian (KEY-an) Mac Cionaoith/McKenna, Hoyt’s twin brother, a vampire, Lord of Oiche, one of the circle of six, “the one who is lost”
Cirio, Lilith’s human lover
ciunas (CYOON-as), Gaelic for “silence”; the battle takes place in the Valley of Ciunas—the Valley of Silence
claddaugh, the Celtic symbol of love, friendship, loyalty
Cliffs of Mohr (also Moher), the name given to the ruin of forts in the south of Ireland, on a cliff near Hag’s Head, “Moher O’Ruan”
Conn, Larkin’s childhood puppy
Dance of the Gods, the Dance, the place in which the circle of six passes through from the real world to the fantasy world of Geall
Davey, Lilith, the Vampire Queen’s, “son,” a child vampire
Deirdre (DAIR-dhra) Riddock, Larkin’s mother
Dervil (DAR-vel), one of the village women
Eire (AIR-reh), Gaelic for Ireland
Eogan (O-en), Ceara’s husband
Eoin (OAN), Hoyt’s brother-in-law
Eternity, the name of Cian’s nightclub, located in New York City
Faerie Falls, imaginary place in Geall
fàilte à Geall (FALL-che ah GY-al), Gaelic for “Welcome to Geall”
Fearghus (FARE-gus), Hoyt’s brother-in-law
Gaillimh (GALL-yuv), modern-day Galway, the capital of the west of Ireland
Geall (GY-al), in Gaelic means “promise”; the city from which Moira and Larkin come; the city which Moira will someday rule
Glenna Ward, one of the circle of six, the “witch”; lives in modern-day New York City
Hoyt Mac Cionaoith/McKenna (mac KHEE-nee), one of the circle of six, the “sorcerer”
Isleen (Is-LEEN), a servant at Castle Geall
Jarl (Yarl), Lilith’s sire, the vampire who turned her into a vampire
Jeremy Hilton, Blair Murphy’s ex-fiance
King, the name of Cian’s best friend, whom Cian befriended when King was a child; the manager of Eternity
Larkin Riddock, one of the circle of six, the “shifter of shapes,” a cousin of Moira, Queen of Geall
Lilith, the Vampire Queen, aka Queen of the Demons; leader of the war against humankind; Cian’s sire, the vampire who turned Cian from human to vampire
Lora, a vampire; Lilith’s lover
Lucius, Lora’s male vampire lover
Malvin, villager, soldier in Geallian army
Manhattan, city in New York; where both Cian McKenna and Glenna Ward live
mathair (maahir), Gaelic word for mother
Michael Thomas McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith
Mick Murphy, Blair Murphy’s younger brother
Midir (mee-DEER), vampire wizard to Lilith, Queen of the Vampires
miurnin (also sp. miurneach [mornukh]), Gaelic for “sweetheart,” term of endearment
Moira (MWA-ra), one of the circle of six, the “scholar”; a princess, future queen of Geall
Morrigan (Mo-ree-ghan), Goddess of the Battle
Niall (Nile), a warrior in the Geallian army
Nola Mac Cionaoith, Hoyt and Cian’s youngest sister
ogham (ä-gem) (also spelled ogam), fifth/sixth century Irish alphabet
oiche (EE-heh), Gaelic for “night”
Oran (O-ren), Riddock’s youngest son, Larkin’s younger brother
Phelan (FA-len), Larkin’s brother-in-law
Prince Riddock, Larkin’s father, acting king of Geall, Moira’s maternal uncle
Region of Chiarrai (kee-U-ree), modern-day Kerry, situated in the extreme southwest of Ireland, sometimes referred to as “the Kingdom”
Samhain (SAM-en), summer’s end (Celtic festival); the battle takes place on the Feast of Samhain, the feast celebrating the end of summer
Sean Murphy (Shawn), Blair Murphy’s father, a vampire hunter
Shop Street, cultural center of Galway
Sinann (shih-NAWN), Larkin’s sister
sláinte (slawn-che), Gaelic term for “cheers!”
slán agat (shlahn u-gut), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person staying
slán leat (shlahn ly-aht), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person leaving
Tuatha de Danaan (TOO-aha dai DON-nan), Welsh gods
Tynan (Ti-nin), guard at Castle Geall
Vlad, Cian’s stallion
Table of Contents
Title Page
Contents
Morrigan’s Cross
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places
Dance of the Gods
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places
Valley of Silence
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places