Page 125 of Broken Veil
“That I should absolutely not go to Annwn, but I was already kind of thinking that,” Carys said. “I mean, the track record of humans returning from underworlds is not good no matter what world mythology we’re talking about.”
Godrik nodded. “The realms of Hel are only trespassed by the dead.”
Angus muttered, “I could take you to several different otherworlds, but even as powerful as I am, I could not guarantee your return.”
Naida sat at the table and looked at the spread papers. “But the druids did imply that Carys would need some kind of wisdom from Annwn to defeat the Morrígan.”
Godrik walked over to the breakfast tray and took a plate. He piled it with roasted potatoes and tomatoes before adding a scone and taking it to Naida. “We should make a list of our assets for the coming battle.”
Laura took out a notebook. “Let’s start with what we know.”
“Carys is the hero the old gods have chosen,” Lachlan said. “That is without question. Wada confirmed it after the battle in Yorkshire, and his daughter gave Carys a prophesy that led her to Angus.”
“Who led her to the druids.” Cadell was leaning on the bookshelves and eyeing the side of venison.
He kept glancing at Naida.
“Just go ahead,” she said quietly. “Both of you need to eat too.”
Angus muttered, “You all could have found the druids on your own most likely.”
Duncan cleared his throat. “Oh, I’m sure that finding our way to an alternate realm in the middle of Sherwood Forest wherethe Green Man lives would have been no problem, ye daft old creature.”
“You could have found it.” Angus pointed a gnarled finger at Carys. “Well, not you, but she could have.”
“Luckily, Angus led us to Jack and saved us some time.” Carys tried to redirect the conversation before it turned into an argument.
Cadell and Godrik started to wolf down the rack of venison, and the smell of roasted meat filled the room.
“So what did Jack tell us?” Laura said. “That’s the important part.”
“Uh…” Carys frowned. So much had happened that it felt like months since they’d been in Sherwood, but it had really only been a week or so.
“Jack confirmed that we cannot kill the Morrígan,” she said. “Which Dru said too. Jack didn’t seem all that upset about her being here, but he also didn’t deny that his power was different with her influence.”
“Truly,” Angus said, “it has been centuries since I have seen him so fully transformed into his old form.”
Lachlan spoke from the corner again. “I think we have to acknowledge that there will be gods who might not mind the Morrígan’s actions. They may even be supporting her.”
Lachlan wasn’t eating. In fact, Carys hadn’t seen him eat in days. His face was wan and his eyes were tired. The only time he seemed animated were the times that Seren’s name was mentioned.
“Tell him that I love him still. That I might have died, but my love never did.”
Would telling him that Seren still loved him bring him comfort or just make him more reckless and desperate?
Angus shook his head. “Gonna have to disagree on that, my boy. The gods who want to live as their true selves have the Shadowlands to command. Magic is real there. Humans believe in them. Jack lives in the Brightlands because he loves humans and this world.”
Laura said, “You can love humans and still think we’ve done a pretty shit job taking care of the planet.”
“He won’t harm people.” Angus was adamant. “The Morrígan will.”
“Okay.” Carys raised her hands. “Let’s move on. Jack also said something about enchantments and breaking them.”
Bad stories weave enchantments. Good stories break them.
“We scared off an enchanted bear,” Laura said.
“No, this was after the bear.”
