Moira's Song (The Moira McCauley Series Book 1)

by Lee, Tawnya

  “Let’s fly then, aye? Who are we visiting first?” Justan asked.

  “No. We’ll do this the modern way.”

  Jack grinned and pulled out a smart phone. He texted two brief messages and waited. One minute later, the phone rang. Jack grinned at William and answered the phone.

  “I told you I’d contact you. It’s dangerous contacting me. What do you need?” Medb asked.

  “Calm down, dear. I promised only to contact you if necessary. We have a plan for the witch. I’d prefer to discuss this with you in person. Can you come?”

  “Now?”

  “Yes. I promise it will only take minutes. You can be back before dawn.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Jack hung up the phone. Promptly, the phone buzzed and vibrated. William glanced at the incoming text.

  “It’s Aedus. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

  Moments later, Medb arrived to the greenhouse. Her crimson red cloak was tied together by a pewter clasp with ravens encircled with Celtic designs. She lowered her cape and stood silent.

  “Thank you for joining us, Medb. Care for a drop of blood?” Jack gestured to a cabinet behind him. Flasks filled with a deep burgundy liquid lined the shelf. Medb shook her head no.

  “This isn’t a social call. Get on with it. And why is there a dead fuilteach in the corner?”

  “If you insist. He was just a test run for a plan William and I hatched. We have a way of gaining control of the Tribunal. Richard, in the chaos, will be burned by Aedus. Speaking of which, he should be here any moment.”

  “That’s fine and good, but why contact me and have me fly out tonight?”

  “Because you,” Jack paused for effect. “will kill Paul.”

  Medb opened her mouth in protest. He held his hand up.

  “Ah, ah, ah! Be patient. I’ll explain it all. You will be blameless.”

  Just then a fuilteach flew into the room. He had a shock of carrot red hair. His eyebrows were red, and his green eyes were punctuated by a thousand freckles along his cheeks. His face was all angles, yet broad. He was the tallest in the room, at six-foot-five. The moment he arrived, the energy of the room grew tense, as if all the world’s anxiety huddled around him. One could almost feel the air crackle.

  “Aedus,” Jack said.

  Aedus reached out his hand, “Jack. William.”

  “And this is Medb.”

  Aedus raised his eyebrow, and stepped back.

  “The Medb? Brehon of the Tribunal?”

  “Yes. But don’t worry. She is working with us now.”

  “And the dead guy?”

  “Yes, a little messy in here. William jumped the gun a bit. Gave us a demonstration. But, we’ll get to that in just a minute.”

  Aedus was not one to trust lightly. He took a moment to look at everyone in the room. His eyes pierced into Medb.

  “We shall see,” Aedus said.

  The room became noticeably hot as energy pulsed out from him. Beads of sweat began to form on Jack, William, and Medb’s foreheads.

  “Aedus, as I was just informing Medb, we have a plan to overthrow the Tribunal.”

  Within minutes, he explained the situation of Moira and the uniqueness of her abilities. He told Aedus about the vote tomorrow, and the impending enforcement.

  “Richard would vote to enforce. Paul would like us to approach her with care. To not be reckless. Perhaps make concessions. In this instance, Paul is smart. However, I will vote with Richard to force Moira to act against the Tribunal,” Medb said.

  “When Medb and the rest of the Tribunal try to enforce Moira to abandon or kill her children, we anticipate she will retaliate. She is most dangerous, and we believe in the chaos we can kill Richard and Paul and replace them with members of the rebellion. At this point, we would be able to enforce our laws on Na Fuilteacha and humanity,” Jack interjected.

  “Aren’t you worried you may get killed in the fray, Medb?” Aedus asked.

  “I have yet to hear the whole plan. Like you, I’m just learning my part in it. Although I do believe and agree it would be a good time to attempt a coup,” Medb said.

  Aedus’ gaze never let go of Medb. He continued to stare and divine out her motivation.

  “You see the tide turning and believe the rebellion has a better chance. But you don’t believe in our cause. You believe in power,” Aedus said.

  “It doesn’t matter what my motivation. I’m on your side and am willing to do my part.”

  “Ok. We can talk philosophy later,” Jack said. “For now, this is our plan. Once Moira reacts to the Tribunal’s decision, Aedus, we would like you to burn Richard alive. You of course would be hidden. I know you can cloak yourself. While Richard burns, Medb, you need to inject Paul with liquid iron. Use the chaos to your advantage. It will appear you are rushing to him for protection or to band with him, but instead he will die within five minutes. The iron will suffocate him from the inside out.”

  “Do you know if this works? I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Medb asked.

  “Yes, it works. The unfortunate soul on the floor is proof. I’ve administered a few punishments this way myself,” William said.

  “At this point, we will pledge our support to Moira, and if all goes well, myself and William will be the newest members of the Brehon Tribunal. Once in control, we can begin to make change,” said Jack.

  Medb nodded. “Don’t forget: You’ll be in the Tribunal, but I’ll be Taoiseach. That’s the agreement we made. I’ll do it. I’ll kill Paul. But I want protection. I need guards. Moira may attack me.”

  “I’ll have several fuilteacha set to protect you. If nothing else, they can distract her long enough for you to get away.”

  “You’re just replacing the Tribunal. I thought we wanted to eliminate it,” said Aedus.

  “In essence, it will be. With Medb as Taoiseach, we’ll overturn Brehon law,” Jack said.

  Aedus scowled. “Sounds like we’re replacing one ass with another. And you really expect Moira could do this much damage?” Aedus asked.

  “Moira was turned by Breasal. She was turned while she was protecting her children. This is her strongest need. And being so young, she’s not yet had to control herself. She hasn’t learned all her powers, and she still very much feels as mortals do. There’s no question about it. She’s dangerous. In more ways than one, we will be playing with fire.”

  “I must get back to Dowth before I’m missed,” Medb turned to leave.

  “Grand. Thank you, Medb. Aedus. We’ll begin to notify as many as possible to join us that day. Until then.”

  Aedus and Medb left Jack’s and went their separate ways.

  “Eric, you lot leave now. We need as many fuilteach as possible,” said Jack.

  “Grand. You’ll be getting ‘em for sure.” Eric and Justan stepped into the garden flew toward Ireland.

  “Jack, a drop?” William poured a glass of blood and handed it to Jack. He poured a second and walked out onto the patio to see the cat stripping flesh from the carcass of a bird at the foot of the stone gnome.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Moira's Purpose

  Dubhan, Liam, Sedric, Richard, and Paul sat around a large rectangular oak table in a dark room in a passageway deep underground at Dowth. Torches blazed on the side walls, candles grouped in candelabras in the center of the table flickered, dancing shadows playing off the blood-drinkers’ faces. Richard sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, glaring+. Paul sat opposite him, leaned forward, his hands on each side of his head. The other blood-drinkers, Sedric on one side, Dubhan and Liam on the other, stared across at each other, expressions grim.

  Richard slammed his fist on the table.

  “You can go feck yourselves, the lot of ya. I will not allow you to come in here and tell me what is best for Na Fuilteacha. I’m the one who has sat at this table, the head of this table, for centuries. It is I who have fought to ensure our safety. I am bound to uphold our law. Without it, we are lawle
ss, and open to attack. If this woman is dangerous, it is even more imperative we uphold law. If we abandon it in times of distress, what good is it to us?”

  Sedric Brodie sighed. “Richard, I hear you. And we are not talking about abandoning the law, merely postponing the execution of it. This woman could be a powder keg waiting to blow. If we handle her properly, the law can be upheld and we can avoid violence.”

  “It’s only time enough to allow her to adjust. I believe it would lead to chaos, and possibly deliver exactly what the rebellion wants to see: the Tribunal destroyed,” Liam said.

  Richard shook his head. “No. I’m right about this. I won’t back down. I’m voting in four days. And I’m voting on the side of law and order.”

  “Richard, nothing would make me happier if you turn out to be right. Because if not, this could be fecking disastrous,” Dubhan said as he stood from the table.

  Liam and Sedric rose with him.

  “Nevertheless,” Dubhan continued “thank you for allowing us to plead our cause. Go mbairamid beo ar an am seo aris.”36

  Dubhan bowed slightly, and with a wave of his cape, the three blood-drinkers vanished, leaving Paul and Richard alone.

  “And you! What a fecking mess you are. You’re bloody wrong. You know that, right?” said Richard.

  He stomped out of the room, leaving Paul alone. Paul sat, his head down. He leaned back and watched the flicker of the torches, remembering the crackle and pop of the fire as the old witch divined her secrets. He stood and walked slowly to his room. The words of the old crone echoed in his head. You must tell everyone. What a burden this had turned out to be.

  Just outside Dowth, Dubhan, Liam, and Sedric stood in a circle next to an old ash tree. The moon flooded the hills with light.

  “This won’t end well,” Dubhan said.

  “No. If they try to kill her children, she may play right into the hands of the rebellion. She will have their sympathies. I’ve no doubt they are watching, too. We have to plan as if they are waiting for all this to blow up,” Liam said.

  “What do you propose?” asked Sedric.

  “We must gather all the support we can, and when the time comes, we surround her with allegiance. We offer support and sanctuary. We must make it known. Visibly. Loudly. We have to do it before the vote. We can’t risk her joining them,” Dubhan said.

  “It’s the least we can do. Richard is very short sighted. Any idea where Medb was tonight?” Sedric asked.

  “Paul mentioned she was hunting. My gut says she’ll be siding with Richard,” Liam said.

  “I cannae lie. I’m no skiver,37 but I wasnae looking forward to facing Medb. Bit of a relief, but suspicious all the same,” said Sedric.

  “Medb is not transparent. I believe she’s acting on her own interests, though what her interests are I don’t know. It’s a good thing we have Paul on the Tribunal. Without him, the lot of us might already be dead,” said Dubhan.

  “I’m going to fly back to Scotland. I need to recruit as many as possible,” Sedric said.

  “Of course. And Liam and I need to inform Breasal and talk to Moira.” Dubhan said.

  “I’ll see you all soon. The gods bless us all.”

  Sedric lifted into the air, disappearing in the night sky.

  Moments later, Dubhan and Liam were in North Kessock, knocking on the back door of Breasal’s home. The door swung open slowly. Dubhan and Liam walked in to see Breasal sitting at a rectangular oak table in the kitchen. Breasal flicked his index finger and the door banged shut. Dubhan and Liam walked through the cooking space, past gray-speckled marble counter-tops and white cabinets. Dubhan leaned against the bar, which encased a Jenn air cooking range. A myriad of pots and pans hung over the bar, just above Dubhan’s head. Liam joined Breasal and sat beside him at the table.

  “What have you found out?” Breasal asked.

  “It’s not good. It appears the vote will go against Moira. Medb wasn’t at Dowth, but Paul believes she will vote with Richard. I agree. Once the vote is cast, the Tribunal will decide how to enforce the law of motherhood. They may require Moira to present herself at Dowth, or they may come here. Either way, I believe it’s in our best interest to gather as many sympathizers as possible, and show visible support of Moira,” Dubhan said.

  “Agreed. You realize we are technically splitting from support of Brehon law by doing so. However, not doing so could be worse,” Breasal said.

  “Fuck that. Brehon law was created to protect us, to be fair and just. This is just foolishness,” said Liam.

  “Breasal, Sedric is trying to get as many sympathizers as he can,” Liam said. “We’ll do so as well, but we need to have a crack at Moira directly.”

  “If I were the rebellion leader, I’d strike immediately. It would be the best time for them to strike. We can’t let that happen,” Dubhan said.

  Liam nodded. “So, if the rebellion does plan something of this nature, they would likely attempt to persuade Moira to join their cause. I don’t need to tell you how disastrous a fuilteach as powerful as she would mean to all of the planet.”

  As he spoke, the house shook slightly, chandeliers swayed, and cabinet doors flew open. The lights crackled and popped on and off. The door swung open wide and a raven flew into the kitchen, landing on the island counter stove in front of Dubhan. Lightning struck and the lights went out with a pop.

  “ON” spoke a feminine voice.

  The lights in the kitchen popped on. Moira stood in the middle of the kitchen, blood on her hands and face. Her eyes were blazing red; the energy she brought to the room palpable.

  “For the first time in my life, Breasal, I feel truly alive.”

  Moira glanced at the two blood-drinkers standing next to Breasal. She walked up to them, circling them. When she came full circle, she stared into their eyes for several minutes.

  “Dubhan, Liam,” said Moira.

  Dubhan’s eyes flickered briefly with surprise. He bent toward her and presented his hand palm down. She placed her hand in his, and he brought it to his lips, eyes never leaving hers. He kissed her hand, noting the smell of blood on her fingers, and said, “Moira, the pleasure is mine.”

  Liam nodded. “Hello, Moira,” he said.

  “Why do you believe I would be disastrous to our planet?”

  Moira sat on a bar stool at the island counter. She crossed her legs, put one hand on her hip, and rested her other elbow on the countertop, hand closed in a soft fist.

  Dubhan knew Moira already knew why he and Liam flew to North Kessock. He knew she could read his emotion and thoughts. He felt her probing into his mind, and his first reaction was to block her. Yet instinct told him to answer her straightforward and hide nothing. He could feel his heart pound slightly in his chest, and to his chagrin, he realized the cailleach fuilteach made him nervous.

  “Moira, there is a faction of blood-drinkers that wish to overthrow the Tribunal and massacre millions of humankind, to enslave and subdue them in the name of freedom.”

  “Yes, I know of them. Breasal told me.”

  “Then you know of the law of motherhood?”

  Moira’s eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. She squeezed her fist tighter, and looked at Breasal.

  “I do.”

  “The Tribunal is voting in four days’ time. Dubhan, Liam, and another of our kind, Sedric Brodie of Clan Brodie, went to the Tribunal in Dowth tonight to persuade members of the council to vote against enforcing the law of motherhood on you. We are now working to find others within the community to pledge visible support and protection to you and your children. Paul, of the Tribunal, is on our side. Unfortunately, it appears Richard and Medb will vote in favor of enforcement.”

  “I’d like to see them fucking try,” Moira said.

  “Yes, and that’s why I believe it would be disastrous. You are powerful, and grow more so every hour. You could wipe out an entire city. The chaos and destruction, whether you intended it or not, would be enough to serve the rebellion’s purpose,�
�� Dubhan said.

  “I also believe in the right of law, but I believe it must be applied with wisdom and with regard to circumstance. I have a feeling the rebellion will offer their support too, however, their support and their aims could bring destruction to this planet. The destruction of your children, all children, would be inevitable if the rebellion have their way,” Dubhan stopped and looked into Moira’s eyes. He saw Moira’s eyes had returned to their natural blue color.

  “Moira,” Dubhan continued, “you’ll have your own choice to make. But I want it known that we are on your side. I believe it is wrong and foolish, in your case, to enforce the law of motherhood. You were taken at the height of motherly passion, and requiring you to abandon your children in any form would be a foolish act.”

  “You believe I’m dangerous because I have more power than the greatest ancient but none of the training and experience to control it,” Moira said.

  “Yes. Yes, I do. You are the first of your kind. You were born again in conditions designed to make you fierce, protective, and vengeful. You are the culmination of many prophecies born to a time when our kind are on the verge of war, a war that could destroy this planet. I think that supporting you and allowing you time to adjust to our ways, and your new abilities, would be the smartest move to make.”

  The words pierced Moira’s heart. She had only been immortal for a few days, and still very much felt a part of humanity, very much prone to its sentimentality. The idea she could destroy humanity, the idea that she could be the direct cause of the destruction of her children’s world, upset her. And yet, she felt driven. Driven to protect her children. Driven to hunt. Driven to feed. Driven to destroy any who would stand in her way. Driven to spill blood. The desires conflicted, and her heart twisted in her like a rag wrung out and left to dry. Something in her had changed the moment she hunted, tracked her prey, and slaughtered her first man. She could feel a level of callousness seep into her consciousness. The desire to hunt more stirred in her. She didn’t just want to hunt for the sake of eating. She realized the moment her teeth sank into the man’s neck that she was made to hunt. She wanted to take revenge for every woman raped, terrorized, and murdered. The realization that she was the fulfillment of some fucking promise a Celtic goddess made to the mother of a woman who had been raped and murdered was not lost on her.