by Cara E Holt
“Thanks Mel. You’re the best witchy friend a girl could ask for.”
Chapter Ten.
That evening we are all gathered back in our living room for yet another night of relic hunting with a no doubt fruitless outcome. This time we were going to the ‘Paps of Anu’ named, so Drustan told us, because the two hilly mounds are seen as the two breasts of the goddess Danu. We portal over to Ireland and we’re all standing at the base of the two said breasts.
Noah whistles. “Now they are a large pair.”
I shake my head and laugh. “Trust you.” Noah can be relied on to always be ready with a sexual innuendo.
Mel tilts her head to the side examining the two mounds before us. “They do look like breast though. Look, they even look like they have nipples on the top.” Everyone stops and stare at the summit of each mound. Blaine shakes his head and laughs,
“This is the weirdest conversation I have had in a while.”
“Those are prehistoric cairns on the top of each summit.” Drustan tells us, his face as ever is serious.
“Argh, you had to go and spoil the illusion. To me now though they always be Danu’s nipples.”
“Well all I can say is Danu has got a good rack on her.” Lorcen grins at us all. This earns him a jab in the ribs form his mate Megan.
“Well let’s get moving and climb these massive tatas.” Mel examines the mounds again. “I have to say though, if anyone should have two hills named after their breasts it should be you Ebs. You have a big pair.” She says pointing at my chest. I blush bright red. Well this conversation isn’t awkward and embarrassing at all! I give her a look that could kill.
“What? It’s true. Even Lorcen is grinning in agreement.” She says pointing at him and my gaze falls on his smiling eyes and he gives me a cheeky ‘what?’ look.
We begin our climb up the hill and I suddenly think why are we wasting time and energy climbing up these things when we could just sift to the top but I decide to leave it and not question Drustan Besides, if I sift everywhere I’ll get fat and lazy. I fall in beside Blaine as we continue our climb.
“How’s the back?”
He smiles. “I’ll live. Been through worse.”
I smile and nod. “So I have to ask. You came back to the human realm. Why?”
Blaine’s step falters. “I did. I came back to help protect you.”
I look at him puzzled. “But you hate me.”
Blaine looks at me shocked and stops still. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you Ebony. I will always give you my protection. Plus we needed to come and find this cauldron.”
An awkward silence passes between us and we start walking again. “So you are back with Nicole?”
He doesn’t give me eye contact and look directly ahead. “Well I guess now that I have no soulmate I am a free agent.”
I wince at his reference to having no soulmate. I hated telling him I’d chosen Lorcen over him. I reach out and grab his hand as we walk. “There is a soulmate out there for you Blaine, I just know it. I believe fate has it all in hand.”
He meets my eyes then and smiles sadly at me, he pulls his hand gently out of mine. “I wish I shared your optimism.”
I try to lighten the mood. “Well I bet you didn’t ever think coming back here would involve climbing a giant pair of breasts?”
He laughs then and it goes right the way to his eyes that sparkle and I see a glimpse of the Blaine I knew before I broke his heart. We arrive at the top of the right mound and Drustan gestures for everyone to stand back and give me space. I take a deep breath and ground myself.
A bright light causes me to cover my eyes with my hands and when it fades I lower them and look before me. I find a stunningly beautiful woman smiling warmly before me. She has long blonde hair that falls down her back in loose waves. Her eyes are vivid green and she has one of those perfectly little button noses, her face perfectly symmetrical. She wears a gown of blue chiffon and behind her two very regal silver wings frame her. “Danu.” I whisper in awe. She smiles at me with real warmth in her eyes.
“My child.” She offers out her hand to me and like a star struck fan I place mine in hers. There is a serene and peaceful energy around her that I can’t explain. “You have a difficult path ahead of you, with difficult choices you will be forced to make. To be prepared for what you must face you need to return to your tuatha family.”
“But how?” I frown. “No one knows where their realm is?”
“Why child, your realm is within the water.”
“What water?” I ask her feeling none the wiser. I mean water could mean anywhere.
“Think back to your dreams. The ones that haunted you. Your loved ones were showing you the way.”
“So me being your blood and all, is there any chance you could point me in the direction of the cauldron?” I ask her with a hopeful and pleading look on my face.
She gives an understanding but sad smile. “Alas my child I cannot interfere with the path the fates have set for you. I can tell you what you seek is not here, nor are any of the four treasures.”
I hold my hands together in a begging motion. “Are you not even able to give me a little clue?” I bite my lip wondering if I am being a tad cheeky.
She shakes her head. “Go now. Be brave my blood. Your path will not be an easy one. It will require sacrifice and you will face loss but only the three of you can stop what is coming. It is your destinies.”
The landscape starts to blurr and Danu starts to fade. “Wait! You said the three of us. Who do you mean?” Light envelopes me again and I cover my eyes. I feel the change in the atmosphere and know before I lower my arms that I am back.
I stamp my foot frustrated. “Damn. This is such a waste of time.” I turn to find six sets of disappointed eyes on me.
Drustan sighs and runs his hands through his groomed beard. “I don’t know where else we can look.” His voice is laced with the same frustration I feel.
“Danu said she could not tell me where the cauldron was as it..” and I use air quotes, “would ‘interfere with the path the fates have set,’ whatever that means.”
“Was she hot?” Noah asks lightening the dark mood we were all feeling.
I sigh. “Yes she I shot Noah.”
“Okay well everyone is in a pissy mood, so how about we get off these giant breasts and portal home. I have a pop quiz in chem I need to study for.” Mel tells us and I have to say I’m somewhat surprised that Mel actually studies. Lorcen opens the portal from here, saving us the long trek back down the hill and we portal home, all of us feeling somewhat deflated and not sure what our next move will be.
Later that night I am lying in bed with Lorcen reading a great book by one of my favourite YA authors but despite how good the book is I find I just can’t concentrate. My mind keeps replaying the conversation I had with Danu.
“Want to share what is going on in that beautiful mind?” Lorcen asks, pulling me from my thoughts. He flicks the TV off and gives me is undivided attention.
I sigh putting my kindle down and turn in bed so that I can better face him. “Danu said that in order to be ready for what was coming I needed to return to my tuatha family.”
Lorcen nods mulling this over. “But no one knows where to find them.”
I bob my head in agreement. “I know right. She did say that the entrance to the Tuatha realm was in the water and that my dreams had shown me the way.”
Lorcen looks thoughtful and takes my hands in his. “Okay so let’s think back to your dreams. Was there water involved?”
I chew on my lip as I think. “There was a lake.” I say sitting up straighter. “It had a glowing light in the middle.”
Lorcen grins. “Then maybe this is the entrance to the Tuatha realm.” I smile feeling suddenly more optimistic but then it fades as quickly as it came.
“We still have no clue where that lake is though.”
Lorcen bobs his head side to side. “Okay well close your eyes and pict
ure the lake from your dreams.” I do as he suggests and close them and imagine the lake from my dreams. “Now look around you. Tell me what you see.”
“I see snow, thick snow. The lake is frozen over. A forest surrounds it.” I gasp and open my eyes. “Fuckerooney! I know where it is!”
Lorcen chuckles. “Well enlighten me love?”
“It’s in the unseelie court. It was snowing but here were flowers blooming.” I know from my time in Lorcen’s realm that only flowers bloom when it snows in his realm. “So we’ve narrowed it down to a realm at least.”
“You think you can get a ride to school tomorrow?”
“Sure. Why?” I ask intrigued.
“I need to nip home and discuss this with Drustan. If anyone can find us that lake he can.”
I suddenly feel more positive about the situation. If Drustan could find the lake from my dreams then I would finally get to meet my mother, the woman who brought me into this world. As much as I loved my human family, there was this burning desire in me to know my biological parents, to see myself in them and know that I belong.
Chapter Eleven.
I wake the next morning and I am relieved that I had no demon in my dreams last night. I feel more rested than usual. Lorcen has already left so I sift home to my parent’s house and pad down the stairs in my bedclothes.
“Darling you’re here.” My mum says delighted as I walk into the kitchen. Scott looks up from his phone his mouth full of eggs and looks at my mum like she’s blown it.
“She does live here mum.” I can see mum realises her mistake and she laughs and quickly does damage control.
“I meant she is down for breakfast early.” Scott looks at his watch and I can see him thinking it’s not early but he just shrugs and carries on scrolling on his phone. I sit down opposite him and grab some eggs and bacon.
“So homecoming. You going?”
I see him roll his eyes at the mention of the subject. “Do you really think I get a choice with Taylor?”
I laugh. “Nope that girl is so excited about the whole thing.”
Scott sighs running his hand through his blonde hair. “Tell me about it.”
“Oh. Can I get a lift to school today?”
Scott looks up at me in surprise. “Lover boys not taking you? I thought you two were joined at the hip or summat?”
I give him a pointed look. My brother had always loved teasing me about boys. He used to make me squirm whenever his friend Danny came over to our house back in England. I had a huge crush on him and Scott would take great joy in teasing me at every opportunity about it.
“Lorcen isn’t in school today. Family emergency.” I flip him off when mum’s back is turned and he grins. “So can I have a lift or not? Or I might just tell Taylor you want her to take you shopping for a new shirt for the dance. “
Scott looks at me horrified. “That’s blackmail.”
I smile smugly. “It is. Did it work?”
He pretends to think about it for a minute, the ass. “Looks like you have a lift little sis.”
At school I’m walking to my first class when Melantha comes up behind me and flicks my hair. She is wearing head-to-toe black today. Black ripped jeans, an oversized black sweater and has her hair up in two buns in princess Leia style. In her ears she wears black cat earrings.
“So are we still on for tonight?”
“Shit, no we’re gonna have to reschedule. Lorcen’s back home today so he won’t be at practice.”
“Damn. I had everything ready too. I’d even caught some fresh toads.”
I stop in my tracks. “Sorry did you just say toads?” I say this a little louder than I intended and get a few weird looks from some of my fellow seniors.
Mel nods. “Yes we need them for the potion you will need to drink.” I look at her thinking she must be winding me up but her face looks dead serious.
“There is no way in hell I am drinking anything with toads in it!” I tell her firmly. Mel breaks into a fit of laughter and holds her tummy she is laughing so hard.
“Oh you should have seen your face.” She laughs hysterically. “That was priceless.”
I scowl at her arms folded. “You evil little witch!”
She finally manages to pull herself together and gives me a wink.
“So no toads?” I just want to confirm this.
She sniggers still highly amused by her little prank. “No toads I promise.”
As soon as English is over I head back to my locker to swap some books over for my next class. I’m walking, lost in my own little world, when I spot Lorcen at his locker and I can’t help but smile delightedly as I hadn’t expected to see him until later. My smile drops though when I see who is draping herself over him. Morgan Tate stands there with her hand on his arm talking to him. Fluttering her stupid eyelashes and flicking her perfect hair. I feel my blood boil seeing her touch him and all the sudden all the lockers down the corridor fly open causing students to screech in surprise and jump in fright. Lorcen looks around looking as surprised as everyone else and his eyes meet with mine.
‘Shit Ebs. Was that you?’ he asks me in my head.
‘Never mind my eyes. Get her hand off of your arm.’ I demand, seething inside.
Lorcen gives me look that tells me he finds my jealousy amusing and shaking his head he steps back from Morgan so that her hand falls from his arm. I put my head down and walk quickly to my locker, which like all the others is now wide open.
“Weird shit that.” I hear a boy say to his friend as they walk past me. “Yeah it was like magic or something. Creepy.” The friend replies.
I pretend I’m looking for something in my locker and attempt to calm myself down. I don’t know how I know but I know my eyes are red right now. I feel him behind me. “Explain to me why she had her hand on you? “
“Ebs it was nothing. She was just trying to flirt with me. You know what she is like. I can assure you it didn’t work either.”
I keep my face turned to my locker. “Did I do that with the lockers?”
Locen places his hands on my arms and turns me. “I think maybe you were jealous and saw red. I think when you are angry or pissed off your demon magic comes out to play.” He plays with a strand of my black hair twisting it round his finger. “Plus the Fae mate bond makes us feel very territorial over our mates.”
I frown still pissed off. “What are you doing here anyway?”
He puts an arm around my waist and pulls me in so I am flush against his body. “All sorted. Drustan is on the case.”
“So you’ll be going to practice later?” I ask.
He looks at me like he knows I’m up to something. This boy is starting to read me too well. “Yes. Why?”
I shrug my shoulders and try to look noncommittal. “I was just going to invite Mel round that’s all.” I point to my eyes. “Are they okay yet?”
He shakes his head. “Sadly no. Which means I am going to need to distract you. It’s a difficult job but someone has to do it.” He grins as he leans down and finds my lips and I can’t help but respond and wrap my arms around his neck to get closer still. We part breathlessly and I give him a suspicious look.
“My eyes were okay weren’t they? You just used that as an excuse to kiss me?”
He laughs. “You got me. Can you blame me?” He says reaching in and playfully biting on my lower lip. “These lips of yours are very addictive you know.”
I can’t help but smile at him. He somehow is able to make me forget why I am mad at him. He is way too good at distracting me and I am way, way too easily distracted by Lorcen Wilde.
That evening Mel comes around straight after school and she comes armed with a box full of stuff that she tells me are necessities for the spell. “Okay, chalk.” She says holding out a piece of white chalk for me to take. “Draw this.” She commands and shoves a battered old book into my other hand and points at the picture, which is of a circle with a star inside. So, doing as I am told I kneel down on the floor
near the dining table and start to copy out the circle. While I am doing this Mel pulls out candles and start to place them at the points of the star that I am drawing on the floor. She then pulls out a rose coloured crystal and what I can only describe as a weird looking doll made from straw and twigs that has a strange symbol on its chest. She manoeuvers me into the centre of the star.
“Now before we do this, are you sure this is what you want? You seem quite attached to this demon hunk.”
“I’m sure.” I tell her firmly and I was really sure even though a small part of me did have mixed feelings about not seeing him again. Mel stands outside the circle and with a flick of her finger all the candles light. She holds the doll in one hand and the crystal in the other and raises them in the air.
“In this place, in this hour, by the guardians of the secrets of the night. Take the keys to her heart and close the doors of mind. Protect her dreams and allow no entry.” She chants and repeats the words over again. The candles all blow out at once and the air around me shifts. Mel looks at me clearly pleased with herself.
“Is that it?” I ask in disbelief.
She puts her hands on her hips and scowls at me. “What do you mean is that it? Is my magic not dramatic enough for you? Did you want fireworks?”
“Sorry.” I tell her laughing apologetically. “I just expected a large thunder clap or a puff of smoke or something.”
Mel rolls her eyes and mutters something under her breath about impossible humans. I open my mouth to point out that I am not human but bite my tongue. “Now, take this.” She shoves the weird doll into my hand, “go and put it under your bed.”
“Okay. So why do I have to put creepy doll under my bed?” I ask her confused.
She sighs. “Can you just do as your told. The protection won’t work if you don’t place the doll under your bed. Make sure it’s under far enough that Hawkeye can’t get to it and use it for a new chew toy too.”
