Page 56 of A Celtic Longing
He spoke to him as they fought. Tried to glean whatever information he could. Had there been any word from Aodh? Were they under Siobhán’s control?
Aodh’s man remained eerily silent as more and more of his brother’s warriors rushed into the woodland and attacked. In turn, more animals poured forth.
“I can’t have this,”Shannon said, distressed.“I can’t have them dying for me. For us.”
“I agree,”Riona said, joining the telepathic conversation.“So let’s see what we can do, sis.”
He felt rather than saw Shannon’s interest in that. Watched in awe as her druidess magic, which had grown substantially from yesterday, ignited. When that happened, she and Riona not only fought with blades but with everything around them.
Their animals slowly fell back and everything else nature born took over. From the trees to what seemed the very wind as Aodh’s warriors tumbled back and lost hold of their blades.
“Tell our men to fall back and stop fighting,”Shannon urged, clearly unsettled. “There’s something more to this.”
While that was the last thing he wanted to do, he listened. Trusted her. Would always trust her above all others. Knew her heart was where it should be.
“Stand down,” Liam roared, no matter how angry he was. “We will not fight them when they cannot fight back.”
There was no missing his men's frustration because they wanted revenge for the lives lost, but they listened.
It was nothing short of spectacular watching the trees bend, their branches lashing at Aodh’s warriors as they kept staggering back. As it became more and more clear, they stood no chance against Riona and Shannon. When he and his brothers went to use their magic as well, Shannon warned them against it.
“No, don’t,”she pleaded telepathically, clearly sensing something they did not.“Aodh shouldn’t feel you guys.”
“She’s right,”Riona agreed.“He’s angry enough as it is. No need for it to grow. Especially against his own flesh and blood.”
“Angry?”Liam exclaimed.“When he’s the one attacking us? The one whose men cut down ours? When his dragon has caused so much fear and damage already?”
“This isn’t what it seems,”Shannon replied.“Something’s not right, Liam.”
Shannon and Riona had become so powerful that when Aodh’s warriors staggered back onto their own land, Liam felt the forest throw up a barrier. One much like what surrounded his brothers’ kingdoms now. Outside of Aodh’s dragon and Siobhán, it wouldn’t be easy, if not impossible, for an enemy to step foot on their land again.
Aodh’s second-in-command lashed out and tried to fight what pushed him back, but his effort seemed haphazard at best. If anything, the look in his eyes as his gaze remained on Liam was resolved and grim. Silently imploring in a way Liam didn’t understand before his opponent turned, roared at his warriors to fall back, and strode toward Aodh’s castle.
“Oh, no,” Riona whispered when they reached the woodland’s edge.
Liam followed her gaze and finally understood. There was a good, albeit heartbreaking, reason Aodh’s man had looked at him like that.
Chapter Nineteen
SHANNON FELT TWO things when she laid eyes on Aodh’s castle for the first time.
