Page 61 of A Celtic Secret
“I do.” Riona closed her eyes and felt them out before she realized. “I can get through these.”
She opened her eyes, chanted in an ancient language that came more naturally to her by the moment, and stepped forward only to pass right through the bars.
“Wow,” she murmured, glancing back. “So this is a way in and out for me and quite likely my sisters.”
“So it seems.” Declán grasped one of the bars. “’Tis still solid for me, though.”
“Right now.” She held her hand back through. “But not if you’re with me, I don’t think.”
Sure as heck, when he took her hand, he was able to step right through. She could tell by his conflicted expression that he wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“Ye should tread carefully m’lady,”Caith said into her mind.“I sense Raghnall’s wall closing in even more as if it knows ye’re there.”
“No worries.”She pulled Declán back through the bars.“We’re safely inside again.”
“And ‘tis the only place for you until this is over,” Declán said, having heard Caith’s warning. “We cannot let you end up on the other side of Raghnall’s wall.”
“Agreed.” She continued holding his hand as they made their way back through the tunnel. “My place is behind our wall until Raghnall’s driven back to his kingdom or, better yet....”
She tried to say the words, but something stopped her. Undoubtedly the last tethers of whatever hold he still had over her because of that damn magical fire.
“’Tis all right.” Declán stopped her and cupped the side of her neck, showing her the trust she needed to see. “Wewillbreak that tether, and Iwillend him if ‘tis the last thing I do.”
“I know,” she managed, being honest with him. “Frustratingly, unless I can completely overcome whatever this is, I have a feeling it will have to be you who finishes him in the end.”
“’Twould be my pleasure.” He brushed his lips across hers. “More than you can possibly imagine.”
She nodded, and they continued on, yet worry nagged at her. Worry that all the walls and strategic things she had Declán put in place over the years might not be enough. That somehow Raghnall would get to her from the inside out. She knew Declán felt the same but didn’t voice it as they made their way toward the back of the castle.
Toward the dreaded totem.
At what had to be fifty or sixty feet high, it was even more intimidating from ground level.
“Holy...” Riona stared up at it as they drew closer. “What on Earth was Ithinkingwith this?” She swallowed hard and cringed as the grotesque animal faces became clearer and clearer. Or should she say raging mad animal faces because that’s what she sensed off them. “And I wanted it made out of stone rather than wood? Truly? That couldn’t have been easy.”
“Some of it was built with my magic,” he revealed. “But no, overall, ‘twas not easy as you made it clear every one of my warriors should help in its creation. Should chisel some part of it with help from seasoned stone masons, of course.”
“I did, didn’t I?” she whispered, more compelled by it the closer she got. “Because as horrible as it looks, it’s meant to defend. So the more hands that touched this, who were determined to protect this castle, the better.”
“Defend from the north...” he murmured.
“Not from Liam’s kingdom,” she realized, “but possibly Aodh’s.”
“So it seems.” He sighed and shook his head. “Though I cannot see how.”
“Not yet...” She looked up again, understanding the animal faces better by the moment. “I think this is like one big gargoyle.” She glanced from Declán back to the totem. “I’m almost certain that’s the idea of it. To ward off evil and protect the castle.”
The corners of his mouth tugged down. “Evil being Aodh?”
“Evil being what possesses your brother,” she corrected. “Because Raghnall is very much evil, right?”
“Ta.” He shook his head. “There can be no doubt about that.”
She eyed the new exits higher up the walls as they continued on. “Were those there before?”
“Nay.” He shook his head. “Eisibél pointed them out to me earlier, so I’m sure most have spied them by now.”
“Ah, Eisibél.” She cast him a sidelong look. “I heard she came to your aid after you left me.”
