Dolmarehn - Book Two of the Otherworld Trilogy

by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

  Suddenly, several pairs of eyes were trained on me. I tried to hide behind Cade, but he drew me to his side and held me there. Eventually, I glanced at those who were watching me. No one smiled. Their faces were grim and dirty, and their changeable eyes seemed haunted. Unwanted. I frowned as I remembered what Cade had told me about the Wildren. My unease was immediately replaced with pity. These poor things.

  One girl in particular stood out. She couldn’t be any older than my own brother, Aiden. Her hair was the brilliant copper-red of autumn leaves and her huge eyes, a clear, pale hazel brown, flashed gold when I caught her gaze. She was holding an older girl’s hand, and as soon as our gazes met, she whimpered and turned her face into her friend’s skirts.

  Enorah scooped up the little redhead and gave her a raspberry on the cheek. The girl seemed to forget her shyness and giggled, hugging Enorah around the neck.

  “Now Tegan, I’m going to show our guests around, but you can join us later for the afternoon meal.”

  Enorah passed Tegan off to someone else and presented us with a guilty look. “I would offer you something to eat, but I’m afraid we are too late for the midday meal.”

  Cade assured her we’d brought our own food just in case.

  The next few hours passed rather pleasantly as Enorah gave us a tour of their little community. Everyone had a task or chore, and she told us they managed quite well, considering they had no parents to care for them or guide them.

  As we wandered from one place to the next, I took the time to study Cade’s sister further. A sister. Why hadn’t he told me? And why was she here and not at the castle with him? I tucked these thoughts away to ask him another day, when I had the courage.

  After our tour, Enorah led us to the communal fire in the center of their small forest town. We sat down on logs and a few of the children came over, carrying pitchers and mugs. As they went skittering off, squealing in delight, she poured the liquid into the cups and passed them around. I took a sip of the cool, sweet drink and my eyebrows rose in surprise. It tasted like jasmine tea, but somehow better.

  Enorah lifted her mug in a salute, grinning from ear to ear. Cade and I mimicked her.

  “So, how long can the two of you stay?” Enorah asked after taking a drink from her cup.

  Cade glanced at me and I said, “As long as I’m home before eleven tonight, my parents shouldn’t worry.”

  He nodded before turning back to his sister. “We can stay for maybe an hour more.”

  She frowned in disappointment and set her cup down. I got the impression she wanted to ask me something, but all she did was lean back against her log and give Cade a long, meaningful examination. After a while, she grinned, inclined her head and took a deep breath. I wondered what silent conversation had passed between them, but Enorah started to speak, “Would you like to hear a story Meghan?”

  “Uh, sure,” I said, wondering where this might be headed.

  “I was fourteen when Cade first came to us, did he tell you that?”

  I shook my head, mildly surprised. There was a lot Cade hadn’t told me, but I had no idea he had been with the Wildren before becoming the Dagda’s foster son.

  Enorah grinned and continued with her story. “There is an old hermit who lives on the edge of the woods in the hills, a retired Druid I believe, who is always bringing us news from outside the Weald. One foggy morning, I went out hunting along the fringes of the forest with a small group and the hermit stumbled upon us, holding a great big bundle of cloth in his arms.”

  “Not that big,” Cade muttered into his mug in mock insult.

  Enorah cast him a sharp glance, her eyes glittering in the firelight. “It was huge. In fact, I remember this clearly; I thought he had brought us a boar for our supper.”

  Cade snorted, but I ignored him, grinning at the sibling teasing going on between them.

  “When I glanced down into the bundle, I saw the biggest pair of shimmery green eyes staring back at me.”

  The teasing vanished and affection colored her words. I smiled warmly.

  “I knew he was my brother. It’s those eyes, you know? Same as mine.”

  I squinted across the fire. Twilight hadn’t fully descended on us yet, but I still found it difficult to see, what with the smoke from the fire obscuring everything. But she was right; something about her eyes did match Cade’s.

  “But why were you here,” I asked, taking another drink from my cup, “and why was he brought to you? Wouldn’t your parents want to keep you together?”

  My question was met with silence. Enorah gave Cade a long, hard stare, revealing no emotion. Eventually, she picked up a log and fed it to the flames.

  “We don’t have the same parents. Well, we don’t have the same mother,” she answered as she curled her fingers around her mug, staring into the fire as if waiting to be sucked in.

  “Oh,” I said, feeling foolish and worried I had drudged up some past ghosts that wished to stay buried. “I’m sorry.”

  Enorah took a deep breath, sat up and glanced at Cade, then me. She smiled a little and I felt a bit better, but I expected story time was over.

  “Don’t worry about it. Now,” she piped, downing the last drops of her drink before placing the mug firmly on the ground, “you have some rather interesting eyes yourself Meghan. How rapidly their color changes, especially when you are looking at my brother.”

  I had been taking a sip of the drink, trying to think of a way out of the awkward mood my question had put everyone in, but I’m sure I ended up inhaling most of it. I coughed a few times and Cade put his hand on my back. I could sense his tension through his touch, making my cheeks flame even worse. Thank the gods of the Celts the sky had finally grown darker. And that we sat close to the fire so I could blame my blush on the heat.

  I glanced up at Enorah over the hand I held up to my mouth. She leaned further against her log, arms and ankles crossed in a casual warrior’s repose, her eyes sparkling with mischief with one eyebrow quirked in amusement.

  A knowing grin crept across her face and I clenched my teeth. Was I really so obvious? Did Cade know how I mooned over him? I suppressed a groan as my face grew hot again.

  Before any of us was forced to come up with a face-saving comment to fill the silence, Tegan, the little red-headed girl from earlier, bounced up from out of the dark, squealing in fright.

  Enorah’s enjoyment of my predicament soon vanished as she scooped the little girl up into her arms.

  “Hush now Tegan, what’s amiss?”

  Her voice, etched with concern, softened as she soothed the child. I soon forgot about my annoyance at her. She was genuinely concerned for the toddler. Enorah held the girl close, stroking her curly hair and crooning in her ear.

  “Nigh’mare,” Tegan mumbled wetly into Enorah’s shoulder.

  “Oh, those can’t hurt you dear one! Especially not when my brother Caedehn is here, with his mighty spirit guide to keep watch over us.”

  Fergus, who had taken refuge next to his master, cropped one ear forward and lifted his head, panting as if agreeing with Enorah’s claim. That seemed to comfort the small girl and soon her breathing deepened as she fell fast asleep in her guardian’s arms.

  Enorah glanced up at us, an expression of worry in her deep eyes.

  “We found her, not far from here, wandering in the middle of the night a few months ago. She didn’t have a stitch of clothing on her, and the look in her eyes . . .”

  Enorah shivered and so did I. I had been found wandering and without clothes . . . Cade inched closer and I realized he’d never taken his hand off my back, but instead had moved it so his fingers rested just above my hip. I shuddered again.

  “She had been sleep walking, and for days afterwards she wouldn’t speak. She would only stare off into the distance with wild, haunted eyes. Finally, after the first week, she started to look at us and actually see us. She’s had nightmares ever since.”

  “Perhaps we should take our leave. I’m afraid our
presence might have stirred up too much excitement,” Cade murmured softly.

  Enorah cast him a sad gaze and nodded once, her lips drawn tightly together.

  We all rose, Enorah still holding the girl close. She stepped forward, and with her free arm she gave her brother another fierce hug.

  “Stay safe,” she said harshly, tears forming in her eyes.

  “Meghan,” she turned to me and surprised me with a hug as well, “it was a pleasure to meet you.”

  Then she added, just loud enough for only me to hear her, “Keep an eye on my brother, huh?”

  She winked and I blushed again.

  “I’ll do my best,” I managed.

  Enorah readjusted Tegan in her arms then said, “I’ll assign you an escort to guide you to the edge of the forest. The day grows late and I can’t promise the Morrigan’s faelah won’t be trying their luck tonight.”

  I gave Cade a horrified look, but when he nodded to Fergus I began to relax, but only a little. Fifteen minutes later the nighttime fires of the woodland village were no longer in sight and we were making our way through the thick undergrowth of the Weald. Full dark had set in by now, but the moon shone bright and those who guided us carried torches. Three young men, all about my age, and two older women made sure we didn’t come to any harm along the way.

  Once we reached the edge of the forest, we thanked our companions and slipped silently through the dolmarehn. The castle greeted us with cold darkness once again, but it had grown familiar to me. I grabbed my overnight bag as I slipped out, sweeping my eyes over the dark room one last time. Speirling met us on the other side of the drawbridge and I almost didn’t notice his black shape against the twilight sky.

  The ride back to the dolmarehn put my nerves on edge, and I half expected to be attacked by faelah along the way. I found it mildly amusing, however, that the Morrigan only seemed to send her minions after me in the mortal world and not here in Eilé. Perhaps she didn’t know about my visits or thought I was weaker in the realm where I grew up.

  I shuddered and forced those thoughts from my mind. Cade held me more closely, tucking the cloak he had lent me around my body.

  “Almost home, Meghan,” he whispered.

  I grinned and allowed myself to drift off a little, thinking about the last two days and what I’d learned, both concerning myself and my new friends here in Eilé. No Cade, you’re wrong, I thought as Speirling climbed the final hill before we reached the dolmarehn, I think I’m already home . . .

  -Twelve-

  Heritage

  Before disappearing back into the dark forest behind my house, Cade told me he probably wouldn’t be able to visit again for at least a month, but for some reason that didn’t bother me. Perhaps it was because this most recent trip to the Otherworld had us parting on good terms. Or maybe it had something to do with the way he held on to my hand much longer than usual when saying goodbye before I took those last few steps into my backyard. I couldn’t say for sure, but I liked the feeling that spread through me when I thought about Cade. I no longer suffered from a depressed, aching craving for him, but instead I anticipated seeing him again.

  I wondered if school and my friends had an effect on my mood as well. We were facing down our final semester as seniors and Tully, Robyn, Will and Thomas were eager to take advantage of every opportunity to celebrate our dwindling high school days, including senior prom.

  In the past, I would have shuddered at the prospect of going to prom, but Robyn, in her usual fashion, insisted we all go together as a group. I thought that was a great idea, until she turned to me and murmured, “Unless one of us has a special someone they want to bring along.”

  I shot her a bedraggled expression but all she did was waggle her eyebrows at me. Then again, why shouldn’t I ask Cade to prom? We were friends, right? Would he even want to go to something so frivolous as a senior dance in the mortal world? At least I had several weeks to work up the courage to ask him.

  I spent the month of February wondering about what my life would be like after high school. With everyone talking about graduation and their intended colleges, the subject was hard to avoid. I had no desire to discuss the future with my classmates because mine had already started heading down an entirely different path from theirs. They were planning for a life here on earth; I passed my days conjecturing whether the Morrigan wanted to kill me before or after I had a chance to graduate, and what opportunities awaited me if she didn’t. And the more I thought about my future, the more it dawned upon me: I needed to be in the Otherworld with the other Faelorehn.

  The idea of living in Eilé thrilled me and terrified me at the same time. I would be leaving my family, my friends, a world I’d grown comfortable with, a world that I understood. But I didn’t belong here. I knew that for certain now, and telling them about my true identity and what my plans were . . . ? Such terrifying musings gave me a headache. At least I had until the end of May to figure it all out.

  * * *

  During the second week of March, while still attempting to balance the needs of my friends with the conundrum of returning to the Otherworld after I graduated, I received a message from Cade. I woke up to find Fergus standing outside my sliding glass door so I followed him, hoping his master would be waiting for me. I tried to dampen the disappointment that arose when he stopped at the oak tree, but my hopes lifted when I read the note.

  Meghan,

  I’m sorry I haven’t been able to speak with you since January, but I was wondering if you would meet me after school today down in the swamp. I’ll wait for you, but if you made other plans please leave me a note informing me when you can get a free moment. I have something rather important to tell you.

  -Cade

  My heart fluttered and a flush crept up my neck as I leaned against the tree. For some reason my legs refused to support me. All those wonderful moments from my last visit to Eilé went flashing through my mind: all the long, lingering glances, the times he held my hand a bit longer than necessary, the way his voice softened when he spoke to me . . . Could it be possible he felt the same way I did? Perhaps asking him to prom wouldn’t be so hard after all.

  Of course, trudging through the school day proved nothing short of agonizing. Tully thought something was wrong with me and Robyn kept pulling me aside, asking me if everything was alright with Cade. I practically ran the entire way to the swamp after my last class.

  The object of my obsession, in his familiar, calm way, stood beside one of the tall eucalyptus trees, but something about his stance was off. He stood more rigidly, more formal than usual. And his eyes . . . they seemed wrong somehow, and not just in a color-shifting, Faelorehn sense either.

  “Meghan,” he began, his voice clipped, “is there any way you could get away for more than two days?”

  I had been expecting something completely different from him and this stiff, distant Cade reminded me too much of the time right before the Morrigan lured me into the Otherworld.

  “Uh,” I answered nervously, “I’m not sure, why?”

  “Would you be interested in meeting your mother? Your Faelorehn mother?”

  My heart stopped for a good minute. My Faelorehn mother? The woman who had sent me off to the mortal world, barely old enough to form memories? The one I’d wondered about, in the back of my mind, since learning where I’d come from? Did I want to meet her? No. Yes!

  I must have stayed silent for too long. Either that or the look on my face was a daunting one, because Cade shifted into a defensive stance.

  “Y-you found her?” I finally managed before blurting, “Yes, yes I would like to meet her.”

  A sudden, overwhelming thrill jolted through me, starting right beside my heart. I forgot about Cade’s strange aura and focused on this new information. To finally learn about my heritage . . .

  Despite my joy, however, I was also terrified. What if my mother had cast me aside after my birth because she had been appalled by me? I rubbed the spot where my glamour warmed me
, frowning. Cade had told me I had a great deal of power and sometimes it took longer for such a sizeable amount of glamour to fully awaken. But what if he was wrong? What if she’d known this from the beginning? What if the reason she hadn’t kept me had something to do with my lack of magic?

  “There is a dolmarehn in a small town a few miles away from the castle that will cut the trip down to only an hour or so,” Cade said, breaking into my thoughts, “but I thought you might want to spend some time with her.”

  “Sorry?” I said, still overwhelmed by his news.

  He smiled, a cold, polite quirk of the lips. “I think three or four nights should suffice, don’t you?”

  “Oh, right, um . . .”

  How was I going to disappear for three nights? A sudden thought popped into my head. Robyn’s parents were going on a camping trip to Yosemite with their church group over spring break and Robyn planned on going with them. She had invited all of us: me, Tully, Thomas and Will, to go, but we had all declined for one reason or another.

  I must have let my mind wander for a few minutes because Cade cleared his throat next to me.

  “Sorry,” I muttered, “I was thinking. Robyn invited me to go camping next week. Do you think it’ll be enough time to inform my mother I’m coming to visit?”

  It was so odd saying that word, mother, when not referring to my own mom. But I’d always known I’d been adopted, and I knew someday I would like to meet my birth parents. My skin prickled with goose bumps. Apparently that someday had finally arrived.

  “That would be perfect,” Cade said. “I’ll meet you in front of the oak tree on the equestrian path next Monday morning?”

  I started to nod my head before thinking everything through.

  “No, wait,” I blurted. “I need to talk to Robyn first, make sure she can cover for me since this is longer than usual. And then we’ll have to make it look like I’m really going with her.”

  I grimaced. This would be tricky. Not only did I have to persuade Robyn to lie for me again, but I had to convince my parents I was going on a camping trip. I’d be packing a bag for my extended trip to Eilé, so perhaps that wouldn’t be too much of a problem, but either my Dad had to drive me to Robyn’s or Robyn would need to pick me up . . . And worst of all, if Robyn agreed to this, she’d insist on a heavier price than the last few times. I blanched again. She would definitely be wanting more than the juicy details.