The scout, p.10
The Scout, page 10
“Come,” Laoise said, motioning for me to follow her.
I swallowed hard, tearing my gaze away from the hall doors and doing as she bade. As I walked next to Domhnall, he laid a hand on my arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. The touch was brief, so quick I almost thought I had imagined it, but it did something to bolster my confidence as I followed Laoise to Father’s study. I wasn’t on my own. I had allies. When we reached the study, four warriors stood guard outside it, blocking our entrance.
“Ri Cadfael is meeting with his warriors and is not to be disturbed,” one of them said.
“You will tell Ri Cadfael that two members of his council demand an audience with him,” Laoise replied.
They exchanged uneasy glances before one gave a subtle nod and slipped into the study. I briefly heard raised voices, one of which was clearly Father’s, before the warrior returned.
“Ri Cadfael has said that he will meet with his council once the sun rises,” the man told Laoise.
“Then we will wait,” Laoise said, folding her arms. “As I’m afraid that is not good enough for at least two of his advisors.”
The warriors glowered at Laoise, but she was unmoved. One of them grumbled something under his breath but they made no move to force us to leave. The shouting inside the study had ceased, but I was on edge the longer we waited. Odds were high that Father was already going to be in a recalcitrant mood, and that would only make things more difficult for us.
When the door to the study finally banged open, I tensed. Drystan and Lewella strode out, the former wearing a particularly menacing scowl. Before the warriors could close the door behind them, Laoise had shoved her foot in it, forcing her way forward.
“You cannot go in there!” one of the warriors shouted at her, but she paid him no heed.
The sharp look she shot Domhnall and me made it clear we were supposed to come with her. Domhnall moved forward, pushing the warriors out of the way and motioning me to go ahead of him. I hurried after Laoise, Domhnall stepping inside as the door slammed behind him with an audible click. I glanced over my shoulder to see that he had wisely latched the lock.
Father stood over the main table in the middle of the room, his spine rigid and his shoulders taut as he whirled around to face us. Candles had been lit, dimly lighting the space, and on the table, I could make out a large map of Blaidd.
“What in the blazes do you think you’re doing here?” Father said, narrowing his eyes at us.
“The current turn of events cannot wait until morning,” Laoise replied, her cool tone a sharp contrast to Father’s snarl.
“It will wait if I say so.” Father widened his stance.
“Do not think that I do not have my own leverage,” Laoise said, holding his gaze. “And I would think you have known me long enough to know that I will use it.”
The door behind us burst open, the lock breaking. I started, bumping into Domhnall, who steadied me with his hands on my shoulders as the warriors barged in.
“We tried to keep them out, Ri Cadfael,” one of them said, slightly out of breath. “They wouldn’t heed us.”
Father’s jaw was tightly clenched and he folded his arms as he and Laoise stood locked in a deadly silent stare. Finally, he jerked his head at the warriors.
“Leave us,” he told them.
They looked perplexed but did as instructed, stepping back out of the room.
“Why is my wayward daughter with you?” Father asked, still focused on Laoise as the door shut.
“Because she is the seer of Castle Clogwyn,” Laoise answered, “and because she has something to add to this conversation. There is darkness looming in this realm and in the Spirit Realm. Fianna has made considerable threats of late, ones as impactful as the terror its servants are ravaging this clan with. Threats that are directly tied to the line of Blaidd.”
“There are other seers,” Father retorted, cutting his eyes at me. “Certainly ones more reliable than her.”
“And yet she is the seer right in front of you. A seer who has been hearing from Fianna itself, no less.”
Father muttered under his breath and I gritted my teeth. Every year that passed, he seemed more and more determined to ignore the Spirits. He hadn’t wanted to listen to Anwen and he didn’t want to listen to me. And he has the power to doom us all because of it, I thought, clenching my jaw so tightly it ached.
“Ri Cadfael,” Domhnall said, clearing his throat as he stepped forward. “You must send out the full force of the war band with these latest attacks. It is clear that Lorcan is feeling brazen enough to continue moving south.”
“Last I checked,” Father replied, his words clipped, “it is not your place to decide where the war band goes, and when.”
“It is his place to offer advice,” Laoise said, moving closer to Domhnall. “Advice that you would be wise to heed in a time like this one. You cannot wait until Lorcan and the Stag Spirit are on your doorstep.”
“This castle was never breached during the Purge,” Father retorted. “It will not be breached now.”
“It was breached less than a week ago,” I said. “By one of Lorcan’s scouts, no less.”
“Stay out of this, Seren!” Father snarled. “And count yourself lucky that I do not have you thrown from this room.”
“Your hymddeol is coming, Ri Cadfael,” Laoise said. Father’s gaze darted back to her. “You cannot ignore what is built into the very fabric of this clan. What do you wish your legacy to be?”
Father’s face reddened. He was nearing the age where he would be expected to step down from his place as Ri, following the ancient practice of passing the role from one generation to the next. He should have been preparing his successor, should have been preparing me, but he had made no move to do so.
Father’s hands clenched into fists, the veins in his neck throbbing as he bared his teeth. “Do not think that your years on this council will spare you from my wrath, Laoise. You should be more careful when you threaten me. And you.” His gaze cut to Domhnall. “I do not fear going against the deal I struck with your mother. You would be wise to watch your step unless you wish to get sent back to Castle Ciall in disgrace. I will make any and all decisions regarding the war band, along with Drystan. None of you have any power of the warriors of Blaidd. Not now, not ever. Now, get out.”
Laoise’s expression only grew colder but she gave a subtle nod to Domhnall and me, motioning us toward the door. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay and fight him until he did what he should, but the odds would be poor indeed on my own. Father had never been inclined to listen to me, and he was already in a rage. This isn’t over, I reminded myself as I reluctantly turned to follow Domhnall out.
Father, however, stopped me. “I am not done with you yet, daughter,” he growled.
I came to an immediate halt. Domhnall stopped just inside the doorway, his gaze flitting between Father and me with something akin to worry in his eyes. He started to move toward me but Laoise grabbed onto his wrist, hissing something at him before tugging him out of the room with her. The door clanged shut behind them and I turned to face Father, lifting my chin.
“Are you finally ready to see sense?” I asked. “To listen to the guidance that the Spirits have given?”
“I have had enough of you and your disloyalty!” he shouted. “And I will not tolerate it any longer. You have no respect for what I have done for this clan.”
“What have you done for it, Father? It lies in ruin! Your people are at your doorstep after fleeing for their lives. Their crops do not grow, their forests are bare. Come winter, they will starve. Holding onto this vengeance and pride of yours will not bring them back. Not Uncle and not Eamon. It is time to let this go. Send the full strength of the war band out and defeat Lorcan and Fianna. Let the shifters live in peace so this land can heal.”
“I did defeat it!” he roared, slamming one of his fists down onto the table so hard that I heard the wood crack, his face beet red and his muscles quivering. He let out a string of curses, cradling his hand, and I wondered if he’d broken it with the force of his blow. “I won! Not it!”
“You did not defeat it then and you have not defeated it now! Will it take this clan becoming a wasteland for you to act? Fianna is not going to wait for you to come to your senses. It wants the clan for itself and it has given every indication that it wants the blood of the line of Blaidd as well.”
“I am the victor that saved this land then and I am that victor now!” His chest heaved, his eyes burning bright with anger, reminding me far too much of the rage that had taken him after both Fionn and Eamon had died.
“You delude yourself,” I said, feeling my own hands beginning to shake with my mounting anger.
He growled, the noise low and menacing before he pointed a finger at my chest.
“I did not punish you the way I should have after the Purge,” he said, his gaze like ice as he curled his lip. “I listened to your mother when she begged me to spare you after finding out the truth of what you had done. I see now what a mistake that was.”
My breath caught. That, I had never heard. A flicker of guilt rushed through me. How much had I misjudged Mother all these years?
“This time,” Father continued, “I will not spare you. You have continued your disobedience, flaunted both it and your betrayal of our people openly. I know that mongrel shares your bed every night and I see what deceptions you have been getting Laoise and Domhnall to sow. Continue this and you will find yourself locked in the dungeons until you finally learn to see the error of your ways. Are we clear?”
A lead weight settled on my chest, a sickly feeling pooling in my stomach. In all my twenty years, he had never used that threat and yet looking into his hate-filled eyes, I feared he would follow through with his words. But Blaidd would cease to exist if I did not fight for it. I could not let that happen and I had my own vows to keep.
“I have my own promises I have made, to beings far more powerful than you,” I said, making myself hold his gaze. “I will do what I must for the Clan of Blaidd.”
“As will I,” he replied, his tone colder and harsher than I had ever heard it.
The resentment in his eyes left a shiver running down my spine. My feet felt as if they were weighed down with a thousand stones as I turned and left the study. He had reminded me too much of how he’d been during the darkest days of the Purge, when he had been beyond reason. The hatred and grief he carried were killing what little heart he had left like a poison.
Despite the late hour, I made my way toward the Great Hall instead of my chambers. My people needed me. Lewella would need help getting them settled and Cian would need help tending to the wounded. I would not be Father. I would not sit in Clogwyn and ignore the plight of those around me. Even if he threw me in the dungeons, I would come out of them fighting.
Chapter 14
The Power to Change Fate
Alannah
After scouting out a small band of warriors camped on the western border of Ioliare, I found myself escorted to Lorcan’s hut when I returned to our encampment. Dara had been waiting for me at the camp’s outskirts, seeing me to Lorcan, though he’d left me on my own after we’d reached the rickety wooden door that led into Lorcan’s lair.
Night had already fallen and I was exhausted after the day’s flight, but there would be no rest for me until I saw to whatever it was Lorcan wanted. Grumbling under my breath, I pulled open the door and stepped inside. While Lorcan’s hut was still little more than a hovel, it was in far better shape, not to mention much larger, than any of the others. He had an actual bed of sorts, a sleeping pallet raised off the ground by an awkwardly made wood frame. Precious candles that had been stolen from a band of traveling merchants lit the dark space, casting the hut in shadows.
Lorcan himself stood by the unlit hearth, the warmth of the night replacing the need for a fire, with three of his shadow creatures around him. When I shut the creaking door behind me, he didn’t even glance my way, though the shadow creatures did. All three of them watched me intently as I strode across to the hut to join him.
“You have need of me?” I asked.
He started, causing me to frown. As long as I’d known him, he’d been unflappable, and yet over the last few weeks, there had been something different about him. An uneasiness and paranoia that hadn’t been there before. He quickly regained his composure before angling himself toward me.
“You will not go on the raid tomorrow night,” he said. “I have need of you elsewhere.”
I stiffened, my brow wrinkling. The last time I had stayed back on a raid had been back when we’d had Bran at our disposal.
“Who will handle the creatures?” I asked.
The shadow creatures were not beings that were easily managed or controlled. Only someone with a gifting could even hope to try. Lorcan had always given the task to Bran or me, though despite our giftings we had often struggled to keep control of the difficult beings, even with Lorcan doing his part to control them from afar.
“I will.” He rubbed the inside of his wrist with a slight wince. As he did so, I caught a glimmer of his own mark from Fianna glowing in the dark.
Even though I kept my mouth shut at his surprising words, I had a feeling my surprise showed in my features. Lorcan rarely led raids; that was one of the many reasons he’d hired Dara. He claimed that if he was to be Ri one day, his life must be guarded. He was too important to be caught up in the fighting and with his mind-speaking abilities, he could easily communicate with and control others from a distance.
“I have another task for you,” he continued. “You will travel south, back to Castle Clogwyn.”
My jaw tightened, memories of my last failure at Clogwyn returning to me. The only venture I wanted to take back to Clogwyn and its wretched inhabitants was one that involved murder.
Oh, there will murder on this venture, Fianna said with a rasping laugh. Never fear, little mortal. You will get to sate your bloodlust.
Despite having heard the Stag Spirit many times over the last few weeks, its voice overtaking my thoughts still startled me. I worked to school my expression, unsure if Lorcan had heard it speak or if the words had been for me alone. He gave no indication of it, only rubbing at his wrist again.
“You will take one of the creatures with you,” he said, still not meeting my gaze. “It has been given its instructions and it will obey you, so long as you do not contradict what it has been told.”
“And what are those instructions?” I asked, raising my brow. He was being unusually vague and it was starting to irk me.
“To kill Cadfael’s daughter. You will make sure it achieves this.”
“Gladly,” I said with a smug smile, a thrill of excitement coursing through my veins. That was a death I would be more than happy to ensure came about.
“And if you have the chance, you will kill Bran as well.” Lorcan paused, grimacing as he clutched at his wrist. “But only if that does not interfere with the killing of Cadfael’s brat.”
“Understood.” My blood practically sang for Bran’s. If I could bring his death to pass as well as Seren’s, I wouldn’t hesitate. He had betrayed us all and continued to do so with his foolish decision to be Cadfael’s lackey.
“You will leave tonight.” Lorcan let out a low hiss, his knuckles growing white as he continued to clutch at his wrist. “Fianna will… Fianna will oversee your task.”
A hint of uneasiness settled over me as I took in his contorted features. His obvious pain was a subtle reminder of Fianna’s power. No matter how powerful any of us thought we were, we were nothing compared to it. Lorcan spat out a muttered oath, a sheen of sweat sitting on his brow as Fianna’s darkness swirled in the air. The shadow creatures let out a series of growling and clicking noises, puffs of smoke billowing from their nostrils as all three focused on me with almost expectant expressions.
“I will see it done,” I said.
Lorcan nodded, dismissing me with a wave as he ground his teeth, his gaze fixed on his arm. I backed away from him and one of the shadow creatures got to its feet. It began to follow me back to the door, leaving me to assume that it would be the creature to accompany me on my journey to Clogwyn. I’d commanded it before and while it was often intractable, it was also a particularly bloodthirsty and deadly beast. Seren and Bran would be hard pressed to stand against it.
Remember what I have promised you, Fianna whispered as I stepped back out into the dark night with the shadow creature at my side. Remember that I can change your fate. I wanted a future as Banrion. I wanted Aengus and wanted both more and more with each passing day. Fianna had asked for my obedience and I would give it.
Chapter 15
Flames and Shadows
Seren
Things had been somber at Castle Clogwyn since the arrival of the refugees; their plight had been much harder for Father to hide. I’d spent much of my time helping them get settled and helping Cian tend to the wounded. To my surprise, Father had sent a larger group of warriors to Cawl and Traeth in the wake of the destruction. I still feared the numbers he’d sent weren’t enough, but Laoise was insistent that it was a step in the right direction on Father’s part.
Days had passed, my thoughts and dreams haunted by the haggard faces of the refugees and Fianna’s threatening words. It still haunted me with the threats of the blood of the line of Blaidd and I was no closer to discerning its meaning. Still, the slight change in Father, along with no word of any new fires, gave me some hope. Especially with the arrival of the Gwanwyn festival.
Every spring, the clan gathered together and celebrated the season of growth and paid its respects to the Wolf Spirit. In spite of the ever-present darkness this year, the festival itself offered a reprieve for the people, no matter how short. But even with the festivities, as I walked the streets of Gefell, I couldn’t help but worry about what Fianna’s next move would be. Bran shared my concerns, as did Lewella, and as such, Bran had accompanied me down to Gefell, despite Father and Drystan’s continued rules that he wasn’t to leave Castle Clogwyn without their permission.
