Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld

by Johnson, Jenna Elizabeth

  I sipped my tea and turned my attention to the Lorehnin man standing at the sink. His back was to me, so for now I could admire him openly. And just like that, a warm, somewhat unfamiliar emotion spread over me, reaching to the very tips of my fingers and toes.

  Oh no. Don’t Robyn, stop right there and don’t you dare go on. A fresh revelation flushed the contentment right from my mind. I looked up at Devlin again, only this time I noticed his reflection in the window. He was concentrating on rinsing the dishes, but in the next heartbeat he glanced up, catching my gaze. I didn’t pull away. I needed to know for sure. He must have seen me as well because his eyes, usually the cool calm blue of the sky or the biting sharpness of ice, softened and a tiny smile graced his mouth.

  I returned my attention to my cooling tea and took a deep, steadying breath, closing my eyes as I did so. Somehow, amid all this turmoil in my life of late, I had managed to do the one thing I had warned myself against from the very beginning, and there was no turning back. I had made the biggest mistake a mortal girl could with a man from the Otherworld. I had let Devlin’s charm and kindness breach the walls of my hardened heart, and I was pretty certain I was falling for him.

  “Are you all right?”

  The question was accompanied by the gentle brush of Devlin’s fingers across the top of my hand. I jumped a foot in my chair, and he pulled back, like a snake striking in reverse.

  I grumbled some apology and proceeded to blame my nerves on a combination of my recent role as faelah bait and my emotionally severed heart.

  Devlin poured himself a cup of tea, adding a little sugar and milk. I made a mental note to remember so I could fix his tea in the future. Why? In case he feels the same way about you and you end up moving in together? Whoa. Take it easy there, conscience. It had only just occurred to me how I felt about the guy, and that was more than likely due to the fact that he’d wrapped a nice big bandage around my heart only an hour or so ago. I focused on the cup in my hands and listened to the soft murmur of simmering soup. Devlin lowered himself into one of my spare chairs across the island from me, the wood groaning under his weight.

  “So,” I said by means of banishing the encroaching and potentially awkward silence, “before I kidnapped you and dragged you off into today’s whirlwind adventure, you mentioned you were going to scout the area for dark glamour.”

  He shrugged and leaned back, his own expression growing darker. “That was my original plan. I told you I’d be back, or did you not get my message?”

  Devlin seemed unsure, his eyes worried. The memory of the flowers, and of the note tucked safely away in my desk drawer, blossomed in my mind. I felt my cheeks redden so I cleared my throat.

  “Yes, I did. But that was weeks ago. Wasn’t sure if you’d changed your mind.”

  Devlin said, “The Daramorr has been harder to track of late. His glamour seems diluted or masked. Or changed somehow so I cannot recognize it. I’m certain he did this because of what happened on Samhain.”

  “So, what does that mean?” I asked.

  His eyes met mine, and they held none of their earlier warmth. “It means it’s getting harder for me to track him, as if I’m chasing a spirit and not a Faelorehn man of flesh and blood.”

  I tried not to let that bother me. Devlin might have chased Mikael back into the Otherworld by now if I hadn’t invited him to the Samhain bonfire.

  “For the last several weeks I’ve been crossing between this world and my own quite frequently. Enorah, my friend I mentioned earlier, knows a lot about the Morrigan’s magic and what it is capable of. I've been consulting her with regards to this case. Every time she suggested something, I’d test it and it would fail. I feel as if I’m running around in circles because the Daramorr always seems to be one step ahead of me. I need to find another way to draw him out.”

  The memory of our conversation at Avila Beach came back to me, the agreement we had come to before our argument.

  I swallowed my unease and said, “Were you coming today to ask for my help?”

  Devlin blanched. “Yes and no. I was going to do some closer investigating around your house, in case Mikael’s been snooping or using the Morrigan’s abandoned faelah to do more of his dirty work, then ask if you’d seen anything strange of late.”

  I actually laughed out loud, and Devlin arched an eyebrow at me. “Everything I’ve seen of late has been strange. But I’ve noticed nothing Otherworldly since I saw you last.”

  He nodded in agreement, then rubbed his hands over his face. “My ability to pinpoint specific glamour is weaker in the mortal world. That might also have something to do with it.”

  I took a slow, shuddering breath and let it out gradually. So much had happened in the past few hours that I found it hard to think. My brain felt like mush and my heart a bruised lump of muscle. What I needed was a vacation from being me for a while.

  “The glamour seems strongest around your apartment,” Devlin was saying, “but I didn’t sense any this morning, and we left before I could take a good look around.”

  That smile again, and this time I had no business trying to look innocent. I bit my lip and fiddled with my hair, still a bit damp from the shower.

  “I shouldn’t have dragged you off like that,” I murmured.

  Devlin’s warm hand covered mine.

  “No. You needed a day of distractions.”

  I glanced toward the dark window, the rain painting sheets of moisture along the glass.

  “Won’t the rain wash the glamour away?”

  Did it work the same way that scent did? I had read many books and seen movies where animals and people alike used water to hide their trail.

  “In the Otherworld, it wouldn’t be an issue. Here, with the glamour already showing up strange on my radar, I don’t know.”

  Despite that bad bit of news I smiled at him. “How do you know about radar?”

  “Cade told me about it once.”

  The reminder of my best friend’s husband sent a pang through my heart. Too bad Cade wasn’t here with Meghan. I could sure use my friend’s company and I bet Cade could help Devlin with this frustrating hunt of his. Oh well. Looked like we were on our own.

  Devlin got up to stir the soup. “Almost ready,” he proclaimed.

  Good. My stomach was eating itself alive. Ten minutes later, we were both savoring a mug full of rich, cheesy bacon and beef stew. Mmm, heaven. I scraped at the bottom of my cup but didn’t go for seconds.

  Devlin, on the other hand, was on his third serving when I said, “So what’s the game plan?”

  He glanced up at me, his spoon halfway to his mouth.

  “How are we going to catch this bastard?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know yet. I need to gather more information before we can act. When I have a better idea of where the Daramorr is hiding on this side of the dolmarehn, then maybe we can come up with a strategy for flushing him out.”

  I nodded, then flashed my eyes up to meet his. “Maybe I can squeeze some details out of Moira.”

  Devlin eyed me carefully, and I was reminded of her interest in my Lorehnin friend. Irritation laced through me and I cleared my throat.

  “Or maybe not. I have all of next week off from school, so I’m free if you’d like my help.” Then, feeling particularly bold, I added, “You could come over on Thursday. It’s Thanksgiving.”

  At his curious look, I elaborated.

  “It’s a holiday we celebrate here in the mortal world. There will be lots of food, and it’s normally a time that family and friends get together.”

  Devlin offered me a light smile then nodded and got back to his soup.

  “I like the sound of that. You’ve had enough to think about today, and I trust Moira about as much as I trust her brother. It could be dangerous for you to snoop around in her territory.”

  I didn’t argue with him, though some part of my pride bared its teeth. Faelorehn or not, I was pretty sure I could handle Moira.

  “Let me do so
me investigating, and then we can discuss it on this Thanksgiving of yours,” Devlin continued with a light smirk.

  I nodded once, a warm sense of satisfaction gently soothing my irritated ego. As eager as I was to help fix this huge mess and prove that I could be helpful, I needed a few days just to zone out. And that’s exactly what I planned on doing.

  -Sixteen-

  Duplicity

  Devlin showed up around ten Thursday morning with an Otherworldly wreath, this one composed of branches full of brilliant autumn leaves and berries.

  “The flowers have long since faded in Eile,” he offered by way of an explanation.

  “It’s so beautiful,” I murmured, taking the wreath from his outstretched hand and carrying it inside.

  Devlin strode past me and entered the kitchen.

  “What can I do to help?” he asked over his shoulder as he shoved the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows.

  Smiling, I turned and joined him, my nervousness melting away. “Well, the turkey’s in the oven, but there are still the mashed potatoes, yams and cranberry sauce to make.”

  We both became absorbed in the work of putting together the meal after that. As I prepared one dish after another, Devlin took the used bowls and silverware and washed them. Sometimes we would switch jobs and he would keep an eye on the gravy bubbling on the stovetop or partition out ingredients for me. At some point, I ended up scrubbing another round of dirty dishes soaking in the hot soapy water while he peeled potatoes beside me.

  I stilled in my ministrations as a wonderfully content feeling washed over me. I stole a glance at Devlin, methodically stripping the brown, rough skins off the potatoes and dropping them into a waiting colander. Here was a man used to wandering the wild woodlands of the Otherworld, fighting monsters and the Morrigan’s powerful followers with his sword and magic. A man capable of striking terror into the hearts of those he met should he wish to. Instead, he was here in my cramped kitchen, peeling potatoes of all things. Why? I wanted to hope he did it because he enjoyed spending time with me, but part of me warned not to get too comfortable with that image.

  He’s here for now Robyn, but for how long? He has made you no promises, and you had best remember that.

  I batted my sensible conscience away like an annoying fruit fly. I would enjoy the moment while it lasted.

  Biting my lip to keep from smiling, I slapped my hand across the water and sent a stream of it onto Devlin’s hands.

  He grew still, and I risked a glance. Uh-oh. Those blue eyes were much too bright.

  “Oops, sorry,” I said, not a hint of remorse in my voice.

  “Not to worry. I’ll simply rinse the potatoes off.”

  Devlin turned the faucet on and proceeded to rinse away all of the soap. I had become engrossed in my scrubbing once again when a cool splash of water hit me in the cheek.

  Gasping, I shot my gaze in Devlin’s direction. His grin was pure mischief.

  “Pardon my clumsiness with the water.”

  I scowled, then gently shoved my shoulder against him, an action he returned. By the time the potatoes were finally boiling in the pot and the dishes done, we were both far more thoroughly soaked than we should have been with a stray potato peel or two stuck to us.

  “I’ll get you a towel,” I offered as I disappeared into my closet.

  I tossed Devlin the towel and proceeded to get as much water off myself as I could. Honestly, what had gotten into the two of us?

  “Did I miss anything?” I asked Devlin.

  He put aside his own towel and stepped forward, his eyes focused on my face. Suddenly, my stomach dropped to my toes. Oh, dear gods, that look.

  Devlin moved even nearer, closing most of the space between us and reaching a hand out to my face. I froze where I stood, my heart thudding in my ribcage. My eyes rose of their own accord to meet Devlin’s.

  “A stray potato peel,” he murmured quietly, gently brushing something out of my hair.

  Only his hand didn’t leave, it dropped to my cheek and lingered there, warming my flushing skin even more.

  I swallowed hard as he inched forward and I closed my eyes.

  Before either of us breathed, the loud, angry buzzing of the kitchen timer shattered the moment. Devlin jerked away and I flinched.

  “Sorry,” I grumbled as I scraped at my hair. I brushed past him and headed into the kitchen, “I’ve got to check on the turkey.”

  Damn the turkey! I wanted to shout. I was convinced that Devlin had been about to kiss me and every instinct in my body screamed at me to go back into my living room, grab Devlin’s face in both my hands and pull his mouth down to meet mine.

  Gritting my teeth, I snatched up a pair of oven mitts and removed the turkey from the oven. According to the meat thermometer, it was ready. I shoved it back in and turned the heat off, wondering if Devlin and I could pick up where we had left off. When I stepped back into the living room, I could tell the moment was over. Relief and disappointment hit me in equal parts, but my sensible side informed me it was probably a good thing nothing had happened.

  “Turkey’s done, so all we need to do is get some plates out,” I said in a light tone.

  Devlin nodded. He seemed to have recovered from our almost kiss, but his eyes still smoldered. I tried not to let that get my wild side all worked up.

  As I set out the various side dishes, making use of the limited counter space in the kitchen, Devlin removed the turkey from the oven and proceeded to carve it. An awkward fissure had grown between us, but once we started eating it gradually closed up. I told Devlin stories about my friends from high school, and he in turn told me once again about the battle between Danua and the Morrigan and of Meghan’s bravery that day.

  A feeling of smug satisfaction welled up in my chest, so I took a sip of apple cider to keep it from getting too far out of hand. In that moment I was so incredibly proud of my friend. I only hoped that she and Cade visited the mortal world again soon. I missed her so much.

  I took a breath in order to press Devlin some more, but the sound of something thudding against my door stopped me. Furrowing my brow, I stepped through the kitchen doorway and glanced at my front door. Before I could decide what it might have been, a low, rattling growl, muffled by the wall but obvious nonetheless, greeted my ears. I froze in terror, the blood in my veins turning to ice. Oh no, not again. Not now.

  Devlin was up off his stool and striding toward the door before I could blink. After glancing through the window, he jerked the door open and barked over his shoulder, “Do not leave this room until I’ve come back.”

  The flippant, rebellious hellion in me wanted to brush him off and follow right after him, but the side of me that was conjuring up images of what was probably out there convinced me to stay put. That and the tone of Devlin’s voice. The woodland warrior was back, and since I wasn’t in the mood to get into another argument with him, I listened to his advice this time.

  Despite my misgivings, I climbed atop my futon and peeked out the window. The late afternoon light had given way to the cool grey tones of early evening, yet not enough so that I couldn’t see the yard. I tried to spot Devlin, but he was nowhere to be found, which only made me worry. Only when he came bursting through the foliage at the end of the street did I relax a little. I was there to pull the door open for him when he returned.

  “What was it?” I hissed.

  His face was grim, and he clenched his fists by his side. “Did you not see it?”

  I shook my head. Not this time.

  “It was a wolf,” Devlin was saying.

  I blinked up at him. “A wolf? Are you sure it wasn’t a coyote? We don’t have wolves on the Central Coast.”

  He gave me a dubious look and answered in a dry tone, “I know a spirit guide wolf when I see one.”

  “A spirit guide wolf?”

  Devlin smiled a little, though something akin to fear flitted in his eyes. “The Daramorr’s spirit guide, if I were to make a guess. His personal body
guard, servant and spy, complete with its own powerful glamour. A white wolf with red ears.”

  Ah yes, the Otherworldly familiars who had a special connection with their Faelorehn counterparts. Before Meghan had told me all about the Otherworld being a reality and not just a place I had read about in the myths of ancient Ireland, any animal with the description Devlin had just given me was simply an Otherworldly creature, not one with telekinetic powers linking it to other people. I knew that Meghan had a spirit guide, Meridian her merlin, and that Cade had his wolfhound Fergus, but something told me that this particular wolf was lurking around my apartment for far more nefarious reasons than trying to make friends or seek out stray rabbits to hunt.

  “What was it doing here?” I asked.

  Devlin’s expression was a dour one. “You mentioned the faelah have been scarce these past few weeks?”

  I nodded. It was the truth.

  Devlin released a sigh then invited me to return to the kitchen where we’d left our plates. After both of us were seated on our stools he said, “I’m beginning to wonder if the reason the Daramorr has been harder to detect of late is because he’s taken to hiding in the Otherworld. Not the safest place to be because he has more enemies there, but if he’s desperate for magic then that’s a risk he might be willing to take.”

  Devlin’s laugh was dry and devoid of humor. “And now that he knows I am on to him he’s pooling all of his resources, or so it would seem.”

  I took a breath to apologize, because in a way, this was my fault, but Devlin shook his head once and gave me a hard look.

  “Do not apologize, Robyn. Mikael may know who seeks him now, but because of our meeting I have a face, and a name, to go with the person I hunt.”