Page 31 of Within the Flames
"Did they tell you how they knew that?" she asked slowly, almost dreading the answer.
"They said a Voice told them?" the kelpie on the right answered. He was older than the rest of them, which had Macey a little on edge. It felt wrong to be ranked higher than him.
"A Voice?" Her eyebrows creased together as the implications of that fell into place.
"Yes. I was skeptical at first too, but then Nessie confirmed what they were saying as true."
"Nessie?" Macey's voice took on a far away edge that she hated.
"Yes, your Aunt." The kelpie looked confused.
"What do you know of her?" Macey asked, choosing not to explain anything.
"The same as everyone. She was an adventurer when she was younger. That your Uncle wasn't enough for her, but he was okay with that. There are rumours she even had a fling with a human at one point."
Macey nodded, but didn't confirm or deny that. She knew the truth. Or at least, the supposed truth, but didn't want to admit to others that she could be proof of that.
"Anything else?"
"There are rumours she had secret children," the left kelpie answered as the woman next to him nodded.
"Rumours?"
That wouldn't be good. It could undermine everything Macey's father had worked for.
"Yes, but there's never been any proof. She's a formidable woman. A lot of people used to say she could take the crown if she wanted. Any children of hers would have been..."
"It's idle speculation," the older kelpie cut in. "And there is nothing to prove any of it. The rumours are twenty years old now, if Nessie had a child, they'd have shown themselves by now. And if she'd had more than one, then we'd already be at war."
The final word spun around Macey's mind. What the man didn't seem to have realised was that they were at war, just not within their kelpie community. This was one which could have a much bigger impact than just their Loch though. She kept the revelation to herself.
"Has my father announced which of my brothers is his heir yet?" She looked between the three kelpies, wondering which of them would break first. She wouldn't like to call it, they'd all seemed fairly forthcoming so far.
"Of course not, Your Highness," the woman answered softly. "How could he announce one of them his heir when you're here leading an army."
"That's not what I was..."
"Everyone is aware it's not your goal to use this to become Queen, but everyone is also aware that it takes a certain kind of person to lead troops. That's the kind of leader all of us want," the older kelpie answered. "That's the kind of kelpie I want to follow. Which is why I'm here."
"But..."
"Your father hasn't said anything yet," the younger man added. "I think he doesn't dare to. Announcing you're the heir would cause discord with anyone supporting your brothers' causes. But appointing one of them as his heir...it would cause havoc with anyone who respects the old ways. The strongest kelpie rules. That's how it has always been and how many of us want it to continue."
"And if I don't want to rule?" Her voice shook. Being Queen of the kelpies wasn't in her plan. She just wanted to defeat the Mahoun and live a peaceful life with her men.
"Then you'll be a better ruler than most," the older kelpie answered with finality.
* * *
Macey almost ranout of the house, her mind swirling with all she'd just heard. It was going to take some time to make sense. Right now, it was going to distract her from battle, so she shoved it all in a far away corner of her mind, willing it to stay there. She didn't have time to think about civil war, her becoming Queen or why the fricking waves her brothers were back in the Loch. That didn't make any sense in the slightest. Either the kelpies were lying, or something else was going on. Maybe they weren't real? Or maybe they were being manipulated, mind-controlled? Who knew what the Mahoun was capable of.
"Everything alright?" Jared asked, walking towards her. The guys were standing a little apart from their other allies, all of them looking at her. Now that Flint had his powers back and they'd all returned from London, there was nothing that should be able to stop them from going into battle.
Macey really wanted a hug, but with everyone watching, she decided it would be better to simply take Jared's hand and give it a big squeeze.
"Not really," she muttered under her breath so that only he could hear. "It's all one big mess in the kelpie world, but I can't let this influence me just now. We need to make plans. What did Amber and Izban discuss with our allies while we were gone?"
Jared shrugged. "Better ask them yourself. It's not as if Izban would talk to us, and Amber's been busy... doing things with him. It's been a very enjoyable dessert."
