The Forgotten Trilogy

by Cecilia Randell

  Closing her eyes, she detached her mind from her body and opened her senses. She reached for mother sky and father earth and asked for strength. Then slowly, gradually, one note at a time, she altered the melody that her fingers were forced to play.

  This was the moment, the one path of opportunity she needed to follow. She did not stop the tune. Instead, she added herself into the song. She added her hopes, her fears, her dreams. She added her love for her men and her love for her friends. She added her love for Ailis.

  Then she thought one word. Please.

  What would you have of me child? The vessel’s voice was stronger.

  I would ask that you place your gift into the woman, and not the man.

  There was a pause. The man contains a spark, still. He has the waters of life running through him. I do not have the power for more than I have already made. I am at my end, child.

  What if I gave you the power?

  You do not have enough. A pause. Unless…

  Please. Oh, how she wished that word was as effective as it was with the fae.

  If you gave of yourself.

  Bat did not hesitate. Take what you need.

  I will use a small part. One that you will not have a need of from this day forward.

  The vessel reached out and moved through Bat’s very soul. It wrapped around a section of her being. This.

  All right.

  The vessel tugged. There was no pain, it was more like… a memory you knew you should know but that would never come again. Or something that was missing but that you would never miss.

  Warmth and comfort filled Bat as the vessel withdrew, like a mother stroking their child’s head.

  This will do.

  Then Bat’s fingers reached the end of the song, and the vessel shattered.

  Chapter 26

  DUB

  What the fuck just happened?

  His head pounded and his eyeballs felt like they were going to explode.

  All he could think was how idiotic they’d been to forget just what powers Balor held. Mell and Shar hadn’t seen them, but Dub had. Finn had. Con knew, the banshees as well. Finnegan had most definitely experienced them.

  Somehow they’d all forgotten.

  Dub staggered back a step as control of his body was returned to him. He shook his head to clear his vision and swung his sword blindly.

  One minute, maybe two. That was how long it had taken Balor to incapacitate everyone once he emerged from the cauldron. And the bastard had been playing with them.

  Dub had fought to get to Bat, to Mell, but he’d not had time to break through the line of Fomoiri. He’d spotted Ari by Mell’s side just before everything had been frozen in a horrid tableau.

  His arm had been poised to strike, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even turn his head. All he could do was listen as Balor backed Bat into a corner, and forced her to play.

  But why? Why have her play now? Why did they need the harp? There was more here than merely a return to life. Finn had mentioned the Hunt heading for Tara. If Balor was going to fight that battle, he would need the harp on his side. But that didn’t explain why he wanted it played now.

  Dub had seen the shadows in his goddesses eyes, had known she was holding back. He should have insisted she tell them what was bothering her.

  Because it seemed to be coming back on them now.

  A sluagh rushed him and Dub dodged back, putting his strength into increasing his speed. Spinning, he caught the sluagh across the back and wings in a long slice. Then there was another enemy before him, this time a Fomoiri.

  “Freide,” Dub growled out. He knew this one. He was a lieutenant in the Bull Clan.

  “Dub.” The man lunged, pushing the younger Fomoiri back.

  A melody drifted through the cave, gaining strength with each note played. Bat stood beside the cauldron, her eyes closed, and her fingers flew across the strings. The song didn’t touch the fighters.

  Scath stood beside her, eyeing her with hungry intent.

  That will never happen.

  Dub’s strength surged and he sent Freide flying into the cave wall, stone exploding behind him. He may not be able to kill without a soul blade, but he could certainly make these people hurt.

  Advancing on Scath, he was joined by Cuchi. Finn had moved to the cave mouth where a large Fir Bolg was trying to get in. Shar had taken on the sluagh. The remaining men of ba had teamed up with the pups and attacked the other four of Balor’s Fomoiri.

  Dub tackled Scath away from Bat, uncaring of Nuada’s blade. He needed to get that bastard away from her. They rolled and Scath landed a punch to the side of Dub’s head. His shadows reached around the oldest brother’s neck and squeezed.

  Cuchi tore Dub off and away and engaged the former lieutenant of the Crane Clan. Dub was up in an instant and came at Scath from the other side.

  A moment later he was tackled to the ground. Quinn, the silver-haired ass from the Bull Clan, rose over him with a dagger raised to strike. Dub wrapped his free hand around that wrist and squeezed.

  Quinn screamed and the dagger dropped.

  Just then there was a scream from the cave mouth. Dub sent a crushing punch into Quinn’s shoulder. Bone crunched.

  When he could turn his attention to the cave mouth, one of the trooping fae was on the ground and Scath was pulling Nuada’s blade from his back. Killer leapt and clamped down on Scath’s sword arm, dragging the other man to the cave floor.

  Cuchi landed a blow to the side of Scath’s head and the shadow-Fomoiri staggered, his hold on the sword loosening.

  Dub lunged and rolled. He reached for the sword still protruding from his ally’s back and wrenched it away from Scath, only to spin back and thrust it through the other immortal’s spine.

  An image of Bat, her face horrified just as it had been when she found out he’d killed Diarmuid, flashed before him. He growled and twisted the blade of the sword. Even if she detested him for this, he would not regret it. If he needed to he would figure out a way to fix things with her, but he would not allow this monster to remain on the earth. Even if he was locked away in the Tribunal’s cells, he would eventually walk free.

  Dub would never forget the way Scath had looked at his goddess.

  A roar sounded from outside and the Fir Bolg was thrown away from the cave entrance by a silver-clawed hand.

  Con had arrived.

  And the cauldron exploded.

  Just as suddenly as it had begun, the fighting ended.

  It was the shortest war he’d ever fought, and he still didn’t know what to make of it.

  Chapter 27

  Bastie,

  I think I will actually send this note to you.

  I need a hug.

  - Bat, the goddess who misses you. Really, really misses you

  BAT

  She sat in the middle of the cave, rocking Ailis in her arms.

  It was over. It was over, but it wasn’t.

  Bat had succeeded, but at what price?

  Daniel was gone. The most she’d been able to do after regaining consciousness was to gather the pieces of his soul and send them on.

  They had also lost one of the trooping fae—Ogma. One of the Fir Bolg—nearly nine feet tall, a true giant—had escaped the chaos that Con, the banshees, sluagh, and leprechauns were causing and had made its way to the cave. The trooping fae had been assisting Finn in fighting the behemoth, when Scath had run him through from behind with Nuada’s blade.

  Those were the only fatalities, but not the only damage.

  Bat twisted her head to where Mell lay beside her. The Spear of Lugh, Bat had learned, was not soul stealing, but it was fatal for immortals. Ari had managed to hold onto the pieces of Mell’s soul until he could be brought to the spring. Finn had added what magic he had by feeding the water to Mell from his hands.

  It had worked, to an extent. Like Ailis, Mell was unconscious. Of everyone, the worst injuries were sustained by those in the cave who’d had to endure a
nd face Balor’s power. It was a damned good thing there was a magical healing spring within arms reach.

  And The Morrigan calls Fate a bitch. Bat snorted. And snorted again. Then laughter spilled from her throat in ragged waves. Balor may have been playing a long game, but Fate’s had been longer. Why else set it up so that Balor needed a magical life-giving spring to make his plan work?

  The next time Bat saw her, she was going to give the ancient deity a very big hug.

  Killer pressed into her side, letting out faint whimpers.

  “Oh, baby, I am okay.” Bat loosed one hand from Ailis and scratched her pup behind the ears.

  “That is good to hear, a stor.” Shar entered the cave they’d turned into a makeshift camp and sat down across from her.

  “How is it out there?” she asked him.

  “Cuchi and Finn finished transporting the last of them.”

  It had taken hours, but the guards had transported the prisoners one at a time. Apparently both distance and the number of people you were moving at one time affected the transporting spell. You could move one person much farther than a group of people. The captured Fomoiri and sluagh had been taken to the northern guardi headquarters in Armagh, Ulster.

  One at a time. Finn and Cuchi must be exhausted, especially after having to do all that directly after the battle. “Are they resting?”

  Shar nodded. “Back on the boat.”

  “And Dub?”

  “Still down at the bay. One of those ships was Da’s. He’s searching the wreckage for anything that may be useful.”

  “To use against your father, or for him?”

  Shar just shook his head. “That I do not know.”

  She let it go. It was not a wound that needed to be healed now. “The harp?” She’d not been able to bear the sight of it after everything. The memory of her fingers moving outside her control haunted her. She’d felt like a puppet.

  “With Faolan.”

  He was a good choice. He’d already kept it safe for her once. “And the weapons?”

  “Secure, except for the shard-spear.”

  Flash. The spear, a gray hand clutching it as blood ran down the shaft. Soft lights played under the skin of that hand. Old Mike wandered the island with that spear until he found a clearing hidden by thorned vines and marsh grass. He buried it there, nodded, and left.

  “The shard-spear is not a problem,” she reassured him. “The vessel no longer holds power anyway.”

  It was true. The moment the vessel granted that last act of creation to Ailis, it had used the last of its power, the last of what made it what it was. That was why it had shattered. All the pieces she’d found scattered around the cave had been nothing but pretty stone.

  She’d still tucked a piece or two into her pocket. It was pretty. Maybe she’d make Ailis a ring, or a pair of earrings. For when she woke up.

  “Does that mean we’re ready?” Bat had stayed in the cave with Ailis, Mell, and Killer as everyone else worked. Part of her had felt guilt at leaving it to everyone else to clean up the aftermath, but she couldn’t make herself leave Mell or Ailis.

  “It does. Saoirse will get us out of here. Then she’s going to… ‘hunt down Da and make him fix his flimsy-ass security,’ I think is how she put it.”

  That pulled a small smile from the goddess.

  Finnegan appeared at the mouth of the cave. He approached her and, without a word, took the five of them back to the boat.

  “Here.” Shar set a cup of steaming tea into her hands. The main salon was empty but for the two of them. He sat beside her on the narrow bench seat and she leaned into him.

  He’d been the one to stick with her, both after the battle and now that they were on the boat and headed home. She suspected Dub and Finn were keeping their distance to allow the overprotective brother time to assuage his need to see her safe.

  “Drink,” Shar said.

  Bat took a sip, more for his sake than hers. Her mind swirled with too many thoughts—thoughts that only entered her mind now that the fight against Balor was… over. She finally settled on one. “How many do you think were seduced by Balor’s whispers? Other than the Wild Hunt and those on the island, I mean.”

  His arm went around her back and settled on her opposite hip. “I don’t know. But, it’s not something we need to worry about. That’s for the guardi to do.” He snorted. “It’s their job, after all.” The faintest hint of contempt snuck into his tone.

  “Are you angry?”

  “Maybe? More frustrated. I mean, how could The Morrigan or the Tribunal even let this come to pass? Plus, this entire debacle isn’t anything I’ve ever experienced. A war that wasn’t a war, battles that lasted no more than minutes. Soldiers that aren’t soldiers, enemies working toward the same goals…” His fingers dug into the rounded flesh of her hip. “I think Balor’s influence stretched much farther than any of us realize, but I also suspect that most of those he influenced weren’t even aware of it. And of those that were aware, not all knew his true intentions.”

  Bat stiffened. How much had Shar figured out?

  They fell into silence. Bat suspected he wanted to ask her what had happened in the end, why Balor’s own man ran him through with the spear, why she’d played the Uaithne, why the Egg of Creation had shattered.

  After a few minutes, when he continued to hold his silence, she relaxed into him. She didn’t know what she would say if he asked, and she didn’t like the idea of having to lie to her lover.

  “The Fomoiri Clans will clean themselves up. Dub’s already called Da to tell him about Scath. And I mean it, leave the rest to the guardi. Finn’s been on the line with them almost non-stop. They’ve already gotten names from the prisoners.” He sucked in a deep breath, his muscled chest moving against her side. “Finn didn’t tell any of us before, but apparently the Wild Hunt went after a new target when we transported to Londonderry. That’s where most of the guardi have been over the last few days.”

  “Oh.”

  “Tara. Have you heard of it?”

  It sounded familiar, but… She shook her head.

  “It’s the seat of Power in Ireland. The humans think it’s a not-so-impressive tourist sight and something relegated to the history books. It’s a hell of a lot more than that. If we had lost against Balor, and he had made it off the island and to Tara, well…”

  Bat shuddered. If Balor had gained his true goal, it would have been so much worse than anything he was imagining.

  “Anyway, the Hunt’s moved on. They’ve been spotted in the South, near Cork. Their movements seem to be back to normal. Point is, without Balor to keep them together, his allies will fall apart.”

  Bat let his words sink in. “So you are saying it is over.”

  “For us it is. It’s time to let the people in charge pull their damn weight. Now, drink your tea.”

  The boat rocked under them and Bat drank her tea.

  Chapter 28

  Bastie,

  Have you ever forgotten how to laugh?

  - Bat

  Four weeks later…

  BAT

  Bat sat beside Ailis’s bed and watched her friend sleep.

  Mell had regained consciousness the day after the confrontation with Balor. But Ailis had been asleep now for four weeks. Bat gathered a pale hand in her own darker ones, and squeezed. She hoped for an answering gesture, but it never came.

  All they could do now was wait. Bat had discovered a new and deep-seated hatred for waiting. She’d done too much of it in her life, and she’d become used to doing things since coming to Ireland. Now she was back to feeling helpless once again.

  They’d done everything they could think of. Finn had fed Ailis water from his hands. Oisin had spent days with his head buried in various ancient texts to see if he could find anything that would bring her back. Dub had called upon a couple of Fomoiri healers he was still on good terms with. The pixies had gone on quests for rare herbs rumored to heal even the most grievous wounds.
r />   Even Shar had visited the Rowans—those trees that once guarded the immortals of Ireland, and whose fruit held a kind of healing power. Bat wasn’t sure what the visit had entailed—he didn’t tell her and she didn’t ask—but when he returned he bore a sprig of berries. He’d prepared that sacred fruit and fed it to Ailis one spoonful at a time.

  Still she did not wake.

  Bat picked up a washcloth and dipped it in the basin of water that sat on the bedside table. After wringing it out, she bathed Ailis’s face, pushing back the green hair that was overdue for a touch-up—the blond roots were beginning to show.

  “I miss you,” she told her friend. “Meera and the other banshees are fun, but they’re not you, Ailis.” Bat moved the cloth down to Ailis’s neck. “They’ve been practicing their power. Teagan busted three bottles of whiskey, and Meera took out one of the front windows. ‘Working on their aim’ they said. Dub said they were deliberately terrorizing him and the pub and banned them for a week. They were back in three days.”

  Bat continued on, filling Ailis in on all the hijinks and mischief their friends were up to. She played with Ailis’s hair, and held her hand, not wanting her friend to feel alone. Bat had been reading up on comas, and some people believed that even if the unconscious person couldn’t respond, they could still hear and feel you on some level. Bat chose to believe this as well, and she came every day to visit. She would continue to come every day until her friend woke up.

  It wasn’t the only reason she visited, though.

  She also came out of guilt. Mell believed the feeling stemmed from placing her friend in danger. It was only part of it.

  No, most of her guilt was for an entirely different reason.

  Bat had an idea of what could wake Ailis from her sleep.

  She simply couldn’t tell anyone.