I barely saw Luke that week. He spent many hours drafting up an accord with Ashling, one that would bind the Tuatha and Fomorii together, and one that would allow them to come out to the humans. I still wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but it wasn’t up to me.
Of course, all that was after our surf lessons, which were spent more in the water than on the boards. It had been a good day, our laughter chasing away the last of the darkness we’d faced.
I passed on Cora’s message to Darcy, and she left to be with Wil. She’d cried and hugged me, then did the same for Ashling. Ashling forgave her without a second thought, as I knew she would. They promised to stay in touch. I did not, but I held no ill will for my mother. How could I, knowing the truth?
The morning of the eighth day Luke woke me early for a walk with him. I slipped into a calf length dress that floated on the ocean breeze and tied my hair into a loose bun.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk all week,” he said.
“I know, but you’re busy and I don’t really fit in here anymore.”
He frowned.“Don’t say that.”
I shrugged, bent, and picked up a sand dollar, turning the slightly fuzzy disc in my hand. “It’s the truth. I burnt out my powers bringing Ashling back. I’m pretty much a human with some interesting genetics.”
Silence hovered between us, awkward and uncomfortable. Nothing was the way I’d thought it was going to be. Every day that passed, I could feel him drawing further away from me. It hurt, but deep down, I wasn’t surprised. The Council had released the original prophecy that Nuadha had suppressed. It said nothing about the Shining One being with the Chosen one. Only that there would be a union to bind the Fomorii and Tuatha together.
I think it rocked him, realizing that he didn’t have to be with me. That it wasn’t pre-ordained. That what he’d started to feel for someone else was not only okay, but allowed.
We headed towards the water, taking advantage of the fact that the tide was out. “We need to talk about...things,” Luke said.
As we walked, I turned the dream I’d had the night before over in my mind. It came easily. Luke and Ashling.
Was this the start of my time as my mother’s successor? It hurt me far less than I would have thought, but it was only because I loved them both and could see that he would make her happy, that he would treat her like the princess she was. Not to mention, the signs had been there when I looked back.
I held my hand out to him. “It’s okay. I know.”
He blinked several times. “I do love you, but . . .”
“It’s not like we were led to believe,” I said. He shook his head. I thought about the moment that I’d been able to speak mind to mind with him. Cora had told me, when I’d first met her, that to speak mind to mind required either shared blood or love. I did love Luke, just not the way that I loved Bres, but maybe it was more that he was important to me and he needed to hear me in those moments. Maybe the rules were bent just a little so that we could survive. A tug across my shoulders, like the ghost of Cora tightening around me gave an affirmation to that thought. Yes, rules were made to be broken, even that one it would seem.
“I have to tell you, something happened, while I was floating between life and death. Ashling came to me; stayed by my side,” he said, a frown creasing his brow. “She told me stories about her childhood, about her and you. I think that she was trying to tell me all the reasons that you were amazing, but all I could see were all the reasons that she was amazing.” His frown deepened and I didn’t understand why at first. “And then she kept coming to visit me, whenever I slept. One night, I got a glimpse of her most recent memories. With Card.”
My jaw tightened, but before I could say anything, Luke went on. “All I could think about was how much I’d wished it had been me to finish him off, how much I wanted to protect Ashling and how much she needed me.” He turned to face me. “You never really needed me, Quinn. I wanted you to, but you didn’t ever need me.”
I smiled, though my heart ached, he was right. He’d wanted to be my white knight, and that had never been the case. Nor had I wanted it to be. “If you hurt her, I will break you in half like a twig.” I made snapping motion with my hands.
He laughed and the awkwardness dispelled. Far down the beach, standing on the rocks, was Bres. Luke nodded towards his at-times rival. “Besides, I don’t think it’s fair that I keep both of you. Seems a little selfish, don’t you think?”
Luke hugged me and kissed my forehead. “I guess I’d better get used to calling you sis then, huh?”
I smiled, “Yeah, though I should warn you that being part of the family is not all it’s cracked up to be.”
“I think I can manage.” He let me go with a wave, and jogged back the way we’d come.
Heading towards Bres, I thought of all that we’d been through, all that we’d seen and done. It was a lifetime of trust and love crammed into a short space of time. Which made it all the more precious. But I was worried.
The Council, all of them except for Bres, had insisted that I was not worthy of being bound to the Tuatha de Daanan leader without my powers. I didn’t think that had anything to do with Luke’s decision, but it worried me. Would it matter to Bres that I no longer had any abilities?
Bres walked towards me. “Hello beautiful, did I see you speaking to our mighty leader?” His mouth twitched and that sparkle in his eyes was back—the one that said he was ready to stir up some trouble.
“Only to let him know that if he hurt Ashling I would snap him like a twig,” I said, trying to keep my tone light.
He spluttered, “Wait, what? He can’t have you both!”
I laughed, clutching my stomach. “Oh my God, Bres, he was telling me that he didn’t love me, not like he wanted to. Ashling is the rest of the prophecy; he’s being drawn to her, and vice versa. He can’t fight it, nor do I think that either of them really want to fight what’s happening between them.” I found myself repeating the prophecy, the version that Aednat had known, the one that seemed to stick with me, the one the Council had released.
“The line of the snake will bring forth a saving light at the darkest hour. Binding all the realms as one. Her sword will strike down the evil that haunts the land and she shall lead the Fae to victory. Filled with power, her heart will remain pure. Through a union, peace shall reign and the world will know the Fae for all that they are, and her sword will forever be at her side.”
I tossed the sand dollar I still held into the surf. “It makes sense. It was my sword, Carnwennan that struck down Chaos, and all the Fae were victorious, not just the Tuatha. The union doesn’t say anything about me or Luke.”
Bres frowned. “Luke turning you away has nothing to do with you not being able to defend ta realm?”
Twisting my hands into his, I gave a half shrug. “Does it matter if I don’t have any power?”
He smiled and pulled me against his chest. “Not to me it don’t.” He kissed me, his lips sending little bursts of shivers through my body. This was where I belonged, right here with Bres, a man who loved me no matter who I was, or what I could do. Me, he just loved me. Suddenly I understood my mother’s longing for Wil, to be loved for who you were, and not what you could do for people or the world.
As we walked, two familiar horse-shaped heads rose out of the water. The Aughisky trotted out of the ocean, water spraying up around them as they moved towards us, tossing their slick black manes.
The one closest to me had been my mount, and he was the one who spoke.“You saved the world from Chaos. We would be in your service, Lady of the Sea, if you’d have us.”
“I am no one,” I said. “I don’t have any powers left. You’d be better off serving Ashling.”
They snorted and pawed at the sand. I lifted my hands in mock surrender. “Okay, fine. Serve away.”
Bowing with one knee, they lowered their heads. “Ride with us.”
Bres and I shared a look. “Race you to the far end,” was all he said before we were leaping on the Aughisky backs, and galloping down the beach.
Wind whipped through my hair and stole the elastic, leaving my curls to trail out behind me.
Gripping the Aughisky with my legs, I held my hand out towards the water. There, just below the surface of my skin was a whisper, a faint touch of power that I recognized, one that I thought I’d burnt out saving Ashling.
I swirled my hand, and the water leapt towards Bres and his mount, slowing them down just enough that we raced past them.
With a laugh I called out over my shoulder, my eyes meeting Bres’, “I think I’m going to win after all.”