Page 160 of Broken Veil
“Perhaps our plans are not unaligned.” Macha stepped closer. “Wouldn’t you enjoy seeing your dragon fly over the city?”
Duncan and Lachlan came closer.
She’s going to bring up laying waste to your enemies now.
“You could be a queen here.” Macha pointed at Duncan and Lachlan. “Take both these men as your lovers. Why should you choose one over the other?”
Ew. Seren sounded like she was gagging.Didn’t see that one coming.
“No offense, but not my style,” Carys said. “But thanks, I guess?”
“I would let you lay waste to those who have wronged you and your people!”
Ah, there it is. Knew she’d offer to lay waste.
“Good call,” Carys murmured.
“Good?” Macha smiled.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Carys said. “What I meant to say was that I’m not your enemy, but I do happen to think that having dragons flying around in the Brightlands is not a great idea.”
“What do you want?” Macha shouted.
“I want…” Carys took a chance. “I want to tell you a story.”
Macha blinked. Her furious face went blank.
Seren was shouting in her mind.
You want towhat?
“Once upon a time…” Carys started. “There was an ancient king in Eíre.” The words slipped from her mouth. She was going on instinct and hoping those instincts were correct. “He wronged you, so you cursed his men. But while his army was sick, a hero rose up.”
Macha was staring at her now, but Carys couldn’t read her expression.
You’re telling her the story of Cú Chulainn? I think she might know it already!
“But this hero didn’t displease you. In fact, you tried to give him a blessing, but in his youth and his arrogance, he scorned you.” Carys smiled a little bit. “So you took your revenge and thwarted him three times.”
The eel.
The bear.
The bull.
Carys saw each parallel now. She knew the story she needed to tell, and it rhymed with the old myth that Luna Beck had given her weeks ago, the story of a hero who had bested a god.
And that tale of the Morrígan didn’t end with a triumphant defeat in battle.
Carys smiled, “But even after all of the wounds that hero gave you, you still got the better of him.”
“You tell me tales I already know.” The Morrígan raised her chin. “I ask you again, daughters of Epona, what do you want?”
Carys held out her hand. “I want to heal you.”
Seren erupted in her mind.
Are you fucking kidding me, Carys?
