I added my pie to the mix, then grabbed a couple of sodas, handing one to Devlin. As discreetly as possible, I showed him how to open it. He mimicked me and took a drink, a look of surprise lighting up his face. He then lowered it and examined the can, as if waiting for it to start spouting poetry to him.
I hid a grin. Oh, it would be so much fun to take Devlin around and introduce him to all the joys of the mortal world. If only I didn’t have more ominous things to worry about. Which reminded me of why he was tagging along in the first place.
“We never really got around to talking, you know, about why you keep spontaneously appearing in my life,” I said quietly after taking a sip of my soda.
Devlin inclined his head slightly. “Is there somewhere private we could go?”
He scanned the beach, his eyes carefully taking in the other people enjoying the lingering warmth of the late afternoon sun. Not a single private place in sight.
I frowned, then peered up the coast in the opposite direction. To the north, the road stretched over an estuary created by the mouth of the creek. On the other side was an alcove of sorts that was, at least for the moment, deserted.
“There,” I said, pointing toward the somewhat hidden niche, “that should be a good spot.”
Devlin followed the direction of my finger and nodded.
“We’re going for a walk,” I called out to the rest of the group.
Claire nodded, and Devlin and I headed out. As we ambled along I relished the feel of warm sand slipping between my toes and the soothing rush of salt water lapping at the shore. Five small children screamed in horror with a touch of chaotic delight as a wave invaded their sandcastle, obliterating one of the walls. A group of college guys played a game of volleyball on one of the sand courts, their boisterous comments meant to encourage their teammates. On a normal day, I’d steal glances at their naked torsos, but why waste my admiration on human men when I had Devlin to ogle instead?
I bit my cheek and tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. Eventually, we reached the edge of the creek where the delta widened to meet the ocean. Devlin paused and rolled up his jeans, and I stood back, checking out his legs while I waited.
“You probably should have worn shorts,” I told him.
Devlin glanced over his shoulder, one golden brow arched in curiosity. “Shorts?”
I stifled a laugh. Another product of the mortal world he hadn’t yet learned about.
“They’re like pants, only cut shorter.” I indicated the pair I was wearing, but emphasized that the ones for men were longer.
“Enorah didn’t tell me about shorts,” he admitted.
I shrugged. “She probably didn’t think you’d be visiting the beach.”
Once he’d rolled his jeans up to mid-calf, he stood back up and took a step into the brackish water. Before going much farther, he turned and offered me his hand. Rolling my eyes at his sense of chivalry, I humored him and placed my palm in his. The water was warm against my calves, and the cool breeze made me shiver a little when we reached the other side. Devlin released my hand, and I followed him as he moved down the edge of the creek to the point where the small cliff on the other side curved inward. Finding a relatively dry patch of sand, I sat down and dipped my feet into the soothing water.
Devlin opted to stand, something I was beginning to realize was common for him. We could remain here in blissful silence for the rest of the afternoon, watching the water ripple and reflect the bright sunlight, but we had been putting this conversation off long enough.
I picked up a small pebble and held it in my hand before tossing it into the water. It plopped beneath the surface, disappearing in the mud below. Like that stone, I decided to unload what had been weighing on my mind for the past several weeks. I bypassed all the mundane questions and went straight to the one that bothered me the most.
“Why is someone from the Otherworld after me?”
For several long seconds, the only thing I noticed was the sound of the ocean and the playful shouts of the people in the distance. Farther up the creek, a bird let out a warbling call and the wind stirred the nearly barren tree branches. The rhythmic whoosh of cars passing on the bridge overhead added its own beat to the strange song, and for a few moments, I wished I were someone else, someone with normal, everyday mortal world problems.
Devlin turned to face me and then lowered himself into a crouch. He reached down and picked up his own pebble, launching it into the water where mine had disappeared earlier.
“I think it has something to do with your own magic,” he finally said, his voice soft.
I blinked in surprise then snorted. “That’s ridiculous. I don’t have any magic.”
His look was one of mild admonishment. “Don’t you remember what I told you before? About the magic that exists in the mortal world?”
I crossed my arms and furrowed my brow, trying to recall that conversation. “You said there was some magic in this world but it was minuscule compared to the magic in the Otherworld.”
Devlin nodded his head. “It is, but sometimes that magic can be tempting to someone from Eile, especially if that person wishes to build power without anyone noticing.”
Okay, he’d lost me there. I gave him an incredulous look and stood up, moving to sit on the rock next to him.
“Let me start from the beginning. When I first ran into you that night in September, I had been assigned the task of locating someone from my world. I am to hunt him down and either destroy him or bring him to the Otherworld to face the fate that awaits him. I was never meant to interact with the people from your world, but then I stumbled upon you and realized my quarry was far more entangled in the lives here than I’d previously thought.”
He looked up at me with those bright blue eyes of his and smiled. “At first I hoped it was only a fluke. There could be nothing worse than involving a mortal in what I had been sent to do. This renegade is the Otherworld’s problem, not yours. That’s why I left with the intention of staying out of your life. I’d hoped that the foul magic lingering around you and your apartment was just a coincidence, but the more I investigated, the more I realized you seemed to be the center of it all.”
Devlin stopped talking, and all I could do was take deep breaths and try to absorb everything he had laid out so far. I licked my lips and asked, “Who assigned you to this mission in the first place?”
“Enorah. And more specifically, Eile’s high queen, Danua.”
My eyes went wide. “Meghan’s mother? Then the situation really is serious.”
Devlin nodded, his face grim. “Any time the Morrigan or her lingering, evil glamour is involved, it is. Her power and her physical presence have been destroyed for now, but one day she will return. It won’t be for a very long time, but until then her followers will be salivating at the chance to rise in her place. With the Morrigan’s dark glamour scattered to all corners of Eile, simply waiting to be gathered up by her nefarious disciples, those of us loyal to the high queen have been kept busy discouraging them. The Tuatha De and their subjects were able to stop many of them just after the Morrigan’s fall, before they grew too powerful, but a few slipped through our grasp. They were smart to go to ground and even smarter to seek out the mortal world as an alternate.”
“But won’t their glamour eventually run out? Won’t they have to go back to the Otherworld then?” I asked.
Devlin shrugged. “Most of their glamour may wear off, but if they resort to forcibly removing magic from the living things they find here, then they won’t need to return to Eile as often to recharge their own glamour. And the more sacrifices they make, the more powerful they’ll become. Until these people grow strong enough to defeat one or more of the Tuatha De, they cannot risk seeking out the Morrigan’s magic. Fortunately, we know where all the richest pockets are and have people guarding them.”
Devlin’s explanation made me uneasy, but it didn’t quell my curiosity. “Exactly who are these people?”
“It
depends on how potent their magic is. The Morrigan was the most powerful, when she was alive, but her followers would work to strengthen their glamour through sacrificial rituals. That practice is even more effective in Eile if you’re looking to quickly bolster your glamour.”
I shuddered. All this talk of sacrificing living things had me thinking about the ritual I stumbled upon that first night I met Devlin, the one that got this whole crazy wheel turning to begin with.
“We call all of them Daormorrig,” Devlin continued, “slaves of the Morrigan. Those who wield the most power among them are called Cheadmorr, the Morrigan’s first. Those below them are Daramorr, the Morrigan’s second, and the third level is referred to as Triumorr. The Triumorr are initiates, those who have just pledged themselves to the ways of the war goddess. Those who are Cheadmorr are very powerful and have the potential to defeat one of the Tuatha De.”
I swallowed, only to find my mouth had grown dry. “And the man you’re looking for? Where does he fall?”
Devlin’s eyes grew hard. “He is Daramorr, but just barely. His glamour is very strong but if I can find him soon and bring him down, he won’t have a chance to grow any stronger.”
“How long?” I asked. “How long until he’s strong enough that you won’t be able to defeat him?”
Devlin sighed, a long-suffering breath that made me wonder how long he’d been holding it in.
“Several weeks or months. It all depends on the strength of the magic he’s taking in and the availability of sacrifices. What you need to understand is that most Faelorehn gradually lose their glamour when they are in the mortal world. We must return to Eile if we wish to regain our strength. This particular Daormorrig, on the other hand–”
“Uses animal sacrifice to steal the magic from the mortal world,” I cut in.
My conversation with Kelly the night after the lone faelah attacked me bubbled to the surface of my mind, when she mentioned the two bodies that had been discovered in the creek. And maybe not just animal sacrifice, my conscience murmured.
Shoving that thought aside before it could grow into something terrifying, I cleared my throat and said, “That’s why the Noctyrnum were trying to sacrifice kittens on the night they attacked me.”
I shot my eyes up at Devlin, and he nodded once.
“And whoever this slave of the Morrigan, this Daramorr is, it is very likely he’s using the Noctyrnum as a way to hide in plain sight.”
My eyes widened as I stared out across the estuary. “Oh, god,” I breathed, “Evan is in more trouble than I thought.”
“Is this the young man who frightened you the other night?”
I let my head fall and took a shaking breath. “He mentioned going to one of the Noctyrnum meetings, but I thought he’d changed his mind after that. I honestly don’t think he’s aware of the danger those people pose and he’s only being led astray.”
“That’s very possible, and if it is the case then he’s a danger to you, Robyn. If this group hides within its ranks the Daramorr, you need to distance yourself from them as much as you can.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, I brushed my hair out of my eyes and said, “So what are you going to do about this Daramorr character?”
Devlin picked up another stone and tossed it into the water, using more force than before. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his tone revealing frustration. “I fear that he knows several helpful spells that enable him to hide from me, even in plain sight.”
“You mean like a cloak to cover his trail of magic?”
Devlin nodded. “Yes. He may have even found a way to contain his glamour so well that he leaves no trace at all. Unfortunately, I gave away my presence the night you were attacked, so I’m left following the faelah for now. They go where they sense magic, and since they are made of the same dark power that he exudes, they are drawn to him.”
If I hadn’t been compelled to help those kittens, and Jerry as well, then Devlin might have found the Daramorr by now. “I’m sorry I ruined your chances,” I said softly. “But I don’t regret what I did that night.”
“You have no reason to be sorry. You were trying to help those weaker than yourself. And I’m not sorry I stepped in. He might have killed you that night if I hadn’t.”
I gave Devlin a small smile, then picked up a flat stone and sent it skipping across the rippling surface of the water.
“So what do you plan to do?”
He turned his head and gave me a tired smile. “I haven’t quite worked it out yet.”
“Can I help?”
Sure, I was a mere mortal with barely enough earthly magic to tempt the creatures of the Otherworld, but I knew this world better than he did. Perhaps if we worked together, we could figure something out.
Devlin’s expression sharpened and his face turned to stone. “Absolutely not,” he growled. “I was specifically instructed not to disrupt the people of this world. It is bad enough you are learning about all of this.”
Trying not to let his remarks sway me, I barreled on, “Look, I’m as much a part of this mess as you are. And your superiors couldn’t have known about the Daramorr’s interest in me. Plans can change as the situation changes.”
“Robyn, he is too powerful. He may even be too powerful for me to handle. I will not risk you like that.”
“But you won’t be risking me. I’ll be risking myself.”
“No.” His tone was hard and final but I was far more stubborn than he realized. I drew myself up so that my eyes met his and gave him my boldest glare.
“It is not entirely up to you. I will not sit back and let you figure out a way to get rid of the Otherworldly entities that are out to get me. I’m tired of being the helpless victim in all of this. I have a right to defend myself.”
Devlin opened his mouth to say something more, but I surprised myself by putting my fingers to his lips to stop him.
“I’ll try to deal with this on my own, if you don’t want to help me. I don’t care how dangerous it is. This constant jumping at shadows and looking over my shoulder will drive me crazy if I don’t do anything.”
It was mostly a bluff, of course. There was no way I was going to hunt down an evil Otherworldly menace on my own, but I was hoping it would bring Devlin around to see the situation from my point of view.
Devlin opened his mouth to say something more, then let out a breath and shook his head. “It’s pointless arguing with you, isn’t it?”
I sat up straighter and gave him my best smile. “Yup.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows above his knees as he contemplated the water swirling around his ankles.
“Very well, Robyn Dunbarre, you win. But we do this my way.”
I tried to hide my glee, but it was hard. There was something very satisfying about winning an argument with Devlin O’Brolaigh.
“Excellent. Where do we start?”
“By finding out what your friend Evan knows. Do you think he has arrived yet?”
Devlin gestured toward the picnic tables in the distance where the Earth Bound members were lingering.
“Only one way to find out.”
I pushed myself to my feet and Devlin followed suit. Despite the fact that the next several weeks were guaranteed to bring more trouble than I’d ever faced my entire life, my heart felt light. I suspected it was a result of knowing I’d be spending more time with Devlin, which was both a blessing and a curse.
Do not get attached Robyn. When this is all over, he’ll return to the Otherworld.
Naturally, I had no desire to listen to what my conscience had to say, so I chose to ignore it and instead initiated an aquatic attack on Devlin. At first he simply glared at me as the briny water soaked into his jeans, but it didn’t take him long to catch on, and for the next several minutes I let the simple joy of goofing off with him wash away all my worries about the future.
-Twelve-
Proposition
Devlin and I arrived back at the picnic tables out of breath and
soaking wet. Somewhere along the way, we had both ended up in the surf, and I could only grin as my Earth Bound friends watched us approach. I wrapped my arms around my torso and shrugged, my teeth beginning to chatter. The two of us had been gone so long the sun had already dipped behind the hills.
“Might be a good idea to make use of the fire,” Brynlee, one of the new girls, pointed out, her eyes glittering with mirth.
Ignoring what that particular look was trying to tell me, I moved toward the fire. Ah, yes. Heat! I stepped up to the flames, basking in their warmth. Devlin moved to the opposite end of the fire and proceeded to peel off his wet shirt. Suddenly I forgot everything else save for the half-naked male figure standing in front of me. From the sound of utter silence behind me, I imagined all of my female friends in Earth Bound had done the same. Damn, Devlin was a splendid specimen. His lean build was only accentuated by the curve of toned muscles and golden skin made even more beautiful by the firelight. My fingers twitched, eager to glide through his tousled hair and dance over the ridges of his ribcage.
Ack! Knock it off Robyn! I snapped my eyes back to the fire and clenched my teeth. I turned my back on the fire and my eyes away from Devlin. The heat from the blaze had suddenly grown far too warm.
In an attempt to ignore the temptation standing just behind me, I turned my eyes toward the parking lot and noticed a familiar figure climbing down the steps leading onto the beach. I had to squint against the darkening sky to make out his face, but the dark hair and the way he walked were distinctive enough. I watched Evan make his way to our little party, his pace faltering as he took in his surroundings. If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed he was searching for someone.
Deciding it would be best for me to introduce Evan to Devlin, I waved my hand and smiled, calling him over to the bonfire.
Evan’s dark gaze met mine, and for a split second I was reminded of Halloween night and the deep emptiness that had lingered in his eyes. A chill threatened to rattle me, but then my strange friend blinked away the coldness and gave a friendly smile.
Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld Page 14
