From the first Fomorii I’d killed, right on through to the Banshees and Aednat, my body was suddenly pulled in every direction. The shock of my limbs being sliced into, my body ripped out of the helicopter, lit on fire, gutted, and slammed into with bolts of power, hit me all at once. Then the emotions hit. Fear of dying, shame of losing to a Tuatha, anger and sorrow for those left behind, and even remorse. Those were worse than the physical pain. Sobbing, I held my head in my hands, the emotions more than I could deal with, so I just let them pour out of me.
Combined, the pain in my body and in my heart left me feeling as if I were being pulled apart an inch at a time. I didn’t fight any of it though. I’d done this to them, the least I could do was honour it, respect it.
As suddenly as the pain and emotions had started, they stopped. Laid flat out, the sand was gritty against my tear-soaked cheek. With great care, I pushed myself to my feet, wobbling as I stood.
The ones I’d killed, directly or indirectly, still held a loose circle around me.
The helicopter pilot stepped forward first. “I am satisfied.” A breeze blew in from the ocean and his image was dispersed as if it were made of smoke. One by one they stepped forward, stating the same thing until they’d all gone. Except for one.
Aednat.
“Aednat is not satisfied with your pain and suffering.”
A sharp crack of thunder and the bite of electricity sung through the air.
I spread my hands. “What would you have me do, Aednat? You threatened the life of my sister, you wanted to be Chaos’ host body, you fought against your sister who is a good Queen.”
She snapped her teeth at me. “You ruined Aednat’s world she had made. You should die.”
It was so simple for her. As if she truly was a child. I scrubbed my hands over my face. “One day, I will die, probably very soon as I’m going to face Chaos with no training. Is that not enough for you?”
She tipped her head and chewed her lower lip. “Perhaps. Aednat wishes to be there, when the fatal blow is struck you, she may see your death with her own eyes.”
“If it is possible to do that, then fine by me.” What did I care who watched me die? If it made it so that I could move towards Bres and the Cauldron, then so be it.
Aednat smile. “I am satisfied.”
Her image dispersed on the wind and I was left alone on the beach.
With a stumble, I struck out down the beach. “How the hell am I going to know which way to the Cauldron?” I asked the sand and waves.
To my amazement, they responded. The ground shifted, small pebbles began to form arrows, pointing back the way I’d come. Well, that seemed simple enough to follow.
Picking up speed, I began to run down the beach, the sand giving way with every other step, forcing me to slow my pace. “Bres, where are you?” I muttered. This time the pebbles didn’t change.
It occurred to me then that Cora had been silent for some time.
“Cora, any ideas?”
A stirring within me, as if she were waking up, rippled across my mind. I am here. Follow the arrows. That is what I would do.
I wiped at my face and looked up. A familiar figure was striding down the beach.
“Bres!” I shouted, jumping to my feet and running towards him. His eyes barely had time to register shock before he caught me in his arms.
“Quinn, what are you doing here?” He whispered into my hair. For just a moment, I let myself feel him against me, our hearts beating against each other, the scent of him filling me up. Shaking my head, I pushed out of his arms. “You were taking too long. Did you get the Cauldron?”
“I’m sorry. Ta Cauldron refused to come with me,” He said, looking away. “You shouldn’t have come here.”
Remembering what Fianna had said about the Cauldron having a life of its own, I nodded. “Do you think we could convince it?”
“I don’t know. Quinn. You have to know I didn’t Charm you; I couldn’t Charm a mouse into eating cheese.” He reached out and took my hand, his fingers curling around mine.
“I know, I’m sorry, but I had no reason believe Luke was lying,” I said. Which begged the question, why had Luke lied?
Bres led me down the beach, following the pebbles that continued to show us the way. “Ah, maybe I would have done ta same thing if I thought I could keep you all to myself.” He gave me a lazy wink. I blushed, feeling the heat start in my belly and swirl outwards. He was giving Luke an out, one that he didn’t have to provide.
“Did you have to face . . .” I couldn’t quite finish it. Bres gave me a sad smile. “Yes, though to be honest, I feel better now, knowing that they are all satisfied.”
“A lot of people?” I asked.
“Yes. Far too many.”
The pebbles led us around a huge piece of driftwood that stood well over my head, to the edge of a fire pit where a large bubbling pot hung over the open flames. The swirls of mist that spilled out of the pot were soft pink, the colour of a newborn’s skin, and the scent was one of apple pies and fresh spring air. I breathed in deep, and let the smells permeate my lungs before I spoke.
“How do you talk to a cauldron?” I asked softly.
“You don’t. You talk to its Speaker.” A voice from the far side of the fire said, then spat.
Licking my lips, I sidestepped and peered around the large cauldron. A face peered back at me through the mist, an older gentleman in blue overalls. The Speaker looked suspiciously like . . .
“Don?” I asked.
Bres leaned close. “Who’s Don?”
“He gave us a ride, in his pickup truck to Cameron Lake,” I said, not sure if what I was seeing was real or some strange twist of my own mind.
Don grunted. “Well, you can’t be the Speaker all the time nowadays. Most people just think that the Cauldron is a legend and don’t even bother to look for it. So I got myself a real job. But just because we met before doesn’t mean that you can just take the Cauldron.” He lifted a finger at me, and then glared at Bres.
I crouched down in front of him. “Please, do you remember what you said to me, right before I got out of your truck?”
His eyes softened. “Refresh my memory.”
“You told me that love is precious and that I shouldn’t let it slip past me ‘cause I was looking for something perfect,” I whispered. “That’s why we’re here. Luke is dying, and . . .” I glanced up at Bres, then back at Don. “I need him. I need Luke to stand with me. Just like I need Bres. Without them both, I won’t be able to face what is coming. I know that now.” The words settled over me, filling me with the truth of them. I needed them both, without any doubt.
Don smiled, his grin splitting his face. “Now, that’s my girl. You let love rule your heart, and that is what will save us all.”
Reaching out, he took my hand and pulled it towards the Cauldron. “Stick your hand in there, you’ll be marked, a brand as it were. Through the mark you will be able to heal Luke, even if he’s crossed over. But only if it’s recent.” Again, he lifted his finger to me. “If he’s been dead more than an hour, you can’t save him.”
Gritting my teeth, I plunged my hand into the Cauldron, expecting the heat to be intense, the pain to be all-consuming, but the mist just engulfed my hand, and warmth spread up my arm as the pink fog clung to me. I swirled my hand about and, though I couldn’t see it, dipping my hand deep into the fluid within the Cauldron.
“How long will it take?” I lifted my eyes to Don’s.
“It’s done,” he said, motioning for me to take my hand out.
Standing up, I pulled my hand out. There on the palm was etched a cup, like the world’s most intricate and detailed tattoo. Jewels stood out along the stem, and the base pearls and diamonds that even reflected the light around us back to me.
“You can use that mark to heal one time. One time only. “If you use the Cauldron a second time, you will likely lose your life.”
“Likely?”I asked.
“Well, let’s just say that it will take everything you have and then keep on taking.” Don shook his head, a tear slipping from his eye. “So, just don’t try a second time.” Leaning over he patted my cheek, his lips trembling. As he pulled away I saw the faint imprint of a cup—the same cup I now had on my hand—on his. A flash of insight hit me hard.
“That’s how you lost your Mary, isn’t it?” I whispered. “She used it twice.”
Don nodded, the tears running freely now. “She was a brave girl, a beauty like you, but her heart was too big. I tried to get to her, but it was too late for her; she was gone too long.” He sniffled and rubbed one big hand across his eyes.“Go on now, you don’t need to have the same thing happen to you and your man.”
On impulse, I gave Don a hug, holding him tight for a brief moment before leaping to my feet. I waved back to him, as Bres and I ran down the beach. There was one final burning question I had.
“How do we get back to Fianna and the swamp?”
“We don’t. You do,” Bres said.
As if his words were the signal, something pulled on me, like a marionette string attached to my body that I’d been unaware of all along.
“No! I’m not leaving without you,” I screamed. Before I could get yanked any further, I leapt towards him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Hang on to me. I’m not going to leave you behind.”
His arms wound about me, but with every beat of his heart under my ear, I felt him fading.
No! Bres, fight for me! I screamed into his mind.
I’m trying, Quinn. He whispered back.
I struggled to hang onto him, tried to find a way to bury my hands into him so that whatever was trying to spit me back out into the swamp would take him too.
Love. Don had said love would save us. Maybe now would be a good time to not only listen to those words, but believe in them too.
Lifting my head, I pressed my lips to his, the kiss deepening without any effort. Bres’ hands tangled into my hair as I forgot for just a moment why I’d kissed him and only knew that it was everything I wanted. The kiss was a fire that raced through my body, weakened my knees and drew a moan from my lips. His body seemed to solidify in more ways than one, his arms pinning me to his chest. My feet were lifted from the ground as we clung to each other, lips sealed. I wouldn’t lose him, not again.