The Unkindness of Ravens
Page 19
She turned to face the courtyard. That light had come from a massive draw on the Ogham power. She had felt it. She only knew one person who was capable of that kind of power. She was afraid that she would find a martyr.
Finale
From a far corner, Dubhaine listened to Sophronia hold court in the basement of the ruined bard college. She was telling everyone the story of Liam’s heroic death again. Each time she shared it, Sophronia embellished just the right details to make Liam even more of a hero and a martyr. By the time she finished her revisions, Dubhaine imagined, Liam would have singlehandedly organized the rescue of the condemned citizens and rescued them by ascending to godhood.
Celestina approached her, and Dubhaine stood up. This legendary warrior would never not make her feel nervous. Celestina held out a palm, urging Dubhaine to sit back down, then joined her and said, “Well done, Caile, or Dubhaine. I apologize.” Dubhaine flushed with the awkwardness of experiencing a legend apologize to her. “You pulled off something incredibly difficult. You rescued these people. You united them with the leaders of their faith, and against their oppressors. With an organized resistance, you should be able to drive out Gabalifix’s army soon. This is where I leave you.”
Dubhaine froze for a moment, then managed to choke out, “What?”
“The Tuatha need me. The goblin tribes are descending from the mountains in earnest now, preparing for an all-out assault on my people,” Celestina said. She seemed uncertain for a second before touching Dubhaine’s arm, “Our people, Caile. I’m sorry for everything that happened to you during the war. Perhaps if we had listened to you when you tried to tell us about your father’s people, or at least been more accepting of you, none of this would have happened.” Celestina choked up. Dubhaine could see the centuries of wear on her face and was reminded again of how much this legend had sacrificed and how many of her friends had died.
Dubhaine felt empathetic tears slide down her own cheeks. She silently cursed herself for crying in front of the legendary Sealghair.
Celestina recovered herself, returning to her blunt demeanor. “When I leave, you have to unite these people. Drive out the minotaurs, and then, Dubhaine, you have to go one step further.” She waited to make sure Dubhaine was paying close attention. “You must unite your heritage. These humans have to come to the aid of the Tuatha. We either stand together, or we die separately. The death of the Tuatha means the goblin races will spread across Domhain an Duine and destroy Atania like a tidal wave.”
There was a long silence as Dubhaine took in the moment. The support from perhaps the greatest living hero of the Tuatha meant that Dubhaine could see that what she had wanted for so long was within her grasp. Acceptance. There was much work to be done, and many would die before it happened.
Sophronia’s voice, high and compelling, rose in pitch and volume as she came to the climax of a song. Everyone cheered and Dubhaine stood and clapped. She knew her own role in this drama: encouraging the people to join in the applause.
Sophronia saw her and held up her hands for silence. “Something I neglected to mention during the story. The person who planned this daring escape, who brought us the help of Celestina and the Tuatha was Dubhaine.” Everyone’s eyes turned to Dubhaine, and Sophronia continued, “Yes, that’s right. There is much work to be done if we are to free ourselves from the shackles of oppression. While Liam is a hero, Dubhaine is the one who will lead us to freedom. So go and tell this story. Let everyone in Atania know what happened, and whom to look to for leadership. Dubhaine, we are in your debt,” and Sophronia bowed to her, long and low.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my wife, Melissa, for being the first enthusiastic supporter of my writing. Without you, I probably would never have admitted that I’m a writer. A big shoutout as well to my development editor, Erin. You made this book infinitely better. I also want to express my profound love for Ireland and the many myths that come from that magical emerald isle.
If you enjoyed The Unkindness of Ravens, you can read more short stories about characters from the world of the Domhaine an Duine by visiting CoryHuff.com/Ogham