Page 155 of Broken Veil
“How secure am I on you two?”
“You weigh nothing,” Duncan said. “What do you want?”
“Let’s see if we can get closer.” Carys needed to see Macha up close. With her right eye open, Duncan and Lachlan moved her through the crowd, and Carys had a chance to scan the spirits and demons the war goddess had called.
There were the now-familiar internet worshippers and so many demons of despair. The muddy-brown creatures were draped over people’s shoulders and whispering in their ears.
Carys’s heart hurt, especially when she saw the longing, hopeful eyes of the people they tormented.
You have a soft heart, sister.
“They just want to be part of something.” Carys repeated Duncan’s words, feeling her eyes fill with tears. “They want magic. They want something beautiful.”
The Morrígan will not give them that. She will only feed on their attention.
Duncan and Lachlan held Carys on their shoulders and waded through the crowd, moving like a living wall through the flood of people as crows and starlings circled overhead.
The chain around Carys’s neck heated. She looked up to see Macha’s eyes on her.
“Epona’s daughters.” The goddess’s voice came to her ears. “What are you doing on my hill? I feel your sisters on the other side, but their prayers are useless and futile.”
Epona’s cult must be gathered in the Shadowlands. They might be trying to pull her through as she thins the barrier.
“Did you come to worship me, daughters of Tegan?” Macha stood and lifted her arms, raising them to the blood-red gash in the sky where black crows circled and power rained down. “Shall I show you how to dance?”
Carys yelled down at Duncan and Lachlan. “She spotted me!”
“What should we do?” Lachlan asked again.
Just keep walking.
“Keep walking.”
Cadell spoke to her mind.Naida and Laura are calling the rain, but I feel the goddess’s attention on you, nêrys. I should come.
Stay with Laura and Naida! Protect them. I’m safe with Duncan and Lachlan.
The Morrígan began to dance to the drumbeat of two men on either side of what could only be described as an altar.
There were flowers and offerings of food. Bags of drugs and wads of cash. People had thrown clothing and mobile phones while others danced naked around the altar.
Carys saw a woman rake her fingernails across her breast, and blood welled from the scratches.
Blood offerings. The Morrígan’s favorite.
“She’s getting more powerful.”
And the red gash in the sky was widening. Through it, Carys could see darkness swirling like blood spreading through water.
The Morrígan lifted her hands to the sky and danced, turning in circles to show off her half-naked form to the worshippers around her.
Everyone who hadn’t had their phone out before pulled it out and started recording.
“Millions of people will see her,” Duncan said. “That’s going all over the world.”
As Macha turned, Carys saw all three of the goddess’s aspects fully—the nubile young woman, the lush mother, and the wrinkled elder. Her hair flashed from red to black to white as she turned, whipping around in the wind.
“Macha,” the crowd began to chant. “Macha. Macha. Macha.”
