Page 37 of A Celtic Vow
He knew the moment his orb was snuffed out, her dragon had taken over and finally allowed her to see in the dark like she was meant to. Knew she saw how darkness came alive to their eyes with jaw-dropping vibrancy.
The area they were in had a very low ceiling, so they needed to bend over as they continued. Constance seemed to know where to go next, though, because she drifted in the direction of a peep-hole of sorts. An opening no wider than a hand that allowed one viewer at a time to look through it.
“Look at that,” she said in renewed awe as she peered through it at the base of the tree. To be expected, her gaze traveled downward, and she frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Nor did he. Never had.
“Why can I see most of the tree in such vibrancy,” she shook her head and looked at him, “yet the base is black as night? Impossible to view?”
“I don’t know.” He shook his head as well. “And I’ve long been curious.”
“Why don’t you know?” Her eyes turned strange as she looked at him. “When you’re the one person who should?”
He had no idea what to make of her conviction. “Why?”
“Because...” she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek. “I did something truly awful so that you could...so that we had any chance at all.”
What was she talking about? He couldn’t sense her thoughts. She was too immersed in that magical place her mind could go. One that seemed capable of blocking everyone, including her sisters.
Before he had a chance to question her, she placed her hands against the rock wall on either side of the small hole, and the ground started rumbling like it had in the tunnel earlier.
“Nay.” He went to push her to the ground and cover her, but the mini-earthquake ended as soon as it began, and the wall she touched crumbled away.
“Wait.” He tried to stop her, but she ducked through the opening before he could and headed for the base of the tree. So he moved fast and caught her arm. “Don’t go any further, lass. Not until I’m sure it’s safe.”
“It’s safe.” Her eyes remained a little different when she looked at him. “I promise.” She shook her head, marveling at the dark area at the base. “Can’t you feel it?”
He didn’t like this. Not at all. “Nay, I feel nothing.”
“Because you’re not supposed to,” she whispered. “Not yet.”
Before he could stop her, she pulled away from him, rushed to the base of the tree, and dropped to her knees.
“Stop,” he roared, but it was too late.
She reached her hands into the darkness and shuddered.
He had never been as horrified as he was at that moment when he thought she was being consumed by evil. Perhaps even Siobhán herself.
“It’s okay,” she managed hoarsely, closing her eyes. “I’m all right, Aodh. Just wait a moment. Just...”
His jaw dropped when she trailed off and yanked a sword free with metal so fiery red it seemed newly forged. Once the blade was free from the base of the tree, the blackness vanished, and the sword shrank down to an Unnamed One’s dagger unlike the ones before it. A blade they could see far more clearly now that it wasn't in her young dragon's mouth.
“Look atthis.” Constance’s outfit reverted back to her red dress as she stared at the dagger. Now that the base of the tree had been freed of darkness, the misty fog coming off the waterfall wrapped down around them.
For a split second, he swore the roots entrenched in the ground were black, but the vision vanished as soon as he saw it. Rather, like hers, his attention became ensnared by the dagger. The handle was made entirely of roots, and the blade briefly etched with fine leaves that were four distinct colors.
Green, blue, peach, and red.
“They’re the colors of my and my sisters’ dresses,” Constance said softly as she gazed at it. “The color at the root of their magic.” Her eyes drifted to him. “The color at the root of the love they found with your brothers.”
That was a telling statement unto itself because it implied the two of them would find the same love. How else could it be, given the red that had been there? As his gaze lingered on hers, he saw the truth in her words.Feltit. Knew without a shred of doubt he had loved her in their last life.
Loved her just as much as he did in this one.
While tempted to tell her, he couldn’t help but show her. Could not stop from cupping her cheeks and kissing her again. Couldn't help but feel the warmth and vitality of her lips against his when he thought her lost to him moments before. Thankfully, despite what he shared about lying with Siobhán, she opened to him. Kissed him back. Melted against him as though she had felt as lost to him as he was to her.
“Aodh,” she murmured against his lips. Her need came through so strongly there could be no mistaking it. “Please.”
