Flame of Sevenwaters
F
LAME
OF
SEVENWATERS
Also by Juliet Marillier
THE SEVENWATERS NOVELS
Daughter of the Forest
Son of the Shadows
Child of the Prophecy
Heir to Sevenwaters
Seer of Sevenwaters
THE LIGHT ISLES
Wolfskin
Foxmask
THE BRIDEI CHRONICLES
The Dark Mirror
Blade of Fortriu
The Well of Shades
Heart’s Blood
For Young Adults
Wildwood Dancing
Cybele’s Secret
F
LAME
OF
SEVENWATERS
JULIET MARILLIER
A ROC BOOK
ROC
Published by New American Library, a division of
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Published by Roc, an imprint of New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in a Pan Macmillan Australia edition.
First Roc Printing, November 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © Juliet Marillier, 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:
Marillier, Juliet.
Flame of Sevenwaters/Juliet Marillier.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-1-101-61172-2
I. Title.
PR9619.3.M26755F57 2012
823’.912—dc23 2012021394
Set in Palatino
Printed in the United States of America
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
| ALWAYS LEARNING | PEARSON |
For my sister, Jennifer,
who opens hearth and heart to dogs in trouble
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Druid’s Journey: North
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Druid’s Journey: East
Chapter 10
Druid’s Journey: South
Chapter 11
Druid’s Journey: West
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Druid’s Journey: Center
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Druid’s Journey: Full Circle
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to my daughter, Elly, for invaluable help with plot wrangling. Fiona Leonard answered my equine questions and Glyn Marillier my maritime questions, though any errors are mine. The canine parts of the book are largely based on personal experience. A special thank-you to rescue dog Harry, who worked his way through three levels of obedience training while I was writing this book.
My editors, Brianne Tunnicliffe at Pan Macmillan and Anne Sowards at Roc, were at every turn both professional and supportive, as were Libby Turner, Claire Craig, and Julia Stiles. My agent, Russell Galen, is an ongoing source of wise advice.
CHARACTER LIST
| Sean | | chieftain of Sevenwaters in Ulster |
| Aisling | ( ash -ling) | his wife |
| Liadan | ( lee -a-dan) | Sean’s sister, lady of Harrowfield in Cumbria |
| Bran | | Liadan’s husband, master of Harrowfield |
| Deirdre | ( dair -dreh) | second daughter of Sean and Aisling, Clodagh’s twin |
| Illann | | Deirdre’s husband, chieftain of a territory bordering Sean’s (southern Uí Néill) |
| Emer and Oisin | ( eh -ver and u-sheen) | children of Deirdre and Illann |
| Maeve | (mehv) | fourth daughter of Sean and Aisling, foster daughter to Bran and Liadan |
| Finbar | | son of Sean and Aisling |
| Clodagh | ( klo -da) | third daughter of Sean and Aisling, Deirdre’s twin |
| Cathal | (ko-hal) | son of Mac Dara; married to Clodagh |
| Firinne and Ronan | ( feer -in-yeh and roh -nan) | twin children of Clodagh and Cathal |
| Conor | | chief druid; uncle to Sean and Liadan |
| Ciarán | ( keer- aun) | senior druid; half uncle to Sean and Liadan |
| Luachan | ( loo -a-khan) | a young druid; Finbar’s tutor |
| Rhian | ( ree -an) | Maeve’s personal maid |
| Garalt | | stable master at Harrowfield |
| Emrys | ( em -riss) | head groom at Harrowfield |
| Donal | | groom at Harrowfield |
| Doran | | Sean’s senior man-at-arms |
| Nuala | ( noo -a-la) | his wife—cook at Sevenwaters |
| Eithne | ( eh -nyeh) | Aisling’s personal maid |
| Orlagh | ( or -la) | serving woman at Sevenwaters |
| Cerball | ( car -ull) | man-at-arms |
| Rhodri | | man-at-arms |
| Duald | | stable master at Sevenwaters |
| Cruinn | | chieftain of Tirconnell (northern Ui Neill) |
| Tiernan | ( teer -nan) | his elder son |
| Artagan | ( art -a-gan) | his younger son |
| Daigh | (rhymes with sky ) | Tiernan’s friend |
| Niall | | man-at-arms |
| Mac Dara | | prince of the Fair Folk at Sevenwaters; Cathal’s father |
| Caisin | (ka- sheen ) | a lady of the Fair Folk (called “Caisin Silverhair”) |
| Fiamain | (fia-vin) | sister of Caisin |
| Dioman | ( dee -maun) | brother of Caisin |
| Breasal | (bras-al) | Caisin’s councilor |
| Fraochan | ( freh -khan) | Mac Dara’s councilor |
| Labhraidh | ( low -ri) | a man of the Fair Folk |
| Sleibhin | ( sle -vin) | a man of the Fair Folk |
| Mochta | ( mukh -ta) | a very big man of the Fair Folk |
| Bounder | | Maeve’s beloved dog from childhood, now deceased |
| Swift | | a fine yearling |
| Blaze | | Luachan’s mare |
| Broccan and Teafa | | Sean’s wolfhounds |
| Bear and Badger | | two black dogs |
| Cú Chulainn | (koo hoo -lan) | a legendary hero |
| Maelan | ( meh -laun) | character in Ciarán’s story |
| Baine | ( baw -nyeh) | character in Ciarán’s story |
| Tuatha Dé Danann | ( too -a-ha deh donn -an) or ( too -a-ha deh) | The Fair Folk, legendary dwellers in Erin. “People of the goddess Danu” |
| Uí Néill | (ee nay -ill) | an influential clan in Irish history (O’Neill) |
Note: the fada or Irish accent has been omitted from some of the names, both on this list and in the text of the book, for purposes of simplicity.
CHAPTER 1
M y aunt taught me to hold my head high, even when people stared. My uncle taught me to defend myself. Between them they made sure I learned courage. But I could not be brave about going home.
I was ten when the accident happened: young to be sent away from home and family. My parents must have believed Aunt Liadan could achieve the impossible. True, if any healer could have cured me, she was probably the one to do it. But my hands were beyond fixing. Although she never said so, I think my aunt expected to keep me at Harrowfield only until I had learned to live with my injuries. But days grew into seasons, and seasons into years, and whenever the suggestion was made that perhaps I might return to Erin, I found a reason for saying no.