Dolmarehn - Book Two of the Otherworld Trilogy (34 page)
Read Dolmarehn - Book Two of the Otherworld Trilogy Online
Authors: Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
After an hour of fighting with my history book, I tossed it on my bed and stood up. I desperately wanted to go back to Eilé and make the journey to the Dagda’s house to check on Cade. Despite the fact that my parents now knew who and what I was and that I could come and go from the Otherworld, I didn’t think they’d let me leave. Not until I regained my health and they came to terms with my little revelation from the night before. I frowned and forced myself to try a different section of homework.
Later that afternoon I got a call from Tully, followed by one from Will and Thomas. They were all happy to learn I was okay and couldn’t wait to see me at school tomorrow. Another dose of guilt hit me when they told me how they spent their prom night trying to help my parents and the police figure out where I might be.
After finishing with them, I took the initiative to call Robyn. I wasn’t sure what threats and punishments she had received from her strict parents on my account, but I had to make amends. My lies had gotten her into trouble, after all. Her father answered the phone, and only after he gave me a long moral lecture on what was proper behavior between a young man and a young woman, did he let me talk with Robyn, but only to apologize since Robyn was grounded for a month.
To my immense relief, Robyn sounded happier to hear my voice than angry. I told her at least a dozen times about how sorry I was. She brushed it all off, saying she was only concerned when I didn’t show up the next day and when my parents called the police. She said all would be forgiven if I gave her every last detail of my time spent with Cade. I blew a strand of dark, curly hair out of my face. Looks like I’d be spending the rest of the day fabricating a believable story with enough juicy tidbits to satisfy my inquisitive friend. Or maybe, like with my family, I could just my friends the truth. Okay, perhaps not tomorrow, but it might be a good idea to consider doing so in the future. It would make my life a whole lot easier and would help when it came time for me to leave for Eilé.
Tully picked me up the next day and after giving me a bone-crushing hug, we headed to school. To my great chagrin, I discovered a whole new truckload of colorful rumors had been spread throughout the school about my being MIA. Not only did I get plenty of knowing glances from my fellow classmates, but a few of them took the liberty of telling me exactly what they thought.
“Word on the street is you’re shacking up with some homeless guy, Meghan. I had no idea you were so desperate.”
Michaela West. Surprise, surprise. She had managed to stay out of my hair all year, but I guess she had some last-minute insults to throw in my direction before we parted ways for good.
Tully tensed next to me and Robyn opened her mouth to provide some of her own acidic comments, but before they could do anything, I conjured up some of my power and concentrated very hard on Michaela’s perfect ponytail. I grinned and released my glamour in what I hoped was one, precise burst.
The scream that met my ears as we continued walking past Michaela and her stuck-up friends was like a balm to my heart.
“My
hair
!” she screeched.
Tully gasped and Robyn snorted. I couldn’t help it. I turned to see what sort of damage I’d done and laughed out loud. Michaela had dropped her books and her hands were now frantically trying to tame her wild hair. The ponytail had vanished and every perfectly ironed strand stood on end. Oh, I was going to love this new magic of mine, I could already tell.
* * *
The final weeks of my senior year passed by in a haze of graduation preparations, final exams and parties. I put on a good face for my friends, acting as if I felt sorry to be done so soon and that I’d miss them when we all went off to college. And I would miss them and I did feel a bit sad, but not to the same degree as the rest of them and not for the same reasons.
I still hadn’t conjured up the gumption to tell them what I had told my family: that I wasn’t human and I’d be moving to the Otherworld to hopefully patch things up with my birth mother and figure out how I was going to thwart the Morrigan when she decided to come after me again. Because she would be coming after me, one of these days.
None of it seemed real to me yet, so on the day of my graduation, as I stood on the bleachers with the rest of my class, I let my mind wander a little. Two years ago the thought of graduating high school terrified me. Me, out in the real world, attending college, getting a job and trying to balance tough classes all at the same time. Yes, I had been afraid of moving on with my life the way a normal human being my age might.
I chuckled harshly as our valedictorian finished her speech and everyone cheered. I wouldn’t be going to college, or getting a job or facing down difficult exams. Oh no. I’d be going to the Otherworld, to Eilé, where I’d start my new life. The life I should have had from the beginning. Instead of finding employment at the student bookstore or a campus café, I’d be fighting off dangerous and terrifying monsters,
and
a vindictive goddess. No college homework for me. Nope, I’d be studying my long lost heritage, trying to fit into the society of the Otherworld and figuring out what I had to do to get my mother to see me as the daughter she wanted. Yes, it was daunting, but I would have Cade by my side.
A shiver of wonderful anticipation, strong enough to drown my fears for the time being, washed through me as we got ready to throw our caps. Caedehn MacRoich loved me. I didn’t care that one of his parents was a notorious hero of old and the other a spiteful goddess (a goddess who had my demise checked off as the top priority on her to-do list). I didn’t care that he transformed into a grotesque monster when he needed to fight for his life, or for the life of someone he cared about. I didn’t care because I loved him back, every part of him, and it meant I would not have to face the unknown alone.
My turquoise cap flew into the air with everyone else’s, the tassels dangling from the ends like fluttering birds’ wings.
Here’s to my future life in Eilé
, I told myself. Was I afraid of what it entailed? Nah, I wasn’t scared. I was
petrified
.
As always, I want to extend my thanks to my family and friends, for encouraging this passion of mine and for understanding the time and effort it demands of me. I’d also like to once again acknowledge P.A. Vannucci, for the
Faelorehn
font he designed for this book
series
. Many thanks for your artistic input and for developing a typeface that captures the essence and magic of the Otherworld.
Finally, I want to express my appreciation and unending gratitude towards all of my readers. Without your dedication to my writing (and gentle prodding every now and again), my Muse might very well lounge around all day and do absolutely nothing.
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, the very location that has become the setting of her
Otherworld Trilogy
, and the inspiration for her other series,
The Legend of Oescienne
.
Miss Johnson has a degree in Art Practice with an emphasis in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She now draws much of her insight from the myths and legends of ancient Ireland to help set the theme for her books.
B
esides writing and drawing, Miss Johnson enjoys reading, gardening, camping and hiking. In her free time (the time not dedicated to writing), she also practices the art of long sword combat and traditional archery.
For contact information, visit the author’s website at:
Otherworld Trilogy
Faelorehn (Book One)
Dolmarehn (Book Two)
The Legend of Oescienne Series
The Finding (Book One)
The Beginning (Book Two)
The Awakening (Book Three)
Tales of Oescienne – A Short Story Collection
Twitter:
@JEJOescienne
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Elizabeth-Johnson/202816013120106?sk=wall&filter=12
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/jejoescienne
A sneak peek at the third book in the Otherworld Trilogy,
Luathara
:
-One-
Purpose
The creature was utterly disgusting, whatever it was. Faelah, yes, but I didn’t have a name for this unfamiliar beast. Not yet, at least. So, what to call this one . . . I’d have to come up with something creative, some new word to describe the half-dead creature resembling a possum, coyote and rabbit all rolled into one. Perhaps I could combine the first two letters of the names for each of the animals: po-co-ra. Huh,
pocora
. It even sounded like an Otherworldly term.
The thing, the pocora, jerked its head up from whatever poor creature it feasted on, bony jaws dripping with gore. My stomach turned, and not just because of the brutal scene. The faelah was eating one of Mrs. Dollard’s cats, the chubby one that obviously hadn’t been able to outrun this particular enemy. I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t attached to my neighbor’s cats, despite the fact I once spent a summer caring for them, but the poor thing hadn’t deserved to die at the mercy of an Otherworldly monster.
I took a deep breath, pulling an arrow free of the quiver slung across my back and deftly positioned it in my bow. I’d become quite good at this in the past several weeks; arming my longbow with an arrow quickly and without making a sound. I stretched the bowstring back and aimed the arrow’s tip at the creature, steadying my arms while trying to concentrate. With a twang, I released the string and fixed my face with an expression of satisfaction as the arrow pierced the mummified hide of the pocora. The creature squealed like a pig and fell to the ground, kicking and clawing and attempting to remove the hawthorn arrow. If I had used any other wood, the faelah might’ve stood a chance, but even as I watched the small monstrosity struggling to regain its feet, smoke lifted from where the hawthorn shaft burned through nonliving flesh. I crinkled my nose at the acrid smell and turned away. Generally, I didn’t like killing anything, but the faelah of Eilé were an entirely different matter. And they weren’t technically alive, either.
The creature’s screams ceased and it went still. I waited a few more moments before moving close enough to pull the arrow free. I always kept the arrows from my hunts. It wasn’t like I could go down to the local sporting goods store and ask for arrows made with hawthorn wood. I wiped it on a nearby patch of grass out of habit. Whatever remained of the faelah would already be gone, however, burned off by magic. I glanced back over my shoulder as I left the small clearing behind, but the pocora had already disintegrated into ash, its glamour no longer keeping it alive and whole in the mortal world. I sighed and turned my eyes to what was left of Matilda Dollard’s cat. I would pay her a visit later and tell her I’d found her pet’s remains in the swamp. Another poor victim of a coyote attack.
Clear
, a bright thought said in my mind, forcing my thoughts away from the gruesome scene.
I shaded my eyes and glanced up into the eucalyptus leaves only to catch the brilliant white flash of a small bird of prey darting through them. She had been scanning the forest for more faelah. I grinned.
Did you catch anything
? I sent to my spirit guide.
Meridian chittered and sent back a joyous,
Tasty
.
That would be a yes.
I heaved a deep breath and pulled my quiver back onto my shoulders. Mid-morning had become late afternoon and I knew Mom would be worried if I didn’t get back soon. After having confessed to my family I was Faelorehn, an immortal being from Eilé, the Otherworld, and that a vindictive goddess was out to get me, she had been a little more protective of late. I guess I couldn’t blame her.
Meridian finished up with whatever she had caught and then set her focus on accompanying me back to the house. The walk home took a good fifteen minutes, but I didn’t mind taking my time this afternoon. I had a lot on my mind, after all. Actually, there had been a lot on my mind since my junior year in high school when all of this stuff concerning the Otherworld got dumped on me like a ton of bricks, but for the past month I had even more to worry about.
I made my way back to the main trail leading out of the swamp and thought about what had transpired just before graduation. It sometimes made me sick with anxiety, but I couldn’t help that. The Morrigan had tricked me, once again to my chagrin, into thinking she meant to go after my family. A few years ago, she would have been happy just to kill me. Now that she knew I possessed more glamour than the average Faelorehn, she was intent on using me as her own personal supply of endless magic. She probably would have succeeded if Cade hadn’t stepped in. Cade . . .