by Jana LaPelle
Sighing heavily, the older woman looks around the room, steeling herself, and I can tell that she is about to impart some information that she has not shared with all of her family, before she says, “Colin t’will be the last male descendant of his line until the Mother Druid claims her destiny. Only then will another male child be born and then only ta the Mother Druid. Ya see the Mother Druid will play a crucial role. I have seen dis. It is unclear to me if dis daughter will be yer daughter or yer daughter’s daughter. Yer union with Colin will be responsible for creatin’ da life that the Druids in The Otherworld have been waiting for. She will be their lost treasure. She will bring balance back ta da order, balance that was broken when Daerok began his journey down da path of darkness.”
We are all quiet as Siobhan pauses to take us all in, Nessa is looking at me with wide eyes, and Gwen steps forward to hug her daughter to her. Colin is looking at me gravely before smiling a grief-stricken smile and saying, “I’m sorry for bringing ya into this. If I had known the whole of it, I never would have gone out into the world ta find ya, but now that I have, nothing is going ta come between us. As long as I live, the cloaking spell should keep us hidden.” His thick Irish accent carries through, and I know he means every word of it.
“What then? Our daughter or grand-daughter will be without the aid of that spell when it dissipates upon your death. What then?”
Keagan clears his throat garnering our attention, “There’s more. Siobhan, continue.” Colin’s father looks solemn, and I now know that none of this is news to him, only to Gwen and their children.
“Wait,” Gwen speaks up, “Let’s give the children a wee bit of time to process before Siobhan continues. I know that I for one need a few minutes to think on what has been divulged here just moments ago. Let’s all meet back here in the kitchen in fifteen minutes. We can have a spot of tea out on the terrace. That will give us all some time to process and me some time to scold you Keagan for na telling me about all of this.” Gwen looks at me sympathetically before glaring up at her husband.
I think I’m in shock at what Colin’s great-aunt has brought to light this afternoon as I make my way toward the terrace. Colin is on my heels, and I turn to him and say, “I need a few minutes to process. I’m not sorry that you came looking for me because my life would have always felt lacking or missing something, but I need to be alone for a time to come to terms with what all of this means. Please don’t feel like I’m pulling away because I’m not.” I reach up to cup his strong jawline and run my thumb over the stubble of his chin, loving the feel of the rough texture under my fingertips.
“Whatever ya need mo chroí, take as much time as ya need, I will be waiting for ya when yer ready to continue. Trust me when I say that I had no idea as ta all of what Siobhan was going to divulge today. I’m just as floored as you are. Come back ta me mo chroí.”
“Always, my handsome Irishman,” I smile weakly as a walk away to contemplate what I have learned this day.
I stand out on the hill overlooking the banks of the River Shannon, and I realize that I have come to love this place and never want to be parted from it. Over the last couple of weeks, I have even contemplated moving here to be closer to Colin’s family, but that cannot be. If we are to stay safe from Daerok’s clutches, then we will have to stick with the original plan to move back to my home state of Kentucky. The world is a big place, and we can become lost in it and keep our family safe for as long as we can. It would seem that Ireland may be a hub for supernatural activity.
I can’t walk away from Colin now that I have found him. I crave his touch, to be near him. I love him with a soul aching intensity that cannot be denied, and I refuse to allow anyone to scare me away from my intended. He said that we were kindred and that has a nice ring to it. The sooner we complete the binding, the better. There may be obstacles in our way, even prophecies, and destinies that are yet to be fulfilled but that doesn’t equate to me running away if anything it steels my resolve. Colin and I will be together, and we will forge the way to heal the Druid order. My mind made up I turn to head back to the house to find Colin waiting for me, the look on his face is one of grim determination. The sun is low in the sky and about to set ushering in the night, and I smile up at Colin when I close the distance between us and I begin to run to him. He meets me halfway, and I vault into his arms, clinging to him as he spins me around.
He gathers me close to him and buries his face in the crook of my neck and whispers, “I was afraid that I was going ta lose ya mo chroí. I knew that my family history would be hard ta overcome but this…” He trails off and just holds me close.
I pull back to cup his face in my hands, “Never. You are never going to lose me. I’m yours, and you’re mine, and I want to complete our binding. I have never wanted anything more, Colin. The thought of being separated from you never once entered my mind. No matter what comes our way we will deal with it, whatever it may be, together now and forever more.”
“Together, forever, now and always,” his lips meet mine in a gentle caress, but I crave more and open to him. His tongue brushes against mine as our kiss deepens. I want nothing more than to press myself closer to him, craving the intimacy we shared in the wee hours of the morning earlier today. Vaguely I hear someone clear their throat, and Colin pulls away to lean his forehead against mine. Breathing heavily he says, “I love you, Joanna.”
“I love you too, Colin.”
“Sorry ta interrupt ya two,” I hear Colin’s father from over his shoulder, “yer Mum has decided ta have tea inside and there’s some stew that is ready ta be served. We’ll continue our discussion after teatime.”
Colin takes my hand and threads his fingers through mine, bringing our joined hands up, he kisses the backs of my knuckles, “You honor me. I don’t deserve ya, my beautiful American doctor.”
Smiling, I say, “Of course you do. Come on, my handsome Irishman, I’m hungry, let’s get something to eat and later tonight you can show me just how much you love me and I promise I’ll return the favor.” Colin winks at me, and we turn to enter the house with the sun setting behind us. I feel a bit weary, and I decide that it’s been a long day.
Chapter 8
After everyone has eaten, and we have had tea, Colin and his Da, open a couple of bottles of wine. Once everyone has a glass, including Nessa, we are back to business. Everyone is looking at me, and I start off the questions for the evening. Taking a deep breath, I squeeze Colin’s hand in my own, as I begin, “Okay, I understand that most of this information is not new to you all, but it is for me. I need to understand what a lich is. Can someone please elaborate?”
Keagan is the first to speak up, the expression on his face is grave, “We’re na sure of exactly how a being becomes a lich, but we believe that the male ya saw today was one of Daerok’s followers. The ritual that is employed is believed ta be one that dabbles in necromancy, but this is purely speculation. One thing that our ancestor would not elaborate on was the ritual itself, all he said on the matter was that it was the darkest of all majic. All we know for sure is that a transformation takes place and that once completed a lich is the result, a being that has become immortal but at a great cost. We believe, as evidence from yer photos, that over a period of time the being’s physical form begins ta deteriorate until one day they will appear as more skeletal than mummified.
“What we do know is that this is the reason why my forefather, Faolan, left Daerok’s order. Daerok had become obsessed with becoming immortal. Druids are na immortal, never have been, but that was only one of two of his primary goals. He na only wanted to become immortal but he craved power, the power to rule na only the Druids but The Otherworld. For a time, our forefathers were able ta track Daerok’s actions. He was constantly meddling in the affairs of The Mortal Realm. He has appeared in history as many world-altering prominent figures. We believe that Hitler is one ta name a few. Somehow, he found a way to perfect the lich transformation by utilizing his failed experiment
s with his followers. He does na hide behind glamour as they do, nor does he transform into a hideous skeletal creature. He has somehow perfected the ability ta take on another’s appearance. I think it is tied ta his ability to cheat death.”
“Cheat death?” I can’t believe that the conversation that we’re having is real. My fear is a tangible thing as I process everything I’m learning. Daerok is a dark majic wielder that has been able to become immortal. I can hardly breathe as I begin to wrap my mind around this information. I can’t help but blurt out, “What does he want with your family line after all this time? I don’t understand. It can’t be that he still wants to punish Faolan for leaving his dark and twisted order. What would be the point? I’m assuming he has been gone for a while now.”
Keagan takes my hand in a fatherly gesture and smiles, but I can tell that he’s sad, “Daerok has seers, just like our Siobhan here, we are sure that he has been told of what the future holds for the Druid’s. He’s obsessed with finding a way back to Faerie, back ta the Druid order, and back ta power. He would never want the Mother Druid ta be born ta take her rightful place. He wants ta prevent her from ever being because she threatens all that he covets. He wants ta one day reclaim his role as Luminary ta the Druids. Once the Mother Druid claims her role she will then appoint a new Luminary. That will challenge Daerok’s claim and bring order ta a crumbling majical faction within The Otherworld.”
“Oh, my, that is complicated on so many levels. How is it you all know so much of the Druid order? I have so many questions, and with every answer, I find I have more questions.” I know my eyes are wide as I glance around the table, trying to take in all that is being thrown at me. I take another sip of the Merlot to calm my jangled nerves, and I struggle to not gulp it down as I process everything.
Colin gains my attention by squeezing my fingers lightly before threading his fingers with mine, “Well, that information is passed down from one generation ta the next through what we call blood memories. It’s an inherent knowledge. It’s a part of being Druid, but this knowledge is only passed on from the father ta the son, that I know of. That’s why the Mother Druid is so important and such an anomaly. It is foretold that the Mother Druid will only come into being when she is needed most, ta bring order, balance, and peace na only for the Druid order but for all of Faerie as well. It is also said that she is ta be held in high regard. Her rank in The Otherworld would be just below their deities. The Mother Druid is na immortal, but her longevity is tied to the Druid order, and she will remain around for as long as the Druids, and Faerie needs her. So it is possible for her ta live a much longer life than most based on the need for her ta be around.”
Nodding, I turn to Siobhan and Keagan, “So you both believe that my union with Colin will either produce the Mother Druid or the mother to her, if not my daughter, then my grand-daughter. You believe that Daerok will also see this and he will attempt to locate Colin and me and end us before a child can be born. Is that what you’re saying? Because that’s crazy! If the cloaking spell works so well, how would he find us once the binding takes place?”
Keagan nods to Gwen, and at that moment my heart sinks because I just know this will not be good, she turns to us and begins, “When the original cloaking spell was cast it was strong. Faolan and his kindred, a very accomplished witch, were powerful in their majical talents. They bound their majic to the confines of the cloaking spell in order to maintain the spell for generations, and from that moment on they were more human than druid or witch. Generation after generation here in The Mortal Realm has weakened not only the male descendants but the female descendants and with each passing generation the male descendants, who are the druids in the family, have become more and more devoid of majic. You see, majic needs to be nurtured. It needs to grow and to be used. Due to the nature of the spell, it bound all majic in his line of descendants to be used to reinforce the cloaking spell, and therefore the descendants were unable to tap into their majic to grow and nurture it. Since Faolan and his kindred cast the cloaking spell, not a single male descendant has been able to wield the majic in their blood. Tis sad, but their majic is bound to the spell by necessity. Along with that, with each passing generation, witches lose more and more majical power as the bloodlines have become diluted. Just as you have seen in your own family and just like you, the witches in our line have generation after generation lost our majical capabilities. As we speak the spell has begun to unravel and continues to lose power, and much energy was used today to cloak Colin and Nessa from Daerok’s minion. We are unsure as to how long the spell will remain intact. It could very well be close to the end of its days.” Sighing, she looks at her son sympathetically, “Colin and Nessa have never been able to sense any majic in their blood, but they do have the capability to sense majic in others. However, they can na sense that the cloaking spell is losing power. Even I have limited capabilities, but the sad truth is… this is the last generation that will be cloaked from Daerok. Moving forward, other means to hide from this deranged undead creature will have to be employed. There are still witches with great power here in The Mortal Realm, and we have been in contact with one coven, they have erected wards around our property, protections wards. It’s a precaution.”
Colin jerks forward in agitation, “If that were the case, why did ya send me to collect my kindred? Wouldn’t it have been better off if we just allow our line ta die out?”
I smack Colin’s arm, “Why would you say that? It sounds like to me, this family is the only one on the planet that has any idea as to what walks amongst us. This realm needs to be protected from the likes of Daerok. Colin, as scary as the future may be without the aid of your family’s cloaking spell, I think it’s important that we do everything we can to ensure that your line continues, our line, Colin.”
“Joanna, don’t ya understand, these are dark majic wielders. They’re evil beings that have become corrupt from what they once were. Do na mistake their zombie-like appearance for a creature that can na think for itself. They will do their master’s bidding without question because they will be greatly rewarded by Daerok. Those that follow the dark ways are greedy. I have no majic, mo chroí, I willna be able ta keep ya safe from the likes of them. If what me Ma is saying is true, then na much will be able ta keep ya or any children that we may have safe from these vile creatures.”
“We will find a way, Colin. We have to. This world is a pretty big place.”
Siobhan nods gravely, “Aye, that t’would be the case. Either yer daughter or yer grand-daughter will work with another to save The Realms from utter destruction. I have seen dis. Ya, my dear Joanna, will be charged as guardian ta a daughter of The Otherworld. The images are unclear as ta when ya will be tasked with her care but when ya are, take care… she will have the means that will be needed to unlock the bindings of the gods. Bindings forged in angel fire. The key resides with her. Do na ask me what that means. I have na a clue. I only know that she will be very important ta all the realms and I’m relaying what I have seen, na everything is made clear ta me. This child will spark a civil war within Faerie going against a dark force that wants to wage war for dominion of The Realms of the Living. Yer charge will be left here in The Mortal Realm for safe keeping to be found by ya so that she will be hidden away from those that seek her out in the land of Faerie, she will be a daughter of a goddess but will become so much more. Together, the two will forge a sisterhood that will overcome the forces of evil and will protect The Realms of the Living. Do ya understand what I be tellin’ ya both?”
Looking from Siobhan to Colin’s parents and then to Nessa, I see that her eyes are wide, but she is determined when she locks her gaze with mine, “Joanna, yer my sister now, I will do whatever I can ta help ya and Colin. I promise ta help my niece or grand-niece in whatever way I can. I know that I’m young now but I will na always be so.”
I smile at Nessa and reach over to take her hand, “No, you will not always be so. Nessa, yo
u are fierce with a huge heart, and I believe you will be a force to be reckoned with in due time. You are all my family now,” I look at them all and squeeze Colin’s hand before lifting my hand to his face to allow my palm to cup his stubble covered cheek and sigh, “You will be all that I have to depend on. My mother and father are very entrenched in their Christian beliefs. My mother will not want to be a part of this, and my father will believe that I have lost my way. No, you all will be all that I have to rely on during this crazy journey.”
Colin sighs before he gets up to pace the room before turning to me, “Joanna, I can na ask ya to do this, I had no idea what our being together would mean for ya. I need to protect ya from this. It’s too much to ask.”
“You don’t have to ask, my handsome Irishman. You are part of me now. I cannot walk away from this. Not now that I know what is at stake.”
“I can na protect ya, don’t ya understand. I will be no match for Daerok or his followers. Not ta mention, what if he has employed others with majical talent. The best case scenario is if ya leave and we don’t complete the binding. Ya will be safe from all of this.” His handsome face is set in grim determination, and I can see that he is planning to let me go for my safety no matter what the cost to him, to us.
Everything around us fades into the background as I stand and walk toward my kindred. That’s what he is to me, now that I understand better what our connection to one another is, and there is absolutely no way that I’m letting him push me out of his life without a fight, “You listen to me Colin Faolan Elan, you do not get to decide whether I stay or I go. That is my choice, and I choose to stay, I choose you, I choose us, and I choose a family with you. This is not just about whether or not it’s safe for me to be with you or if you can keep me safe. This is bigger than us.” I take his hands in mine and lock my gaze with his intense green eyes before continuing, “I can’t walk away from this and neither can you. We’re going to have a daughter, and she is going to change the world, Siobhan says she has seen this, and I for one believe her. I believe this whole crazy tale. All of it! Whether it’s our daughter or our grand-daughter, we have to see to it that she comes to be, for this world and The Otherworld, for all the realms of the living that I know nothing about. Don’t you see what this means? There is a way to defeat Daerok and to protect others from his twisted intent. This is your legacy, your entire family’s legacy and I could not be more honored to be a part of this. I know that most people in this world will not ever know what or who or when or how they were spared but they will know that there were those that stood up to a dark evil that made his home in this world. We, you and me, just need to figure out how we are going to make that happen. I love you Colin, and I will fight to be with you, to have a family with you. I will do whatever it takes, and I will not accept no for an answer. Will you bind with me Colin and complete our bond.”
