by Tara Maya, Elle Casey, J L Bryan, Anthea Sharp, Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, Alexia Purdy (epub)
“I just thought-”
Cade sat up abruptly and looked at me, his gaze hard. I turned away, feeling sheepish. If I blushed any more today my face just might start bleeding. That would be fabulous. Would go well with my stitches and black eye.
Eventually Cade snorted and I was glad to see he had lost that intensity about him. “She would want you to think that,” he said almost nonchalantly.
“Oh,” was all I could say. “But, I saw you in the woods, and I just thought . . .”
“You saw us in the woods?”
Oops times infinity.
While I tried to melt away into oblivion, Cade became still, and then a look of realization spread over his face. “So that is why you never showed up for our meeting,” he said quietly. “Meghan,” he continued gently, “I can’t explain what you saw, like the information about your parents, it’s something I must keep to myself. But believe me, the Morrigan is most definitely not my girlfriend.”
The silence grew between us once again and as I twisted the sheets in my hands, Cade stared down at his interlaced fingers. I could tell he wanted to tell me something more, like lightning charging the air before it struck. I knew it wouldn’t be pleasant, but . . . the Morrigan isn’t his girlfriend! I tried not to let the glee show on my face.
Cade took a breath and released it slowly. “I must go soon Meghan. I violated my geis, and that is no easily forgivable thing.”
It had been said so matter-of-factly that I wondered if he had practiced that exact line before he came to see me.
I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. “Will I ever see you again?”
“Perhaps. When I’ve done my penance.”
Two days ago I would have bitterly wished him gone from my life for good, but after learning he had made such a sacrifice for me, I didn’t want to let him go.
“I brought something for you.”
Cade reached around and seemed to pull something out of his back pocket. It looked like a metal cord bent to form a C. The two ends were capped with what appeared to be two hounds’ heads in the ancient Celtic style. It looked familiar, like the strange metal choker I’d seen him wear before. I glanced up at him. Yes, almost exactly the same, though the intertwined cord on his was thicker than the one he was holding out to me. For a long time, all I could do was stare at the smaller choker, both transfixed and uncertain. The braided cord was a beautiful silver color and the snarling muzzles of the dogs featured finely etched teeth.
Picking up my hand, Cade drew it towards him and placed the Celtic object in my palm, gently curling my fingers over it. The metal was cold, and so were Cade’s hands, but when he let his fingers linger on mine for several seconds, the place where his skin touched mine warmed.
“What is it?” I queried silently.
“It’s called a torque.” He gestured towards his own. “The ancient Celts wore these into battle. It will protect you while I’m gone.”
That’s when it hit me. Again. I had broken my own geis, a geis that had acted like some sort of invisible monster repellent. Because of my little side trip into the Otherworld, that repellent was now as useful as hand lotion against the sun’s radiation. I didn’t even try to stop the tears this time.
“Meghan,” Cade breathed quietly, moving his hand to rest against my cheek.
I wanted to move in closer to him, but some deep, primal fear of rejection stopped me. He’s only comforting you Meghan because you are doomed.
“Meghan, listen to me,” Cade continued, wiping my tears away with his thumb. “You are far more powerful than you know and you cannot forget what I have taught you.”
I thought back to the archery lessons he had given me down in the swamp. A fresh wave of tears hit when I remembered that that was when I first realized I was falling for him.
“And I’ll leave Fergus with you. He’ll let me know if you need me.”
“Can’t I come with you?”
Cade shook his head with a sad smile. “When you crossed over into the Otherworld, the fae power inside of you woke up, like a dormant seed that tastes the first rain of spring and the first warmth of the sun. It shines brightly Meghan, but remember what I told you? Your own power is like a battery run down.”
I blinked in surprise. I felt no different than before, but then again I was still pretty sore from the attack.
I furrowed my brow. “But wouldn’t it make sense for me to go with you then? So that I can ‘recharge’?”
I sounded desperate and I hated that. But to be left here like a sitting duck for the demonic beasts of Eile to come find me? Surely I was better off with Cade, even if it meant enduring whatever it was he had to do to redeem himself.
“No,” he said firmly. “I know it seems like the better option, but even if your fae power were to gain strength, you don’t yet know how to use it. I will come back and teach you how to use your gift Meghan, but until then you must stay here. The Cumorrig and their ilk may seem almost invincible to you here, but they are far more powerful in their natural world. Just remain vigilant and remember what I taught you.”
I forced a smile. I was truly touched that he was worried for me, but I still didn’t want to think about how long he would be gone and how long I would have to fight off the Morrigan’s minions on my own. I took a deep breath and forced my tears to stop. It sucked. This whole situation sucked, but it was high time I stop feeling sorry for myself and take Cade’s words to heart. True, I hadn’t discovered the depths of my Faelorehn power yet, but if he said it was there then I would believe him.
Smiling, I looked up at Cade. He dropped his hand and smiled back.
“Thank you. For the torque.”
I wasn’t sure how exactly to wear it, but that was soon resolved when Cade stood and placed it around my neck. The cool metal felt comfortingly familiar, the two hounds’ heads growling at each other across my throat.
“It suits you,” Cade said with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.
My stomach fluttered again.
He tilted his head and glanced over his shoulder. Fergus stood at my door, panting and wagging his tail slightly.
Cade’s shoulders slumped again and he looked back at me. “I must go.”
I nodded, dropping my eyes again. I will not cry . . .
He turned to leave and I reached out, grabbing his hand. “Cade?”
His eyes were no longer so pale, but they held some emotion I couldn’t decipher, yet I knew his attention was fully on me. I should have told him then how I felt about him, that he meant a great deal to me. But I was afraid. Afraid of making myself even more vulnerable.
I cleared my throat. “Be careful, please. And come back soon.”
He seemed to pause, as if waiting for me to say more. I’m pretty sure that the slight disappointment I read on his face was just in my mind. Eventually he smiled and nodded ever so slightly.
He took back his hand, made it into a fist and held it over his heart. Giving a half bow he said, “I promise.”
And then he turned and silently slid open the door, disappearing into the pale mist with a great white hound trailing behind him.
* * *
The school year came to a close with little fanfare, the most exciting event being my deadly encounter with the dogs. By the end of my first week back, the most popular version of the story included some crude remark about starving coyotes and the only reason for my survival being that they weren’t that desperate to eat someone like me.
But I didn’t let it bother me. I was too fixated on missing Cade. As he had promised, Fergus stood watch at my back door every evening and even followed me to school. During lunch and the times in between classes, I would spot him on the edge of the woods, patiently watching me, making sure no nasty faelah were lurking about. It comforted me because even though Cade couldn’t be there, I knew he still thought of me.
I still had trouble sleeping, though that was no big surprise. What with the emptiness I felt without Cade nearby combined with the m
emories of my ordeal. I never said anything to anyone about what I had learned about myself in the last several months, especially not my family. They had enough to worry about and I’m sure they would insist on taking me to another therapist if I started going into detail about the Faelorehn and my trip to the Otherworld. Nope, I’d had enough of therapists.
I would find a way to manage this on my own, even if it meant remaining vigilant around the clock because some horrifying fae beast could come jumping out at me at any moment. In my current state, I couldn’t even outrun a snail, what with my cumbersome crutches. But nothing so much as a demented field mouse eyed me from the bushes in those final weeks before summer, and I was starting to think, no dread, that the Morrigan was gathering her troops to make one grand attack at some point in the future. Let’s just say it didn’t help with my insomnia.
“So Stitch, what are your plans for summer?” Robyn said, breaking into my wandering thoughts.
I blanched at her new nickname for me. I knew she was trying to make light of the whole situation, and even though the stitches had come out a week ago, she still insisted on the moniker. I resorted to doing what I did best. I ignored the name.
“Hanging around the house probably. Maybe getting a job at one of the cafes in town, if they’ll hire me.”
It was truthful enough. I would be hanging around the house, hiding from Otherworldly monsters and waiting for Cade to come back. But I would also be preparing. I would take Fergus and go down into the swamp and practice my aim with the bow and special arrows Cade had given me, maybe even give my research into the world of the Celts a renewed visit. But for now, I’d enjoy the final days of being a junior in high school.
I sighed and looked around at my friends. We were all sprawled out on a patch of lawn by the track, taking advantage of the shade cast by a group of sycamores and eating our lunches. Thomas was trying to teach Will how to properly pronounce Spanish, Tully was finishing up some homework she had forgotten to do the night before, and Robyn was picking the black glitter nail polish off of her right index finger.
I smiled. How normal we all looked. But I knew the truth. I was far from being normal, I knew that for certain now, and although I was terrified of what the future might hold for a young Faelorehn in the mortal world, I would not be such a coward any more. I was no longer the timid Meghan Elam of Marshwood Lane in Arroyo Grande, but Meghan, Faelorehn of Eile, and I would be ready for whatever that world had to throw at me.
Acknowledgments
A special thanks to all my professors in the Celtic Studies program at the University of California at Berkeley; for educating me in the mythos that has become the backbone of this series: may I not disappoint you with my creative twist of those sacred legends.
To my friends and family, who never stop supporting me in my crusade to create more worlds. Thank you for understanding that much of my free time belongs to this passion of mine.
Many thanks to P.A. Vannucci for designing the beautiful Faelorehn font for the Otherworld Trilogy.
Finally, a special thanks to Sr. Mary Keavey, for always believing in the things I could accomplish. Also, to Sr. Margaret Malone, who doesn’t mind talking about the ancient Celtic tradition of her homeland with me.
About the Author
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, the very location that has become the set of her novel, Faelorehn, and the inspiration for her other series, The Legend of Oescienne.
Miss Johnson has a degree in Art Practice with an emphasis in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She now draws much of her insight from the myths and legends of ancient Ireland to help set the theme for her books.
Besides writing and drawing, Miss Johnson enjoys reading, gardening, camping and hiking. In her free time (the time not dedicated to writing), she also practices the art of long sword combat and traditional archery.
For contact information, visit the author’s website at:
www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com
Connect with me online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJEJohnson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjejohnson
My Website: http://www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com/
Sign up for my newsletter: http://jennaelizabethjohnson.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4574730dcb0b4987359d216bf&id=f27fef4206
Other books by this author:
The Otherworld Trilogy:
Faelorehn (Book One)
Dolmarehn (Book Two)
Luathara (Book Three)
Ehriad (A Novella of the Otherworld)
The Legend of Oescienne Series
The Finding (Book One)
The Beginning (Book Two)
The Awakening (Book Three)
Tales of Oescienne - A Short Story Collection
A sneak peek at the second book in the Otherworld Trilogy, Dolmarehn:
-One-
Absence
Fifty one days. Fifty one days ago Cade MacRoich walked out of my life like a ghost passing into the hereafter. And no, I haven’t been obsessive enough to keep track of the hours and minutes, or even the seconds, but I’ve felt every last one of them. I probably wouldn’t have been so fixated on his absence if he hadn’t just up and left the way he did. Of course, at the time I was too distracted by my recent trauma to truly grasp what was going on.
Nearly a year ago I was under the impression that I was just a slightly abnormal teen. Sure, I’m tall and gangly and insecure like everybody else my age, but now I know just how different I am. Then one day this gorgeous guy shows up, out of nowhere, with a very simple explanation for all of my eccentricities: my changeable eyes, my tendency to hear voices and see things, the fact that I’d been found parentless as a toddler, roaming the streets of Los Angeles like a young girl who’d been separated from her mother in the women’s clothing section of a super mall . . . He had come to tell me I was Faelorehn, immortal, from the Otherworld.
Shaking my head, I got back to work. Of course, watering Mrs. Dollard’s plants didn’t take much brain power. I had considered getting a part time job in town this past summer, but when the old lady had come over to ask if I could feed her cats and keep her yard alive while she was in Europe, I accepted right away. She was loaded and she always over-paid me. Besides, working in a cafe or at a local clothing store meant dealing with the public. I didn’t do well with the public.
The sharp caw of a crow made me hit the ground like a soldier avoiding gunfire. If acting like an idiot wasn’t bad enough, the hose got loose and soaked me. I glanced up and released a sigh of relief. Just a normal crow. I scrambled to my feet and tackled the hose before going over to shut it off. Yes, freaking out at the sound of a crow was weird for any normal person. But when you’ve spent the last several months dodging a Celtic goddess in raven form, well, any large black bird would give you the heebie-jeebies.
The garden was watered, Mrs. Dollard’s five cats were sleeping off a food coma, and the afternoon sun was dipping low in the sky. The giant wet spot on my t-shirt was making me cold, and it was time I headed home anyways. Didn’t want to get caught out after sunset. That’s when the faelah are the most active . . .
A short bark greeted me as I made my way around the house. I smiled. A great white wolfhound with rusty colored ears sat patiently, panting and grinning.
“Hello Fergus. When’s your master coming back?”
I placed a hand on his head and gave him a good scratch. He didn’t answer my question, but I didn’t expect him to.
Mrs. Dollard’s was only a few houses down from my own. Before I stepped inside, however, I kept on walking to the end of the street, bypassing the Dead End sign. I had developed the habit of checking the knothole in the oak tree every day, hoping that Cade had left me a new note.
I frowned in disappointment when the knothole proved empty, but I wasn’t surprised. Cade’s absence was understandable. A few months ago, I had crossed into the Ot
herworld thinking that I was going to save him from some cruel fate. Turns out the Morrigan, one of the most powerful of all the Otherworldly deities, had merely wanted me where she could conveniently kill me. Still being pretty ignorant of my roots, I had believed her when she’d told me Cade needed my help. Hey, she’d been very convincing and well, I kind of had a huge crush on the guy, still do. And I’d say it’s turned into something much more than a simple crush.
Pushing the hair out of my face, I climbed back up the slope and headed towards my bedroom on the basement floor of our house. I didn’t like how much time I spent thinking about Cade; it couldn’t be healthy, but he had saved my life after all. And he had been the one to tell me the truth about where I had come from.
My room greeted me with its usual chaos: various items of clothing spread about the floor and furniture, computer screen saver glowing blue and green, comforter and sheets wadded up into an unintelligible mess.
“Meghan!”
I jumped, and then grumbled. “What Logan?”
My younger brother, oldest of the five, stuck his head through the trap door that led up into the main part of the house. His blond hair fell to the side. I grinned. He looked like some miniature version of a pro surfer.
When his eyes found me he piped, “Dinner! Oh, and we’re going to the beach for my birthday party tomorrow, remember?”
I cringed inwardly. Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. Logan had turned eleven just over a week ago, but he hadn’t had his party because most of his friends were still on their summer vacations.
“Alright,” I said, “be up in a minute.”
Logan disappeared and I turned to look back through my sliding glass door. Fergus was gone, but I merely shrugged. He did that a lot. I wasn’t sure if other people could see him or not (basically, I didn’t know if he was visible to mortals), but maybe he didn’t want to take the chance.
After quickly changing into a dry t-shirt and a pair of old sweat pants, I made my way up the spiral staircase and out into the circus that was the Elam family.
