It was Paddy’s turn. He came forward with a belt and scabbard. “Here you go. Put this on. When ta blade’s gem shows blue, you’ll be cloaked in shadow, unseen by friend or foe. Pull ta blade and the shadow will be lifted.”
He cinched the belt around my waist, helping me adjust it. Turning the blade so the green gem winked outwards, I slid it into the scabbard.
“Thank you,” I said, running my hand over the hilt. Gods, how was I going to do this? How was I going to kill Ashling, even if it was just her body?
Wil took my hand and slipped a ring over my right thumb. “Give this to Darcy. She’ll know what it means.”
I nodded. “Of course.”
On an impulse, I hugged each one of the three Smiths, catching them by surprise. Angus cleared his throat as I stepped back. “Well then, I guess we’d best be seeing you two off. Come on to ta stables round back. There’s no way you’ll get past that army wit out a little speed.”
Leading the way, Angus marched around to the back of the house where indeed there was a stable, like any other. The creatures inside, however, were another matter all together.
They looked to be two large black horses, but they had fangs and their eyes were more like a cat’s than a horse’s, with a vertical slit that narrowed as we came into sight.
“They’re mean bastards,” Paddy said. “But they be fast, and they’ll kill anyting tat is in your way.”
“What are they?” I asked.
It was Bres who answered me. “Aughisky. I thought they were all dead, died out in ta last great battle between Fomorii and Tuatha. They’re like ta kelpie only more vicious. I don’t know that this is a good idea.” His tone was enough to make me back away from the big black beasts.
Angus let out a breath. “Phaw, don’t be a sissy boy. These two know that their lives depend on coming back here. It’s ta only safe haven tat they have. Right my lads?” He swatted one on the rump.
It turned its head and bared its teeth, letting out a low growl. Definitely not a horse sound.
Angus and Wil ignored the growls and saddled up the two Aughisky. Bres pulled me aside and whispered in my ear. “If we get anywhere close to salt water, I want you to throw yourself from its back.”
“What? Why?” I asked as he pulled me a little further away, his face grim.
“They drown their riders and eat them.”
“Then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this!” I said, feeling a wave of panic. “And I haven’t ridden a horse in years, how am I going to stay on if we’re riding full tilt to stay ahead of the Fomorii?”
I didn’t have time to ask any more questions. Wil grabbed me about the waist and swung me up onto the back of the first Aughisky, ignoring my squeak of protest.
There were no reins, only the slick black mane that felt reminiscent of seaweed. I gripped the hair until my knuckles were white, and took a deep breath. The beast trembled below me, its sides shivering as if flies were landing on its hide.
Bres mounted the other Aughisky, mounting as if he’d been born to the saddle and not the water.
Angus patted my leg. “Don’t worry lass, these two boys will get you past ta Fomorii, wit out a doubt. You only have ta tell them where it is you want ta go.”
Licking my lips, I nodded. “Nuadha has a camp, somewhere on the Island.” I glanced over at Bres who gave me a small nod. “So we’ll have to go to Fianna first to find out where Nuadha is. Unless you know?”
The three Smiths shook their heads in unison. “Nope, to ta Banshee Queen it is, then, boys, then you’ll take Quinn and Bres ta their next destination, then come straight back home. No hunting.”
The Aughisky below me let out a snort and Bres’ mount actually chuckled. This was seeming like less and less of a good idea.
Before I could say anything else, Angus slapped the rump of my Aughisky and we bolted out of the stable, Bres and his mount hot on our heels. I gripped the mane as tight as I could, feeling the strands slide through my fingers. I had to settle for gripping the front edge of the saddle.
The Aughisky was smooth, its gait was one that was easy to sit, but the speed was terrifying. The trees blurred by, which was bad enough, but when the mound we’d entered through rose up as if it were a living thing and opened, the creatures we rode dove into it. I couldn’t stop the scream that escaped me. Hunching over the saddle, I buried my face against the neck of the Aughisky. The scent of the ocean surrounded me, and I actually looked up expecting to see water.
But there was no water, only the exit out of the mound into the base of the ravine where the Fomorii army waited for us.
We burst out of the mound, startling the Fomorii guards. My mount struck out with its fanged mouth, snatching a pound or two of flesh as it ripped by the Fomorii. From the squeal behind me, I had no doubt that Bres’ mount had done a follow up.
Splatters of blood flipped back towards me as the Aughisky threw its head back to swallow the chunk of flesh. Flesh eating horses were not my idea of a good, safe ride, not that I had any choice now.
The Fomorii were in an uproar as they scrambled to stop us, but they were too late; we were already climbing the shale hill, covering it with a speed that left the army in the dust. At the top I yelled “Stop!” and, remarkably, my mount froze, obeying my command.
Bres and his mount had caught up to us. I stared back the way we’d come, my eyes searching for a sign of the strawberry blonde curls that would give Chaos away. But there was nothing. She’d gone to ground.
In a burst of anger, I screamed across at the Fomorii. “Tell Chaos, she is DEAD!”
My mount gave a snort and I was certain that he approved. “Let’s go.” Leaping forward, the Aughisky ran, retracing our footsteps the way we’d come, bursting through the waterfall and covering the Hall of the Dead in no time. Bres kept trying to get my attention, to get me to speak to him, but I was buried in my own thoughts and wanted to stay there.
It wasn’t long before we were at the edge of Cathedral grove, the Banshees’ Enchanted Forest. The Aughisky slowed their mad pace to a simple canter, and the world no longer was blurred around us. We weren’t stopped by the Banshee guards, but we were followed as we made our way deep into the forest to find Fianna.
We didn’t dismount, which I was glad for. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to walk again. The muscles in my legs and butt were aching, and I was certain I had a blister on my ass despite the smooth movement of my mount.
Fianna raised a hand in greeting to us and we shared our request. “Nuadha has chosen to camp on the far side of the island, where the ocean meets the shore. We cannot go with you now, but when the time comes for the battle between you and Chaos, the Banshees will be there.”
The Aughisky spun on their haunches and I shouted my farewells. This was going to be a long ride, even at the speed that our mounts could manage.
Quinn, love, talk to me. Bres’ words whispered across my mind and I finally relented, letting him in.
I’m going to have to do it. It’s just hit me that this is the weapon I’ll use to take her head. The words were painful, and I hadn’t even said them out loud.
I glanced over at Bres, his face pale with the shock of my words. You don’t know that.
Turning my face into the wind, I hunched over the saddle, the hilt of Carnwennan digging into my side. The problem was, while I wanted to believe I could save Ashling, everything was pointing to her death being the only way to save the world. How could I tell people I gave up the world for a single life? Even if that life was the whole world to me?
12
The Aughisky did just what the three Smiths said they would. They ran at a speed that no one could match, taking us all the way to the West coast. It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking through the cloudy skies when we reached the coast. The scent of the ocean reached me and my mount at the same time.
“Quinn, dismount. Right now,” Bres said, his words brooking no argument.
But my body was sluggish after a night in the saddle and it didn’t want to obey me. My mount snorted and spoke, shocking the hell out of me.
“Lady of the Sea, dismount. I cannot contain my urge to take to the water much longer.”
I slid off, my knees buckling when my feet touched the ground, but it was enough. The Aughisky bolted towards the water, bucking and tearing the saddles from each other’s backs. We watched as they dove into the water, their sleek black bodies disappearing under the waves.
“Thank you,” I said, knowing that they couldn’t hear me, but saying it anyway.
Letting out a groan I tried to stand. “I’m so sore, everything hurts.”
Bres chuckled, mimicking the three Smiths. “Ah, it weren’t so bad, lass.”
I took a swat at him, though it was only half-hearted. “Don’t tease, we have to find Nuadha.”
The sound of multiple swords being drawn from their scabbards was the only warning we had. Bres spun, pulling his own sword, barely in time to parry what would have been a fatal blow.
“Put down your weapons, Fomorii!” our attacker cried out. His armor was polished to a sheen and reflected the weak light of the morning in bright flashes.
“Stop!” I yelled, foolishly thinking that they would listen. Others slipped up behind us, and I did the only thing I could think of—I flipped a Barrier over Bres and me, protecting us from the men who’d surrounded us.
“Drop your Barrier, Quinn.” I recognized that voice, but not because I’d ever met him in person. Slowly I turned to face Nuadha, leader of the Tuatha de Daanan. His hair was shorn, not the long silver braid it had been at his battle with Balor where he’d cursed the Fomorii.
“Nuadha, we aren’t here to fight; we’re here to help,” I said.
“Then drop the Barrier.” His eyes showed no warmth nor malice.
A glance over my shoulder to Bres for some sort of indication of what we should do only gave me a half shoulder shrug to go on. I don’t know, Quinn.
Damn. Where was Cora now? Nowhere. I couldn’t even feel her. A hitch in my throat caught me. Now? She abandoned me, now?