Page 69 of A Celtic Longing
“I never saw ye with her, lad.” Dúghlas shook his head as well. “Though ye spoke of her often enough, and we knew of the strife when she turned to Aodh.”
“Strife over something I doubt ever happened.” He sighed. “The question now is, did it actually happen to Aodh, or has Siobhán been playing with both of our minds all along?”
“’Tis very possible,” Tréan said, joining them. “She grew powerful in our last life, and that has carried on into this one.”
“So she really was, still is, an Unnamed One?” Riona’s brows furrowed. “I don’t understand why she’s here? The prophecy doesn’t mention anything about a fifth druidess, does it?”
“Nay, but ‘twas mentioned in our last life that some might have seen an opportunity in what we were doing,” Cian reminded. “And ‘tis clear in how King Raghnall was reborn that interference was a possibility.” He looked at Tréan. “Do you know anything about the cave chapel in which Siobhán worships? The one next to what was once Raghnall’s castle? Anything about the blackened roots within? The evil Declán sensed when he spied them?”
“Only that they are somehow connected to King’s Heart,” Tréan replied. “They must be because she was infatuated with the tree in her last life. Understandable, considering how powerful ‘twas. Seen clearly when it grew back after being chopped down.”
“It did, didn’t it?” Shannon murmured when a memory came through clearly. She looked at Tréan in surprise. “I nearly forgot about what Riona and Madison saw in the tapestry. You at the tree with me when I sat against it crying as I awaited my execution. Cried not for the sacrifice I’d be making, but for those I would be leaving behind.” She looked from Liam back to her son. “You two.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand. How were you there full grown when you had just been born?”
“Need ye ask?” He looked at her with as much affection as she felt for him. “Adlin brought me once I was old enough to understand so I might see ye one last time. Remember she whogave me life.” He shook his head. “’Twas too risky for ye to see me in return. That yer coven know of me.”
“So he hid you from me with magic,” she realized. “But he couldn’t hide you from my sisters in the tapestry.” Her gaze drifted to Liam. “Then you came later. Once I was already gone.”
“I did.” He wrapped his fingers with hers. “Tréan told me he had gone there. That you had shed tears there. So I wanted to go to the last place I knew you were.” There was no missing the emotion in his voice. “Wanted to say goodbye....”
“What I wouldn’t have given to see you both one last time,” she said softly, fighting the same wave of emotion. “I’m so glad we’re all back together.” She looked between them, never meaning anything more, and blinked back tears. “You have no idea how grateful I am.”
“As are we,” Tréan replied. “I look forward to spending time with ye both as soon as we free King Aodh from Siobhán.” The corners of his mouth tugged down. “’Tis unnatural what she has done to him. I fear what’s already become of him. How much worse it might get if we do not save him straight away.”
“It sounds like you might know how to do that.” Shannon was more than ready to go to Aodh’s aid. Past ready.
“I know ye and I stand the best chance of getting through to his dragon,” he said. “Me, because I understand what it is to be both man and beast.” He nodded once. “Ye because ye’ve a gift above all others with animals. Ye did in yer last life, and ye do in this one. A compassion that gets through to them.”
“Why, though?” She tilted her head in question. “My sisters are clearly just as connected to animals, so what makes me any different?”
“How powerful you were.” Riona saw it clearly enough. “I knew you were among, if not the most powerful druid in our coven, so it stands to reason that would translate. That not just nature but animals would respond to you even more than us.”
“If that’s the case, and we’re going off the most powerful druidess being the one to have killed me so we could fulfill the prophecy....” She trailed off, having a terrible feeling. She frowned at Tréan. “Are you sure Siobhan ended me? That it washerfire?”
“’Twas,” Tréan confirmed, his expression tight. But then, he, without a doubt, knew more than he was saying. “’Twas she who caused all this.”
“But mayhap another contributed,ta?” Liam sensed the same hesitation in their son. The desire not to be the bearer of bad news.
“Mayhap though I saw no proof of it,” Tréan said softly, clearly loathe to say such. “There was another druidess who rose quickly among ye. One Siobhán had begun to mentor when she realized ye were lost to her, ma.”
She shook her head. Chills ran down her spine. “Constance.”
“Ta,” he confirmed. “I cannot say if she participated in ending yer life, but the last I dared visit the area, she had become far closer to Siobhán than da claimed ye ever had. It seemed ye’d sensed something off about her even then, so ye did yer best to keep yer distance however much she tried to ally herself with ye.”
“Ally,” she whispered, nodding. Sensing something she saw clearly enough now. “She was planning to become part of this all along. Planning to come here and upset the prophecy. Take control of all of Ireland if she could. Alter the future.” She frowned at Cian and Riona, worried. “Have either of you talked to Madison? How is Constance doing?”
“Interestingly enough, better,” Riona replied. “She’s finally emerged from her room and ready to tackle what lies ahead. Realizes that it’s time to step up and help any way she can.” She narrowed her eyes. “While I was glad to hear it, now that we’ve had this conversation, I’m not so sure what to feel.”
“Worried,” Liam replied bluntly. He looked at Cian, who appeared more alarmed by the moment. “You should head there right away, brother.” He shook his head. “If Siobhán has somehow aligned herself with Constance, there’s no telling what kind of danger Madison might be in.”
“Agreed.” Cian looked from Declán to Liam and stood. “Ye have my kingdom and warriors at your disposal. Take care and fare well against Siobhán if you battle her before we return.”
“Ta, brother.” Liam nodded. “The same to you. Be careful.”
“So, how best to approach the enemy?” Liam asked Tréan as Cian strode from the great hall. “Considering Siobhán has already had contact with your ma the night my ship was burned, undoubtedly set afire by the enemy herself, how best to attack when it becomes more and more clear she’s been one step ahead of us all along?”
“A ship where my blade was hidden.” Shannon wondered about that. “I still have no memory of putting it there in this life. And how would Siobhán have known I did, to begin with? Because she clearly did.” She frowned, thinking about it. “I think she might have even compelled me to go after it.”
“I think you're right.” Liam narrowed his eyes. “If she ended me in another life and knew you would be tied in with that experience somehow, what says...”
