Page 56 of Broken Veil
Naida let out a relieved sigh. “He is so happy to be going home.”
Cadell nodded. “His mind is still tormented by the goddess, but Wada’s daughter can heal him.”
“Will she be able to guide him back to the gate?” Lachlan looked at Duncan. “I need to find a fae gate and get word to the other side. Dru’s people need to pay more attention to any portals open underwater.”
Duncan nodded. “He’s probably not even thinking about sea gates, but they’re there.”
“He’s the son of the sea god,” Naida said. “He can set the mermen and the other water fae to strengthen the gates. They have always listened to him above anyone else.”
Wade appeared next to Cadell. “The wyrm will be fine.” He stared at Carys. “Did you get the message, girl?”
Every eye turned toward Carys.
“What message?” Duncan asked. “Was she singing words? All I heard was a melody.”
“Yeah.” Carys nodded. “I heard.”
“But did you understand?” Wade asked.
Carys nodded. “One choice.”
The sea god smiled. “Good. So you did understand.” He started walking away. “You know where to go.”
Cadell walked to her. “One choice?”
Frida had repeated the phrase. It couldn’t be a coincidence. “One choice will show me the way.” She started walking back tothe van. She wanted a bath, a bed, and a hamburger, but she’d settle for two of the three.
“One choice is what?” Cadell shouted.
She turned. “Ask the Scotsmen.”
Carys kept walking, but she heard Lachlan groan.
Cadell was silent for a moment, then said, “Ah! Of course. After all, he was never a fae.”
Laura ran to catch up with her. “Okay, everyone knows what’s happening except me, and that’s not right.”
“The gods like riddles. One choice.” She glanced at Laura. “It’s not an idea—it’s a name. It’s a famous name in Scotland actually. Lots of famous kings and chiefs loved it. Aonghas. One. Choice. A play on words.”
“Aonghas?” It took Laura only a second to get it. “Let me guess?—”
“Fucking Angus?” Duncan shouted. “Absolutely not.”
“Are you kidding me, Carys?”Duncan was not pleased.
He had obtained rooms for all of them at a very decadent hotel that looked a little bit like a castle in the middle of York’s Minster quarter. It was fancy enough that when he told the front desk that his girlfriend wanted a hamburger and chips, the concierge just nodded and said, “Right away, Mr. Murray.”
Now Carys was staring into the en suite fireplace with a full stomach and drooping eyes. “Was the tub in the bathroom copper? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a copper tub before.” She was about five minutes away from falling face down on the fluffy, down-filled duvet.
“What does a copper tub have to do with going all the way back to Alba so you can get the damned ùruisg involved in all this…” He waved his hands. “I don’t even know what to call this.”
He was staring at the television where the early-morning news had already picked up the story about some kind of unexplained disaster in Yorkshire along the River Ouse.
Unfortunately, a teenager from Barlby had watched his golden retriever get eaten by a giant snake, and instead of fainting straightaway, he’d taken out his drone and sent it after the monster who had eaten his dog, posting the footage on social media as soon as he saw it.
While the internet couldn’t seem to agree if the video was genuine or fake, Carys would recognize Sam the Sea Serpent anywhere.
The video was fuzzy, but the on-air presenters were clearly having a hard time avoiding the phrase “river monster” while trying to explain what had caused all the destruction.
