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Morrigan's Cross

Page 32

by Nora Roberts


  “But Glenna, your dress.”

  She only smiled at Moira. “It doesn’t matter. Only this matters.” She clasped hands with Hoyt, locked her eyes with his. “As the goddess and the god and the old ones…”

  Hoyt’s voice joined hers. “Are witness to this rite. We now proclaim we’re husband and wife.”

  He reached down, took her face in his hands. “I will love you beyond the end of days.”

  Now, she thought, now, the circle was truly cast, strong and bright.

  And the light glowed warmer, a wash of gold when their lips met, when their lips clung in hope and promise, and in love.

  “So,” the old man said, “with the handfasting complete, they tended to their wounds and began the healing. They drank a toast to the love, the true magic, that had come out of dark and out of death.

  “Inside the house while the rain fell, the brave rested and prepared for the next battle.”

  He sat back, picking up the fresh tea a servant had set beside him. “That is all of the story for today.”

  The protests were immediate, and passionate. But the old man only chuckled and shook his head.

  “There’ll be more tomorrow, I promise you, for the story’s not finished. Only this beginning. But for now, the sun is out, and so should you be. Haven’t you learned from the beginning of the tale that light is to be treasured? Go. When I finish my tea, I’ll come out to watch you.”

  Alone, he drank his tea, watched his fire. And thought of the tale he would tell on the morrow.

  Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places

  a chroi (ah-REE), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my heart,” “my heart’s beloved,” “my darling”

  a ghrá (ah-GHRA), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my love,” “dear”

  a stór (ah-STOR), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my darling”

  Aideen (Ae-DEEN), Moira’s young cousin

  Alice McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith

  An Clar (Ahn-CLAR), modern-day County Clare

  Ballycloon (ba-LU-klun)

  Blair Nola Bridgit Murphy, one of the circle of six, the “warrior” a demon hunter, a descendant of Nola Mac Cionaoith (Cian and Hoyt’s younger sister)

  Bridget’s Well, cemetery in County Clare, named after St. Bridget

  Burren, the, a karst limestone region in County Clare, which features caves and underground streams

  cara (karu), Gaelic for “friend, relative”

  Ceara, one of the village women

  Cian (KEY-an) Mac Cionaoith/McKenna, Hoyt’s twin brother, a vampire, Lord of Oiche, one of the circle of six, “the one who is lost”

  Cirio, Lilith’s human lover

  ciunas (CYOON-as), Gaelic for “silence” the battle takes place in the Valley of Ciunas—the Valley of Silence

  claddaugh, the Celtic symbol of love, friendship, loyalty

  Cliffs of Mohr (also Moher), the name given to the ruin of forts in the South of Ireland, on a cliff near Hag’s Head “Moher O’Ruan”

  Conn, Larkin’s childhood puppy

  Dance of the Gods, the Dance, the place in which the circle of six passes through from the real world to the fantasy world of Geall

  Davey, Lilith, the Vampire Queen’s “son,” a child vampire

  Deirdre (DAIR-dhra) Riddock, Larkin’s mother

  Dervil (DAR-vel), one of the village women

  Eire (AIR-reh), Gaelic for “Ireland”

  Eogan (O-en), Ceara’s husband

  Eoin (OAN), Hoyt’s brother-in-law

  Eternity, the name of Cian’s nightclub, located in New York City

  Faerie Falls, imaginary place in Geall

  fàilte à Geall (FALL-che ah GY-al), Gaelic for “Welcome to Geall”

  Fearghus (FARE-gus), Hoyt’s brother-in-law

  Gaillimh (GALL-yuv), modern-day Galway, the capital of the West of Ireland

  Geall (GY-al), in Gaelic means “promise” the land from which Moira and Larkin come; the city which Moira will someday rule

  Glenna Ward, one of the circle of six, the “witch” lives in modern-day New York City

  Hoyt Mac Cionaoith/McKenna (mac KHEE-nee), one of the circle of six, the “sorcerer”

  Isleen (Is-LEEN), a servant at Castle Geall

  Jarl (Yarl), Lilith’s sire, the vampire who turned her into a vampire

  Jeremy Hilton, Blair Murphy’s ex-fiance

  King, the name of Cian’s best friend, whom Cian befriended when King was a child; the manager of Eternity

  Larkin Riddock, one of the circle of six, the “shifter of shapes,” a cousin of Moira, Queen of Geall

  Lilith, the Vampire Queen, aka Queen of the Demons; leader of the war against humankind; Cian’s sire, the vampire who turned Cian from human to vampire

  Lora, a vampire; Lilith’s lover

  Lucius, Lora’s male vampire lover

  Malvin, villager, soldier in Geallian army

  Manhattan, city in New York; where both Cian McKenna and Glenna Ward live

  mathair (maahir), Gaelic word for “mother”

  Michael Thomas McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith

  Mick Murphy, Blair Murphy’s younger brother

  Midir (mee-DEER), vampire wizard to Lilith, Queen of the Vampires

  miurnin (also sp. miurneach [mornukh]), Gaelic for “sweetheart,” term of endearment

  Moira (MWA-ra), one of the circle of six, the “scholar” a princess, future queen of Geall

  Morrigan (Mo-ree-ghan), Goddess of the Battle

  Niall (Nile), a warrior in the Geallian army

  Nola Mac Cionaoith, Hoyt and Cian’s youngest sister

  ogham (ä-gem) (also spelled ogam), fifth/sixth century Irish alphabet

  oiche (EE-heh), Gaelic for “night”

  Oran (O-ren), Riddock’s youngest son, Larkin’s younger brother

  Phelan (FA-len), Larkin’s brother-in-law

  Prince Riddock, Larkin’s father, acting king of Geall, Moira’s maternal uncle

  Region of Chiarrai (kee-U-ree), modern-day Kerry, situated in the extreme southwest of Ireland, sometimes referred to as “the Kingdom”

  Samhain (SAM-en), summer’s end (Celtic festival); the battle takes place on the Feast of Samhain, the feast celebrating the end of summer

  Sean (Shawn) Murphy, Blair Murphy’s father, a vampire hunter

  Shop Street, cultural center of Galway

  Sinann (shih-NAWN), Larkin’s sister

  sláinte (slawn-che), Gaelic term for “cheers!”

  slán agat (shlahn u-gut), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person staying

  slán leat (shlahn ly-aht), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person leaving

  Tuatha de Danaan (TOO-aha dai DON-nan), Welsh gods

  Tynan (Ti-nin), guard at Castle Geall

  Vlad, Cian’s stallion

 


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