Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy (22 page)

On the
ten
th day of my stay in the Weald, Enorah taught me how to create a shield of magic.  By releasing small amounts of glamour, and sending it out in wide, flexible sheets instead of rolling it up into pebbles, I was able to construct a force field over myself.

“Think of it as one of those fountains that looks like a sphere of water,” Enorah said.

I wrinkled my nose and pictured water flowing in a continuous stream, a thin film of liquid pouring around a central geyser.  Like everything new I tried with my magic, creating the shield was tricky at first, but gradually I became better at it.  By the end of our lesson I had the hang of it, and when Enorah threw a stick at me, it bounced off of my invisible shield and clattered into the shrubs growing under the great beech trees surrounding us.

“Good!” she barked.  “Now for invisibility . . .”

Invisibility was easily my favorite.  Enorah coached me through the process of coating myself in magic.  I closed my eyes and took deep breaths through my nose.

“It’s just like the fountain, but this time the water pressure isn’t nearly as great.  You want it to feel like a steady stream of water f
l
owing
over
every contour of a stone statue.”

At first, my magic burst forth and I merely created another shield.  My heart skipped a beat when
this happened
, because the rose tried to burst open once again.

No you don’t
, I gr
owled inwardly
,
you stay just as you are until I need you
.

An
image of
Cade, standing against the C
u
morrig
with
the beast’s long claws stabbing into his abdomen
came to mind
.  The sharp lick of pain that sliced my heart managed to force the wild magic back where it belonged and only the hairline cracks along the petals’ edges showed pale blue.  I hated drawing on those memories, but sometimes they were necessary to get Cernunnos's magic to obey.  Every time it fought to be released, I got the impression that it was used to being free and didn't like its confinement.

“Okay, steady, let’s start over again,” Enorah’s calm voice crooned.

I nodded and dashed away my fears and anxiety. 
Focus Meghan, focus
. . .

An hour later I’d mastered it, and by the end of
the second
week I could create a shield, become invisible and even fling small bursts of my magic in long tendrils from my fingers or throw it like fireballs in one of my brothers' video games.  It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, but I always managed to accomplish what challenge Enorah set for me without letting Cernunnos's power slip from my control.

The first few days of the
thir
d week progressed almost exactly
as the previous days had
.  I would get up early an
d eat breakfast with the other w
ildren and then spend a few hours practicing (I only practiced now since Enorah was satisfied with my progress and thought it best if I just strengthen what I'd learned).  After practice, we would return to the village and either play games with the younger kids or
participate in
archery with the older ones.  Enorah even taught me some self-defense maneuvers that we tested out on the
bigg
er boys.

After the evening meal, I would sometimes help out with the chores or read stories to the younger children as they got ready for bed.  More often than not, they'd want to hear about the mortal world, so I'd tell them about my mom and dad and brothers, or
share
tales from my adventures with Tully, Robyn, Will and Thomas.  I tried to tell them that my high school woes with my friends weren't real adventures, but they didn't care.  They begged for them every night and I
always gave in
, grateful to somehow reconnect, even on this basic level, with the ones I'd left behind in my other life.

It was no surprise, then, that I soon lost track of the time Cade had been gone.  I had grown so used to my new routine and h
ad settled in so well with the w
ildren that I no longer had time to worry.

Of course, when Enorah caught me gazing off longingly into the east one afternoon, she murmured only for my ears to hear, "Three more days Meghan."

I started, not realizing I'd let my mind wander, and then smiled back at her, returning my focus on the arrow I'd placed in my longbow.  Gazing at the target in the distance, I took a steadying breath and drew the string to my cheek. 
Three more days
.  In three more days the
four weeks
would be up, and Cade would be coming back.  My stomach fluttered with anticipation, and as my arrow found the ring just on the outside of the middle of the target, I only hoped that nothing would impede Cade from keeping his promise to return.

That night, I watched the w
ildren place the wood around the base of the cauldron, their movements well-practiced and fluid, and savored the smell of fresh smoke as the flames licked the side of the great black pot.  The muted light of early twilight spread over us and I found my mind wandering off with thoughts of Cade once again.

Now that my magic was well under control, and with Enorah's reminder earlier this afternoon, my mind had the energy to conjure up an image of Cade standing on the edge of the village, telling me he'd be back soon.  My heart sped up and I began to fidget with anticipation.  I couldn’t wait to see him, though I was also afraid of what news he might bring back.  I'd been so fixated on getting my magic (and Cernunnos's) under control that I'd forgotten about why Cade had left in the first place.  Had he been able to tell the other Tuatha De about the Morrigan’s attack?  Had he told my mother?  And if so, were they going to help us do something about it?

“Thinking about my brother?”

Enorah’s voice just a few feet away caused me to fall off the log I was sitting on.

I grumbled and brushed the dead leaves off of my pants as I made room for her.  She sat down next to the spot I’d made and dismissed the older children who had managed to get the fire under the cauldron going.

“
So,” she said as they scattered to get in some good playing time before dinner was ready, “was I right?  Were you thinking about Caedehn?”

It was hard to avoid her eyes, even when that was the only thing in the world I wanted to do at the moment, but I sighed and glanced up.  There was humor there, like always, but warmth and sorrow as well.  There was no doubt in my mind that Enorah loved her brother, but why did she look so sad?  Didn’t she know I loved him too?

The best way to go about this situation was to answer honestly and then go from there.  “Yes, I was thinking about Cade."  And just in case she any doubts, I added, "I love him, Enorah.”

Enorah bent over, her elbows resting on her knees, and ran her fingers through her curly hair.

“I know you do,” she answered softly, “I just need more time to get used to it is all.”

I gave her a troubled glance.  All this time she'd been helping me with my magic, treating me like a close friend, and she had doubts about my devotion to Cade?

Enorah shook her head and smiled.

“Oh no, not like that."  She snorted, then ran her fingers through her hair again.  "We've been so busy practicing your magic that we never had time to have this conversation."

I watched as the flames of the fire flickered in her eyes.  Suddenly nervous, I swallowed and gave her my full attention.  What conversation would that be?

Enorah took a deep breath and said, "I am so happy that my brother found you Meghan.  You have no idea how grateful I am.  It’s just that long before he met you he would bring girls here to introduce to me.  I could tell they made him happy, but there was always something off about them.  Like deer in the meadow during summer.  No inclination to look elsewhere until the good food ran out.  They were simply waiting until something better came along.  Cade couldn’t see it because, well, because he thought he’d finally found someone to love him for who he was.”

I listened to Enorah, remaining calm and silent.  Strangely, I didn’t feel any jealousy towards these previous girlfriends, though a few months ago I may have.  Perhaps it was a sign that I understood that there was no need to resent the people who had been too blind or selfish to see the young man I’d grown to love; so shallow that they couldn't
look beyond his unfortunate ties
to the Morrigan and the battle fury that sometimes overtook him.

“Cade and I, we have been alive a long time Meghan, you must understand we’ve been looking a long time for that perfect companion.”  She smiled, but it was the furthest thing from joyful.  “Some of us are still looking.”

I glanced up and gave her a concerned look.

She shook her head.  “Oh no, don’t you dare feel sorry for me.  I have chosen my life here, among the unwanted children of
Eile
.  I have enough love here to last several hundred immortal lifetimes.”

She laughed, but I was not convinced.  My heart gave a small twinge of remorse for Enorah’s sake, but I didn’t press the issue.  Sometimes it was best not to talk about regrets.

"I just wanted you to know that it means a lot to me, that you care for my brother.  For once, I feel like I can trust someone else with his heart."

Her statement was so honest, such a reflection of what I could see in her eyes and sense in her
presence
that I almost started crying.  Here was a sister who genuinely loved her brother and although she was grateful for me, I was grateful towards her
as well
.

I sniffled and placed my hands no her shoulders.  "And it means a lot to me too, knowing that Cade has a sister who loves him so much."

Enorah beamed at me, then wiped at her eyes.

"Don't you dare make me cry, Meghan Elam.  I can't risk tarnishing my image."

We
both
laughed then and I gave her a hug.

"Come on, help me stir this soup until the second dinner shift gets here."

We stood,
pull
ing each other up, then took one of the several, giant wooden spoons sticking out of the great cauldron.  As we mixed the soup, we laughed and joked together.  Enorah told me tales about Cade when they were younger and I told her stories about growing up with my brothers.

By the time the other kids showed up to keep the soup from scalding, both Enorah and I had tears
running down our cheeks
from laughing so hard.

That night, Enorah and some of the other adults brought out a few bottles of mead to celebrate
Lughnasadh.  The harvest festival was still a handful of days away, but as Enorah put it, "The denizens of the Weald begin celebrating early and stretch the party out for as long as possible
.
  Besides," she added with an impish
grin, filling mugs as
she walked around after dinner, "we must acknowledge Meghan's progress with her magic lessons."

A few of the children knew how to play musical instruments,
so
in no time we had a full-out, forest festival underway in the village square.  Enorah even pulled several people up to dance and as a group, we laughed and jigged around the fire, making utter fools of ourselves and having a great time.

By the time I made it to
bed in my small cabin, I was dizzy from the mead a
nd general cheer of the evening.  A
s I fell asleep, I thought of the conversation I'd had with Enorah.  Smiling, I welcomed dreams of friendship, love and loyalty,
and for once I felt like I truly belonged in Eile
.

* * *

I woke slowly the next morning, my head still slightly fuzzy from the mead last night, only to find Meridian perched on my headboard.  I had been letting her in before bed since the nights had been growing co
ol
er, but she usually slept in the corner where I'd
constructed
her a small perch.

Meridian hopped down onto my pillow, then fluffed her feathers and nibbled at my ear.  Ugh!  What a way to wake up in the morning.  Grumbling, I rolled over and grabbed the spare pillow, clamping it over my head.  Meridian screeched in avian outrage at my attempt to ignore her.

Up!
she
blar
ed into my head.

Meridian!  Go back to sleep.  I don't even know if the sun's up yet!

Outside!
she insisted.

Groaning, I threw back the sheets in frustration, immediately hissing as the
col
d air hit me.  I grabbed the warm cloak Enorah had lent me and slipped on my shoes, yawning and cursing my spirit guide at the same time.  Honestly, the way she disdained the cold you'd think she'd want to stay in as long as possible.

I stepped outside into a fog bank, the light of dawn barely cutting away at the dark morning.  No one else was stirring.
  Uh huh, just as I'd thought.
I envied them their lack of pestering spirit guides. 
I wrapped
the cloak more tightly around myself
and turned to go back inside.  I could probably get one more hour of sleep in before Enorah woke me up for breakfast, and I was more than ready to get back under the warm covers.  Unfortunately, Meridian darted out the door and almost slammed into me.