Children of the Veil (Aisling Chronicles)

by Colleen Halverson

  “Stop!”

  The wolves growled but hesitated, waiting for a signal from their leader.

  I stepped forward, arms raised. “We’re going to get you out of here, but you need to change back first.”

  Phelan changed first, his gold eyes narrowing at me.

  “Is this a trap?” Phelan demanded, taking a step toward us.

  Finn moved in front of me, his chest puffed out and shoulders squared.

  I edged around him, blowing a lock of hair out of my face. “It’s not a trap. But if I get you out of here, you have to tell me everything you know about The Children of Lir, Malachy Moray, my mom, everything. Do you understand? Everything.”

  Shouts rang out in the hallway.

  Phelan glanced in the direction of the sound and nodded. He snapped his fingers, and the rest of the púcas changed into human form.

  “Elizabeth, we need to go now!” Finn grabbed my hand.

  I closed my eyes and concentrated, throwing my mind around the energy of everyone in the chamber. The door of the cell banged open, but we were already gone, far off in the astral plane between realms. I brought us through the weave, and when I opened my eyes again, we stood below the giant oak tree just outside of Teamhair.

  The two younger púcas looked at me with wide eyes, but Phelan folded his arms and glared, nonplussed.

  “Your mother had similar powers. Useful.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Very.”

  Finn touched my elbow. “We have to find shelter. We’re safer in the Faerie realm, but Amergin will send a message to Bodb Dearg. They’ll be looking for us.”

  Phelan nodded and stalked off toward a line of trees across the meadow. “We have a place in The Seven Woods. It’s a bit of a walk, but we’ll be safe there.”

  Finn trailed Phelan. “Gaiscaed Uath,” he whispered, his sword materializing in his hand.

  He stepped in front of the púca, his sword gleaming in the moonlight. “How do we know the Fir Bolgs aren’t waiting there for Elizabeth?”

  Phelan paused and looked over Finn’s shoulder at me. “I’m sorry for what happened. I didn’t know what they had planned.”

  I crossed my arms across my chest. “Didn’t know or didn’t care?”

  Phelan skirted around Finn and extended his hand, the ink from his tattoo gleaming in the moonlight. “I give you my word, no harm will come to either of you.”

  My hand closed around Phelan’s, and I squeezed, pulling him toward me. “I will take you at your word, but at the first sign of trouble, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

  Finn hovered behind me, his leather jacket creaking in the quiet meadow.

  The púca nodded and sniffed the air, scanning the horizon. “Very well, but if you want to know about The Children of Lir, you need to come with me. Tuatha Dé Danann soldiers are out on patrol, and they’re close.”

  He dropped my hand and turned toward the tree line, whistling to his crew.

  Finn and I shared a glance. Sheathing his sword, he grabbed my hand and we jogged to keep up with the púcas.

  “This is Aine.” Phelan pointed to the young woman with the curly black hair. “And this is Turlough.” He gestured to the male púca.

  The long grass brushed against my legs, the evening dew dampening my jeans. I looked back at Teamhair before dashing into the woods. A full moon shone just beyond the shimmering white towers like a giant pearl against a field of black velvet. I pulled my coat tighter around me, even though the night air felt balmy compared to the cruel grip of the Midwestern winter.

  “The Tuatha Dé Danann say these woods are haunted.” Finn pushed a branch aside, allowing me to pass.

  “Aye,” Phelan said over his shoulder. “And who do you think haunts them?”

  The púca disappeared into the shadows, and we had no choice but to follow.

  Chapter Eleven

  We hiked through the forest for hours, through tall trees, dense and ancient, their gnarled roots weaving like giant veins into the flesh of the earth. The branches swayed high above, sighing in the wind like ocean waves, and the moon illuminated the narrow path leading into the darkness. Phelan and his crew walked sure-footed through the bracken with a light, feral grace, while Finn and I lagged behind a few paces.

  “Finn,” I said after we had walked for a couple of hours. “When you were talking to Seamus, you said ‘you can’t always choose who you love.’ What did you mean by that? Did he fall in love with someone outside of the Fianna?”

  Finn shook his head, offering me a hand to climb up a large root.

  “So what happened?”

  He sighed and held a branch out of my way.

  “It’s personal,” he said in a gentle voice.

  My cheeks burned, and I hurried to follow him. “I know… I was just making conversation. We’ve been walking forever.”

  The bottom of my feet ached, and my body longed for sleep. The forest closed in around us, the trees growing closer and closer as we walked deeper into the shadows.

  “I mean, he was really emotional back there.” I couldn’t let the matter drop once I had a puzzle to figure out.

  “It’s none of your business, Elizabeth.” His voice possessed a steely edge and he clenched his fists at his sides.

  “I know, I’m just saying. He acts like some crazy jealous ex-boyfri—” The lightbulb snapped on in my brain. “Oh my God. Seamus is in love with you.”

  Finn walked on, his steps quickening.

  “It’s true, isn’t it?”

  “Just drop it,” he growled.

  I raised my hands. “It’s cool. I mean, good for Seamus.”

  Finn whirled. “No, it’s not good for Seamus.”

  I stared up him, my insides clenching at the flash of anger in his face.

  Finn sighed, and he grabbed my hand, gently pulling me beside him.

  “Seamus was a Norman, did you know that?” he said after a long pause.

  I shook my head, recalling how Finn once spoke to him in a language resembling French. The Normans invaded Ireland not long after their conquest of England. Like so many invaders, they made themselves at home rather quickly, intermarried with the locals, even took on some Celtic customs.

  “His father was a Norman, and his mother was Irish, from the Waterford area, I think. He distinguished himself with his bow as a very young man and caught Amergin’s eye. The Fianna have always been inclusive to both genders, you know, allowing men and women to fight side by side, but…”

  “But what?” I said prompting him.

  “But it’s still a very conservative sort of institution. Do you understand my meaning?”

  “No.”

  Finn stopped, leaning into me and lowering his voice. “It means that there are things about Seamus’s lifestyle he cannot talk about. And there are things people in authority do not ask about.”

  “You mean like ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’?”

  “Seamus is a great warrior,” Finn interrupted sharply. “It’s wrong our order would make a man feel like he has to hide who he is, but I didn’t make the rules.”

  I shook my head. “Oh, wow, that explains so much.”

  “Why’s that?” Finn dropped my hand and marched ahead, avoiding my gaze.

  “Oh, come on. Isn’t it obvious?” I raced ahead and flitted in front of Finn. “Seamus is totally crazy about you.”

  Finn rolled his eyes and brushed a branch aside. “Elizabeth, please.”

  “He didn’t like me from the beginning.”

  Finn playfully nudged me with his shoulder. “I didn’t like you from the beginning.”

  I pushed him back. Hard.

  “You said you wanted me the first time you laid eyes on me,” I hissed, glancing up at the púcas, making sure they didn’t overhear us.

  His hand grazed my waist. “Oh, sure. As long as you kept your mouth shut.”

  I punched him in the gut, my knuckles bouncing off his rock-hard abs.

  “Shut up!”

  H
e grabbed my hand with a grin, pulling me toward him. “With your loud American accent butchering the Irish language…”

  “Is é mo Gaeilge maith!” I wrenched my hand away. My Irish is fine!

  “I think you could use a little review.” His fingers grazed my cheek, and I melted beneath his touch, trying to suppress a smile.

  “And I suppose you think you’re the man for the job?”

  “Perhaps.” Finn shrugged. “But you should know my services don’t come cheap.”

  “I’m sure we could make arrangements.”

  Finn pulled me behind a tree, out of sight of the púcas. I stifled a squeal as he placed a hand on my hip and drew me close to him. “And what sort of arrangements might those be?”

  “Well-placed arrangements, I can assure you.” I pressed my body against his and felt his growing desire push against my belly.

  “I can’t wait to get you alone,” he breathed into my ear.

  I flashed him a mischievous smile and ducked under his arm, running ahead to catch up with Phelan and his crew.

  We walked well into the night, only stopping once to drink from a spring before moving on. The landscape grew hillier, rockier. We scrambled up craggy cliffs and climbed up boulders as we scaled through the terrain. My legs ached, and a layer of sweat formed on my skin the higher we traveled. I unwound my scarf and unbuttoned my coat, the night wind hitting my chest like a cooling balm. Finally, as the sky began to lighten, Phelan stopped at the foot of a small valley nestled in an outcropping of rocks.

  “Welcome home,” he muttered, making his way toward the rocks. He whispered something to Aine and Turlough, who ran ahead into the small mouth of a cave, camouflaged with moss and ivy. Two men stepped forward, their leather clothes stretched across their lean bodies. They huddled together with Phelan, one of them gesturing violently toward us with a growl. Finn palmed his sword, but I placed my hand on his arm in warning. Phelan barked something at the púca, who bowed and skulked away.

  Phelan sauntered back to us, the thin light of dawn catching the light blond strands of his thick hair. “You can rest here. No harm will come to you, I promise.”

  I nodded, blinking hard with exhaustion and trying to focus on him. “I came here for information.”

  He stared hard at me for a moment, and then he did something I didn’t expect. He bowed his head in subservience.

  I glanced at Finn, who merely shrugged and shook his head.

  “Which I will provide, aisling,” Phelan lifted his amber eyes to meet mine. “But you are barely standing as it is. You need food and rest, and so do I. We’ll talk once we’ve had both. I swear to you.”

  Finn’s eyes narrowed at him, slipping a protective arm around my shoulder, holding me close.

  Phelan led us into the cave, the small opening barely wide enough for the three of us. The tiny entrance led to an expansive chamber resembling a small city formed naturally into the smooth stone. The high ceiling soared out of sight, stalactites spiraling down, veins of pure white quartz and amethyst glittering in the firelight. A thin waterfall trickled from the other end of the cave, channeling into a small pool. The clear water shimmered bright aqua blue from the minerals deposited in the stone.

  Several different tunnels shot off from the main part of the cavern. Phelan guided us down one tunnel and, pulling back a stiff leather door, he led us into a small room carved out of the stone. A narrow opening high above let in a tiny beam of light, but the little hollowed-out space remained shrouded in shadow. A bed of moss-covered stone draped in leathers and furs stood in the middle of the room. I ached for rest, travel and the hike taking its toll on my body. My eyelids drooped, and I collapsed onto the platform, resting my head against my knees. Finn remained by the door, studying Phelan with a cool stare. Aine entered the room and set down two loaves of bread, a wedge of white cheese, and a stoneware pitcher of water.

  “This is all we have available so late now…or early, I guess.” She tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear and bowed before leaving.

  I grabbed a hunk of bread, shoving it into my mouth.

  Finn walked over to Phelan and extended a hand. “Thank you for your hospitality. We will not impose on you long.”

  “I am in your debt.” Phelan’s fingers wrapped firmly over Finn’s, pumping his fist.

  He peered around Finn’s shoulders to me. “In spite of what has transpired, you are both now eternal friends of my tribe.”

  “I suppose there is some honor among thieves,” Finn said in a dark voice.

  Phelan’s hand stopped and he drew it away. “Thieves…and outlaws.”

  The púca flashed us a wide, wolfish smile and patted Finn on the shoulder. “You are in good company. Sleep now. Both of you.”

  He bowed his head and pushed the leather aside, leaving Finn and I alone, with the only sound the constant stream of the waterfall in the far-off cavern.

  I shoved another piece of bread into my mouth, then swallowed hard. “Do you really think we’re safe here? I mean, Phelan sold me out once…”

  Finn sighed and sank down beside me, folding me into his arms. “We’re outlaws now. This is our life. We need to trust our instincts.”

  “What do your instincts say?” I said against Finn’s chest, brushing crumbs from my fingers.

  He smoothed a hand down my shoulder. “In spite of everything, I believe Phelan is a man of his word.”

  I took a deep breath and my body relaxed, lulled by the steady beat of Finn’s heart. He settled me into the furs, pulling them up to my chin. “I’ll watch over you. Don’t worry. Sleep now.”

  He stretched out beside me, brushing the hair away from my face. I snuggled next to his body, breathing in the earthy smell of moss as the tender light of morning flooded our small niche in the labyrinth of caverns. His hand rested heavy in the space between my shoulder blades, and I fell asleep in minutes.

  …

  My eyelids snapped open. Bright afternoon light filled our chamber, catching the crystals twisting in the stone. Finn met my gaze, and I noted the dark circles under his eyes. I reached out and cupped his cheek.

  “Did you sleep at all?” I asked.

  He smiled. “I may have dozed a little.”

  I sat up and grabbed the pitcher of water. I gulped down a few sips, swishing a little around in my mouth. Running my tongue against my teeth, I wished I’d had the foresight to pack a toothbrush. I sniffed my armpit when Finn wasn’t looking and grimaced.

  He stood up and stretched. “We need to go.”

  “I know.” A small band of skin peeked from beneath his shirt, and I kneeled, running my hands beneath the rumpled material. He looked down and flashed me a hungry stare. Shaking his head, he grabbed my wrists, pulling me to standing.

  “My dear Ms. Tanner, you are insatiable.” He brushed my cheek with his lips, and a bolt of electricity ran down my spine.

  My mouth found his and I kissed him deeply. “I love waking up next to you.”

  Finn’s hand smoothed down the curve of my waist, and he grinned. “Me, too.”

  I threw my arms around his neck and held him close. “Let’s go find Phelan. I’m ready for answers.”

  Finn pulled my hips close to his, and my eyes widened, contemplating the warm sanctuary of the pile of furs on the moss-covered platform.

  “Well, maybe we do not have to leave just now…” he growled in my ear, sending waves of desire through me.

  “Make up your mind!” I giggled, kissing his neck and nuzzling against his chest. My heart felt so open, the weight of so many weeks without him lifted from my shoulders. We stood, arms entangled around each other, allowing the warmth of our bodies to engulf us. He kissed me and then looked straight into my eyes. “To be continued…” he said.

  “Indeed.” I straightened the collar of his shirt and slapped him lightly on the behind as he left the chamber. He glared at me over his shoulder but then grabbed my hand, keeping me close to him.

  We wandered down the tunnel an
d back to the large main chamber. Above the constant trickle of the waterfall, everyday sounds of people going about their business surrounded us: children squealing, the clang of pots and pans in some far-off kitchen space, the sharp thunk of chopping wood. Next to the pool, Phelan sat in close council with Aine, Turlough, and a handful of other púcas. Their golden eyes flashed in the dim light as we approached.

  Phelan stood up and nodded. “Come with me.”

  We followed him out of the cave. The sun hovered over the tree line to the west, its bright rays painting the sky in brilliant hues of pink and violet. I breathed in the pure air of Tír na nÓg as it wove through the woods around us. Veils of moss swept down from the branches to trace the forest floor, and a sweet loamy smell rose up to my nose with every step we took through the lush forest. We broke through the trees and into a small glade surrounded by tumbling boulders. The rocks opened up to a clear spring, pristine and still. Phelan perched himself on a large slate-colored stone while Finn and I parked ourselves in the cool grass.

  “This is the spring of Airitech.” Phelan dipped his fingers into the pool and a thousand concentric circles radiated from his hands. A light breeze swept through his blond hair, his amber eyes studying his reflection in the water.

  I crisscrossed my legs and glanced toward the setting sun. “Who’s Airitech?”

  And what does he have to do with my mom?

  My chest tightened with impatience, but I pressed my hands into the cool grass and leaned into Finn.

  “Long ago, Airitech once ruled these woods,” Phelan began. “The Tuatha Dé Danann called him a monster, but they were merely terrified by his power, as he possessed the ability to change his form at will. He had three daughters who could transform into wolves, and every full moon, these maidens would hunt the sheep of nearby farms. Outraged by the loss of their precious livestock, the townspeople hired the warrior poet Cas Corach to slay them. He walked into The Seven Woods, with his harp in hand, and lured the maidens out of their cave with his beautiful music. These maidens were so enchanted by the power of his song, they professed their love for Cas Corach on the spot and swore never to transform to wolves again.”