by Candace Sams
"We're here,” he announced and pulled her out of the shrubs and into a small clearing.
Kathy gasped. In the middle of a perfect little meadow sat a two-story Tudor cottage. It had a thatched roof, stone walls and a split rail fence around the yard. The windows were framed, crisscross fashion, to form elongated diamond shapes in the glass. Flowers grew from well tended beds, and birds ate seed from various feeders. Smoke wound in a welcoming spiral from one of several chimneys.
"This is beautiful,” Kathy breathed. “Whose is it?"
"Mine. And there's someone inside I want you to meet. She's the love of my life.” He eagerly walked forward.
Kathy hung back for a split second. No one had said he was involved with anyone. Why in the world would Shayla want her kidnapped if Tearach was in love with someone? Some small part of her didn't want to know who was in the cottage. She'd assumed, wrongly it seemed, that the Goblin was alone. When he turned and motioned for her to catch up, she did so with great reluctance.
"Cairna,” he called out and pushed the front door open, “I've brought someone for you to meet."
As Kathy stepped inside, she heard a sound from the staircase, and she turned to see a beautiful young girl descending. She was dressed in the same kind of medieval clothing she and Tearach wore, but her elfin features and long black hair were striking. And like Tearach, the girl was one-hundred percent Goblin.
When Cairna saw Kathy, she grinned and launched herself into Tearach's embrace. “Ohhhhh, you brought her."
Kathy stared at them. This was growing stranger by the moment. This girl wanted her here? She was still a teenager, and Tearach had to be twice her age. He didn't seem the type to cradle-rob, but what did she know about the Goblin social structure?
Tearach gently disengaged himself from Cairna's hug and turned her toward Kathy. “This is Cairna,” he introduced.
Cairna stepped forward, smiled and held out her hand. “I've wanted to meet you properly, but I had to wait for Uncle Tearach to give his permission."
Uncle Tearach? Kathy felt a little silly. And why had the thought of someone being in Tearach's life bothered her? It wasn't as if she was going to consent to Shayla's crazy scheme and have sex with him. “Hello, Cairna. Tearach didn't tell me he had a niece.” She smiled back and shook hands with the girl.
"I'm sure he's had a lot on his mind.” Cairna shot an accusing glance toward Tearach.
"You two have met before. Remember?” Tearach looked pointedly at Kathy.
Something about Cairna was very familiar. Then it hit her. “You're the girl on the trail. The one pretending to be hurt!” Only that girl had looked human.
Cairna lowered her head and nodded. “I'm sorry about that, Kathy, but Shayla said we had to get you into the car. It seemed safer if you were stopped when Uncle Tearach grabbed you. If you'd been running, he might have had to knock you down."
Kathy wanted to be furious at the girl's part in her kidnapping, but logic told her if Cairna hadn't participated, Shayla would have had someone else do the job. “I don't suppose you had much choice in the matter."
"Neither of us did,” Tearach answered for her.
Kathy looked at them, shook her head and sighed. “It's water under the bridge now. Shayla seems to be calling the shots for everyone."
As if the whole matter were a minor inconvenience, Cairna smiled again and grabbed Kathy's hand. “Come into the living room. I'll make us some tea. If Uncle Tearach had said you were coming, I'd have spruced the place up a bit."
Kathy followed the girl, looking around as she did so. The cottage was immaculate. The walls were white, furniture polished and book shelves dusted. Pots of flowers crowded windowsills, and of all things, a blue stuffed cat rested on the sofa. Cairna picked it up, flopped onto the cushions and hugged the cat to her. It could be any cottage in any meadow anywhere in Great Britain. Cairna could have been any teenager sitting on the sofa with her stuffed animal. But it was a Goblin home in the middle of some enchanted forest. Kathy began to wonder when she was going to wake up and find her dreamworld had disintegrated. She sat on the sofa next to Cairna. Tearach threw himself into a larger chair near the fireplace and propped his booted feet on the coffee table. Much to Kathy's amusement, Cairna leaned over, pushed them off, and glared at him.
"We have company,” she growled from between clenched teeth. “Anyone would think you'd been raised in a barn!” She turned and smiled at Kathy as if nothing had happened.
"Oh, for the love of Herne,” Tearach muttered in exasperation, got up and went into the kitchen.
Kathy had to bite her lower lip hard to keep from laughing. It was priceless to see the Olympian-sized Goblin verbally trounced by his pint-sized niece. Green or not, these people seemed to live their private lives much like anyone else.
"You will stay for lunch, won't you?” Cairna addressed Kathy and ignored her uncle's lapse of decorum.
This was getting sillier by the moment. While Cairna's etiquette was impeccable, Tearach had suddenly reverted to acting like a cave dweller. “Well, um ... of course. I'd love to, if it isn't an inconvenience,” Kathy responded, still trying to hold back her mirth.
"Cairna, I'm starving,” Tearach yelled. “When do we eat?"
Kathy watched him walk back into the living room munching an apple. He nonchalantly leaned against the wall and waited for Cairna to answer. Kathy wasn't fooled a bit. He was behaving boorishly on purpose.
Cairna let out a loud sigh and responded with barely controlled irritation. “If you'd be so kind as to set the table, I'll be right there. Kathy and I are conversing."
"Since when do we set the table? We usually eat standing over the sink?” he innocently replied.
"Uncle Tearach! We have never eaten while standing over the sink. Kathy will think you're an ill-mannered boor.” Cairna stood up, dropped her stuffed cat onto the sofa, and stalked toward him. “You'll have to forgive him, Kathy. For some reason, my uncle seems to have forgotten how to spell deportment. Let alone practice it!"
When Cairna grabbed the apple away from him and stormed into the kitchen, Kathy buried her head in her hands and laughed to the point of tears. She finally looked up to see Tearach staring at the floor and shaking his head.
"She seems to think this is all some fairy tale. That we're all going to be happy and everything will work out. I've tried talking to her, but Cairna just doesn't want to listen."
Sounds of pots being furiously banged against each other reached them. Kathy pushed her hair back and tried to compose herself. “Forgive me for saying so, but she's young and trying to make a good impression. Provoking her isn't going to help."
He raised his eyebrows. “What makes you think I was provoking her? For all you know, we really do eat meals over the kitchen sink."
"Maybe you do, but it looks to me as though someone raised that girl with perfect manners."
He stared at her for a long moment. “Thank you. I did my best."
Kathy was stunned into silence. “You raised her?"
"We're all that's left of our family.” He paused, and then he deliberately changed subjects. “And you needn't sound so shocked. I can spell deportment."
She smiled at him and he almost returned it.
"Lunch is ready,” Cairna walked back into the living room, grinned at Kathy and held out a welcoming hand. When Tearach would have followed them into the kitchen, Cairna put her palm in the middle of his chest and stopped him in his tracks. “Yours is sitting out on the stoop."
While Kathy and his niece ate a lunch of chicken salad, fresh fruit and lemonade, Tearach sat outside choking down a very dry sandwich. He didn't have a right to feel sorry for himself. Goblin women were known for their terrible tempers and he'd tried Cairna's patience to the limit. Without warning, the humor of the situation sank in and he almost smiled. For the first time in years, he felt some emotion akin to optimism.
Then, the solemnity of the situation hit him like a brick. They were all pretending they
could remain friendly when there was no future for him or Kathy; no future for Cairna and her offspring; and no future for the rest of his people. Kathy's presence was a diversion, taking time away from a problem that wasn't being addressed. He tossed his sandwich aside and watched a flock of sparrows descend on it. As he listened to the women talking in the kitchen, his fury over his race's plight returned with intensity. The Sorceress was playing them for fools, and there was nothing anyone could or would do to stop this travesty. Now his beloved niece was involved and it tortured him to raise her hopes.
He stood and walked purposely toward the peaceful woods, silently praying that Herne would present a solution to his people's tragedy. There was no help from any other source as he saw it. Everyone had abandoned him with the monumental task of saving an almost extinct race. It seemed the horror of the matter only registered with him. He'd never felt more utterly alone in his entire life.
"Damn you, Sorceress! Damn your ideas and me for having any part of them!” he muttered and realized his people's welfare would have been better entrusted to his older brother. It was too bad Traed hadn't survived instead of him. If he could have changed places, he gladly would have.
Chapter Five
Tearach left Cairna and Kathy alone. He took his time meandering in the woods, then among the beds of flowers in the cottage garden. Later, he watched the sun set. The women didn't appear to miss his presence, and he'd just as soon be alone for a while. Events in his life seemed so out of control.
The women's loud laughter brought him out of his reverie. He had work to do, and Shayla would be waiting for him to bring Kathy back. Going back to the castle and facing the Sorceress wasn't appealing. He sighed, walked back to the front of the cottage and pushed on the heavy oak door. The women were sitting at the kitchen table as he presumed they had been for hours, nattering on like old friends. Cairna's pretty face was animated as she spoke. Kathy's chin rested in the palms of her hands as she intently listened. The afternoon sun glittered through the prism windows and lit her blond hair. It was like seeing a thousand tiny diamonds firing the gilt tresses. In that instant, he knew there were enchanted women of the Order whose beauty couldn't compare with Kathy's. But she was an outsider. Under any other circumstances, she might have been put to death for setting foot inside this sacred realm.
He'd have to tell her what Shayla obviously hadn't. Maybe the Sorceress was waiting for the proper time. Since Kathy would never agree to Shayla's plan, there was no sense in putting it off. Besides, he'd already promised to explain why Shayla wanted them intimately involved. Cairna looked up and smiled at him. He could see she was over her anger at his ridiculous display of bad manners.
"Uncle Tearach, sit down. I'll make some tea,” she invited.
He held up his hand, declining the offer. “No, thank you, sweeting. I have to get Kathy back to the castle.” He saw Cairna's expression change from cheerful exuberance to quiet thoughtfulness.
"I was thinking. Maybe ... maybe the Sorceress would let her stay with us.” When both Kathy and Tearach murmured their mutual misgivings, she quickly continued, “The spare room next to mine is all ready. It has a lovely view, and it's less oppressive than that drafty old castle."
"Cairna, the Sorceress is concerned that ... well...” Tearach looked at Kathy for assistance.
"She knows I'll try to escape. That's why she's holding me under lock and key, where I can be guarded,” Kathy told her.
"But if you promised not to attempt such a thing, maybe she'd let you stay with us.” Cairna looked from one to the other, watching for any sign of concession.
"Even if I made such a promise, what makes you think she'd believe me?"
"Uncle Tearach could vouch for you."
Kathy looked at Tearach for an explanation.
"That means that I'd be punished if I let you get away,” he supplied. “And you did promise to try that very thing."
Kathy nodded in agreement. “Yes, I did."
"May I walk back with you, then? If Kathy can't stay here, at least I could have a little more time with her."
Tearach nodded his permission. The two of them could talk, and he could continue his contemplation of these strange, depressing events. This entire situation would have been so much easier if Kathy were less approachable. Less open-minded. If she'd only screamed and carried on hysterically at the outset, the Sorceress would have seen how futile all this chicanery was. But the outsider was so damned curious, letting her mind rule her emotions. And that was making everything so much more difficult. Now, Cairna was befriending her. He could only see that friendship ending in sorrow, and his niece was going to get hurt. No good could come of any of this.
The walk back didn't seem to take any time at all. When they were finally inside the castle entrance, the connecting doors to the library opened and Shayla stepped out.
"It's about time you brought her back. Another half hour and I'd have sent Lore and some of the Fairy guards after the both of you,” she angrily declared
"Uncle Tearach just brought her to see the cottage, Sorceress. I'm sure Kathy doesn't like being cooped up."
Shayla snorted. “Take Kathleen upstairs, Tearach. Come with me, Cairna."
Tearach's concern for his niece made him want to stay with her. What did the Sorceress want with Cairna? If something was amiss and Shayla was angered about it, he should take the consequences. Not his beloved niece. Something in his expression must have alerted Cairna. She put her hand on his arm, nodded and smiled.
"It'll be all right. Take Kathy upstairs,” Cairna said. Then she bid Kathy good night and followed Shayla into the cavernous library.
When they entered Kathy's room, she immediately turned to Tearach. “Your niece shouldn't be involved in any of this. She's just a young girl, trying to be friendly. I don't know what Shayla wants with her, but you'd better get back down there. Cairna can't be blamed for anything we've done or said."
His first emotion was shock. Kathy was expressing his exact feelings. Under normal circumstances, Shayla would only be offering his niece tea and conversation. But the situation wasn't normal. The Sorceress had been furious with Kathy and him earlier. He tried to believe Shayla wouldn't take her anger out on Cairna, but his concern couldn't be assuaged. Shayla might use any leverage to get him to comply with her wishes. Still, it was contrary to everything Tearach knew about outsiders for Kathy to be concerned for Cairna, a young Goblin girl she'd just met.
"Why do you care?” he asked.
Kathy huffed in irritation. “Look, I know you don't want me here and I'm pretty certain you don't even like me much, but I'd never want to see Cairna or anyone else hurt because the Sorceress has a bone to pick with you and me.” She paused and stared at him. “You must think I'm some kind of monster not to give a damn about Cairna's feelings or about what happens to her. She's just a kid."
"You've only just met her."
"That doesn't mean I can't care about her. Since I've been here, Cairna is the only one who's been sincerely kind. And I don't know your Sorceress very well, but it stands to reason the girl might be used against you. It's obvious you love her and would do anything for her."
"You've learned a great deal in such a short time,” he conceded.
"Any dolt could tell how you feel by watching you when you look at your niece. Now don't waste any more time and get downstairs."
He was turning to go when the bedroom door opened. A smiling Cairna waltzed in and began to gather the few personal things provided for Kathy's comfort.
"What are you doing?” Tearach asked.
"The Sorceress says Kathy can stay with us. And you're not to have a word about it,” she quipped. “I'm getting her things together so she can come back to the cottage tonight."
Kathy and Tearach gawked at one another in surprise.
"Cairna,” Kathy stopped her by stepping in the girl's way. “What are you talking about?"
She shrugged. “I just told the Sorceress that Uncle Tearach woul
d vouch for you and that there would be no problems."
Tearach groaned, sat in a chair and put his head in his hands.
"You wouldn't try to escape and get him into trouble, would you, Kathy?” the girl innocently asked.
"I'm not sure I could get him into any more than he's already in."
Cairna shook her head. “If you try to escape, the woodland guards will only bring you back and Uncle Tearach would be tied and beaten in front of the whole Order. You wouldn't do that to him.” She continued to collect things from a wardrobe.
Kathy walked to where Tearach sat and spoke to his still bent head. “Is that true? Would Shayla do that to you?"
"That's the ancient punishment, or judgment, as we call it, for letting a prisoner escape,” he confirmed.
"Cairna, put my things back. I can't go with you."
Cairna stopped what she was doing and stared at Kathy. “Don't you want to come?"
"It isn't a question of whether I want to stay with you or not. I have to get out of here, and I will try to escape."
"But you wouldn't try such a thing if you were with us at the cottage. Would you?” the girl pointedly asked.
"No. I wouldn't get your uncle hurt, but..."
"That's all I needed to hear,” a voice from the doorway solemnly pronounced. “I can't have people watching you day and night, Kathleen. They have other responsibilities. You'll go with Tearach and Cairna. If you even attempt to leave these woods, I'll have Tearach so badly beaten he might not live. Is that clear?"
Kathy angrily stalked toward Shayla, but Tearach caught her halfway across the room. “Let it go, Kathy. Just get your things and let's get out of here,” he ordered.
Cairna quickly gathered the rest of Kathy's meager belongings and the three of them walked out of the room.
They made their way back to the cottage in complete silence. Tearach didn't know who was worse, the Sorceress or his niece. One of them was deliberately forcing him and Kathy together, and the other assisted through innocence. Having Kathy so near wasn't the issue. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. The real matter was his frustration at being thwarted again and again. The Sorceress seemed to have her way no matter what he did. Even Kathy unwittingly helped by not looking frightened.
