Page 81 of Broken Veil
Carys leaned forward. “Holy shit.”
“Apparently there has been a rash of strange attacks on children in London parks. Bites that look like tiny teeth. Cuts and odd bruises that seem to come out of nowhere. The government is currently saying it’s an invasive insect from overseas, but I can assure you” —Angus leaned forward— “this pest is very, very native-born.”
“Okay, I get it.” The potatoes turned dry in her mouth. “Things are getting weirder.”
“Your task is not to defeat the Morrígan. That is impossible. But you must draw her back to the Shadowlands where her magic can be contained and keep her from rousing more of the old magic in this place.”
Duncan stormed into the room. “Did you see the online” —he glared and waved a hand in the air— “things?”
Carys pulled out her mobile phone. “You really do not use a lot of social media, do you?”
“Fuck no,” Duncan said. “Why would I choose to look at that depressing shite?”
Carys shrugged. “Funny duck videos?”
Angus said, “I like kittens.”
Carys almost asked,To eat?But she resisted. He’d just mentioned that he was vegetarian.
“Look at it.” Duncan pointed to her phone. “Mary was just showing me. She’s everywhere. Macha, I mean.”
Carys shot Angus a look as she pulled out her mobile phone and opened the first social app. She searched for the name Macha and was shocked but also not shocked to see a familiar nubile redhead dancing through a forest, wearing nearly nothing.
There were millions of views and the comments were…
“Wow.” Carys scanned the hundreds upon hundreds of comments left on the dancing video.
This is the kind of eco-warrior we need.
Hot.
When is she starting her OF?
Fire emojis and water droplets littered the screen.
Carys clicked on the profile, but the username was just macha.girl and didn’t seem to have any original content, just copy after copy after copy of pictures of the Morrígan, videos of the Morrígan dancing nearly naked through a forest. Another through a meadow. The Morrígan lounging in the grass with a flower crown and a come-hither expression. No clothes, just leaves covering the parts that would get an account banned.
Carys sighed. “Gee, I can’t understand why she’s so popular.”
“I told you,” Angus said. “Your world is ripe for her conquest.”
Carys looked back at Duncan. “First thing in the morning, we drive to see a druid named Jack.”
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reservewas a massive stand of old forest and contained the largest concentration of ancient trees in England. It was nearly a six-hour drive from Duncan’s home in Scone, but since they’d started at the crack of dawn, the drive went quickly. They arrived before noon only a day and a half after they’d returned from the Shadowlands.
Naida was smiling when they left the highway and headed for the trees. “I’ll be glad to be back in the forest.”
“There are several gates nearby,” Angus said. “I don’t know how they have fared with the magic rising, but it’s unlikely anything unfriendly or feral has leaked through in Jack’s territory.”
Laura was sitting next to Angus in the back of the van while Lachlan was brooding in the middle seat next to Naida, staring out the window of the van behind Cadell.
“Godrik would love this forest,” Laura said. “Any news from him?”
Cadell said, “I would not expect Godrik to be able to reach us for some time. I believe he had business in the Shadowlands to attend.”
“A wolf is not likely to send word at all.” Lachlan’s usually pleasant voice was acerbic. “He is not a child. It appears that Godrik has found something better to do than chase after a troublesome goddess. Good luck to him.”
“You’re in a foul mood.” Angus peered out the window, watching the trees. “You should shut up. It’s not our fault that your wife is beyond mortal reach.”
