“The gods will not favor this, young Danhoul!”
“The gods favor very little,” he declared. “If we are made to use our powers to benefit them then you can bet from now on, we’ll do it our way.”
Danhoul glanced toward Alainn and Killian who both wore dazed expressions, but were clearly elated at being together; it made up for any consequences Danhoul might face at the hands of the gods.
“Your powers will be much stronger and more beneficial with your husband by your side, and Killian’s father is a searcher, so he will be capable as well. Killian is your guardian, so in my opinion, he is necessary to you in your time, and here in the future.”
Alainn smiled, went to Danhoul, and tightly embraced him with more gratitude than she could express. Killian took his hand as well and shook it heartily before he kissed his wife’s lips. They stared at one another still in disbelief they wouldn’t be forced to be parted. He unclasped his hand that had been holding tight her to wedding band. It glistened in the moonlight and he slipped it on her finger once more.
“You are never to take this ring off your finger, not ever again, Lainna, do you hear me, woman!” His voice shook, but the smile on his face was broad and it warmed her heart.
“Never,” she agreed.
They were mostly surrounded by darkness, and Alainn listened and waited for the loud noises she’d expected.
“It is not so affronting to the ears as I imagined,” she whispered.
“It is the middle of the night,” Danhoul said, “and we are by the harbor so it’s quieter here than in some areas.”
They nodded at Danhoul and waited for him to inform them of what they must know.
“Now, firstly we will need to find some suitable modern clothes and I happen to know someone here who will be able to find us just what we need. And, no, it isn’t either of your fathers for I’ve just been informed they’ve recently been called to New York.”
“New York?” they both repeated.
“So, the person who will assist us, is it your buddy?” Alainn guessed.
“Tristan O’Malley!” Killian said with some trepidation.
Danhoul nodded. “We’ll be staying with him for a while, too, until we can figure out a better living arrangement as I doubt the four of us would want to live together in a small apartment.”
“And you had afore intended for my wife and yourself to reside together in an abode with the young scoundrel?” Killian bristled at that consideration.
Danhoul evidently chose to ignore that inquiry and spoke on. “We’ll have to find a way to get some identification for you, Killian. Tristan has already gotten Alainn’s and my IDs since we knew we’d be arriving. Killian’s arrival was not expected.”
“But you’ve been concocting the scheme for some time?” Alainn asked.
“I hated how sad you were and how much the two of you disliked the idea of being apart. I couldn’t tell you what I’d been planning in case Aine or any of the other gods suspected.”
“We are much appreciative!” Alainn sighed in relief.
“Aye, ’tis truth.” Killian nodded. “But can you tell us what you know that might assist us?” Killian, always the man needing to be informed, questioned as they walked together.
“I don’t know all that will be required of us, but I do know some. Mainly, Alainn is to inform us if she senses Odhran or any of his demons.”
“There are demons here in this century as well, then?” Killian inquired.
“Aye, there are demons and evil in any place or in any century we may go,” Danhoul simply said, “But our main purpose now is to locate the two other witches and no one seems to know for sure when they will get to this time or where they will show up. The eastern coast of America has been our best estimate, but it’s possible we might be required to travel through time to locate them.”
“Do you know anything of these two witches?” It was Killian who spoke again for Alainn seemed intent on curiously looking around even in the limited light.
“One of the witches, the second witch as the gods refer to her, is Arianna. She has many magical powers, similar to your own as well. She’s got long, curly, dark red hair and green eyes, and is said to be as pretty as you, Alainn.”
“That would be an utter impossibility,” Killian stated as he stared down at his beautiful, young wife, clearly still in disbelief he was there with her.
“We do know she’s coming here about from around the year sixteen hundred and ninety-two Massachusetts during, or shortly after the witch hunts.”
“That does not sound favorable,” Alainn estimated.
Danhoul shook his head. “Not at all. It was not an enviable time for anyone, but for someone who actually possessed supernatural abilities, it was bloody dangerous.”
They looked at Danhoul and his serious expression and nodded, waiting for him to continue.
“The next witch, the third witch, is Ainsley. She’s apparently beautiful and magical as well. She’s got dark brown hair and large, dark brown eyes. Her mother came from Ireland on one of the coffin ships during the famine in Ireland and lived as an indentured servant.”
They looked at each other and then at Danhoul for clarification.
“Coffin ships?” Killian asked.
“Aptly named for how many poor souls died while making the crossing from Ireland.”
“There is a famine in Ireland?” Alainn appeared distraught. “Will those we know and love die in the famine?”
“Well, some people say it wasn’t actually a famine, but genocide, but that’s an entirely different can of worms. No, Alainn, those you know and love will long be gone by the time the famine hits in the mid-eighteen hundreds.”
“That’s ever comforting,” Alainn sarcastically remarked at his casual way of telling her all the people she knew were, of course, dead.
He once more spoke on, surely aware it would not be wise to start on this adventure with any form of disagreement. “Ainsley, the third witch, will be born to her Irish mother, but her father is African American.”
Once more they looked at each other waiting of Danhoul to speak further on this, for it was evident they didn’t know what he referred to.
“He was black.”
“Like Ramla?” Alainn remembered the only man she’d ever known with black skin. He had been her friend and possessed magical abilities, and Ramla had died in attempting to assist Alainn, so he was remembered with much fondness.
“Yes, like Ramla.” Danhoul confirmed.
They continued to walk along the deserted wooden pier and Danhoul spoke again. “Ainsley is a nurse.”
“A nurse?” Alainn asked and Danhoul watched the two look at one another in certain confusion.
“A wet nurse?” Killian inquired, having never heard that term before.
“No, in this time they are called nurses, but she’s a healer.” He chose a word they both knew well. “And she will be sent here to this century straight from the midst of the long and bloody American Civil War.”
“Is there no witch who ever lives a peaceful life then? It seems all three have known much hardship,” Killian surmised.
“Aye, that’s very true. These powers Alainn and the other two women possess do not come without a price. Oh, and by the way, since we all have Irish accents people won’t think too much of it, but unless we’re in Ireland or the British Isles, which we are not, not yet anyway, no one says ‘aye’. So, follow my lead and maybe speak a little more like me from now on. Try to sound like you were born within the last the last century, maybe,” he said with humor.
“Aye, indubitably,” Killian agreed.
“To be sure, it will be as you have ascertained,” Alainn replied.
Danhoul smiled at his companions.
Alainn gazed out at the beauty of the full moon’s light on the harbor and thought it was not unlike their bay back in Ireland at their castle, and surely it was the same moon. Perhaps she would become accustomed to this time in the future,
especially since Killian was here with her now and Danhoul would be able to school them.
She glanced toward the tall structures and, although they were in a city, it did not appear to be as unsettling as London had been back in their own time.
“It is the middle of the night,” Danhoul repeated for he’d heard Alainn’s thoughts. “During daylight, there will be noise and many things will be undeniably unusual to you, but Boston is full of much history, I think you won’t be so opposed to it here as you might with many cities. It is the home of the American Revolution.” He didn’t speak further on it, but he saw Alainn staring straight ahead.
“Aye, I hear the echoes. Much took place even here where we stand now.” She lifted her nose to the air and inhaled deeply.
“What is that odd scent in the air,” she said to Danhoul.
“It’s tea, Alainn. I knew you’d be able to smell it. I do, as well, even though it was dumped into the harbor nearly two hundred and fifty years ago.”
“Tea, dumped in the harbor?” Killian said for tea had not yet been brought to Ireland back in their time.
“We’ll have plenty of time to discuss that,” Danhoul simply stated yet again.
He was about to warn them that they may hear a loud noise above them at any time and see an unrecognizable object in the sky, when it happened before he’d done so.
Killian pulled Alainn to the dock and fell above her shielding her from the peculiar ship within the sky. They were both terrified and Alainn heard Danhoul’s thoughts in regretting not telling them of the planes before they’d left Ireland and their century.
“They won’t cause us harm; it is a method of traveling through the air, much faster than by ship if you need to travel far or cross an ocean.”
Killian offered his hand to Alainn and helped her to her feet and their eyes were wide.
“I suppose, since we have just travelled through time, we might soon grow accustomed to traveling through the air as well.” Killian smiled with optimism.
Alainn smiled back as she looked up into his face and giggled softly at the absurdity of his statement.
Danhoul shook his head, and sighed, and once again, she heard his thoughts in believing they would face many challenges and uncertainty that surely lay before them.
Alainn stared up into the faces of her two guardians. Danhoul, who would be there in assisting them every step of the way and would help them in searching for Odhran. She was filled with confidence in knowing Danhoul had been here before. Perhaps she had even been here as well and surely the memories would soon come to her that might benefit them.
Then she turned her eyes to her other guardian, Killian O’Brien, her guardian, her gallant husband, and her only love. Her heart soared with love for him. He had been brave and strong in the sixteenth century and protected her on many occasions. Together, the three of them would surely prove to be an infallible team, and they would be able to face anything this twenty-first century might have in store for them.
As they stepped off the pier into the streets of Boston, she smiled and held tight to both their hands as they began the daunting search for the second witch.”
The End
Don’t miss Leigh Ann Edwards’ next book in…
The Irish Witch series
Book 1: The Farrier’s Daughter
Buy now!
Book 2: The Witch’s Daughter
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Book 3: The Chieftain’s Daughter
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Book 4: The Chieftain’s Wife
Buy now!
Book 5: A Witch’s Life
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Book 6: A Witch’s Quest
Buy now!
Book 7: A Witch’s Destiny
View the entire series here
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About the Author
Since she was a child, Leigh Ann Edwards has always had a vivid imagination and lots of stories to tell. An enthusiastic traveler and author for over twenty years, her adventures in Massachusetts, Ireland, and the UK inspired The Farrier’s Daughter and its sequel novels in the Irish Witch series. Edwards adores animals, history, genealogy, and magical places—and Ireland is filled with many magical places. She lives with her husband and two cats in the lovely city of Edmonton, Alberta.
Visit Leigh Ann at www.leighannedwards.com
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