Lucy sat in front of the small fire; one by one she fed the letters into the fire. Imara sat across from Lucy with her cell phone in one hand and poking the fire with a stick in the other. They were waiting to hear back from Griffin Doyle and Imara's friend in Longford.
The cell phone chimed, and Imara squinted down at the small LED screen. She nodded. "Vincent says he's fixed the records to show that the man was on his way to Belfast from Dublin, and he got on the wrong train and ended up in Longford. He paid for a rental car in Longford. He left to drive to his destination on his own."
"And Griffin Doyle will take him far away from here," Lucy murmured.
Imara nodded as her phone chimed again. "Vincent says there will be need of compensation of ---- five sheep."
"Only five?" Lucy asked looking up from her task of burning the letters.
Imara nodded, then looked up as two horsemen arrived at the small camp. It was Oran Bishop and one of his soldiers. Oran came to the fireside and sat down on the camp stool next to Lucy. "Any word?"
"Aye," Lucy said examining the post date of another letter before she tossed it into the flames. "We will need to compensate Vincent's tribesman with five sheep."
"I'd like to know the details," Bishop murmured. "Is your friend agreeable?"
Imara quickly texted the request to Vincent and looked back into the fire. Then the phone chimed, and Imara looked over at Oran, "He's calling."
A moment passed and then the phone began ringing. Imara answered it and put the phone on speaker.
Oran spoke across the fire to Vincent. "You've done a great service to us. Please tell me what will happen."
Vincent's voice sounded tinny from Imara's phone, but it was clear, and Oran listened to the narrative. "After the man left Longford, it was arranged that he would take a wrong turn and come up quickly on a shepherd moving his herd across the road. To avoid hitting the shepherd he swerved off the road into a ditch. It was unavoidable; he killed five sheep. The shepherd's son will call it into the police."
"Done," Oran replied. "Five sheep is a good price."
"I will text Imara when the place to collect is set," Vincent said and disconnected the call.
"Now we need to hear from Griffin Doyle," Lucy said.
"I am not worried about Griffin," Bishop said. "I am worried about how Siobhan will take what we've done."
The phone chirped again, and Imara looked down and smiled. "Griffin Doyle says he's headed back from Killygar,"
"Far enough away?" Lucy wanted to know.
"Aye, the local police have taken the man to the local emergency clinic," Imara said then looked up at Lucy, "They think he was lost and overly tired. He fell asleep behind the wheel of the automobile."
Lucy nodded and dropped the last letter into the flames of the small campfire. "So be it," she murmured.
Oran dusted his knees in an air of finality, "Tell Griffin to be careful coming home – and to avoid the farms."
Imara texted the message and then looked up as the phone chimed. "He says he will be careful." She looked wide-eyed at Bishop, "What will he do with all his clothes?"
Oran smiled. "The Wolfe clan has friends as we do out there. I'm sure someone will help take care of those details."
"Let's go back to the camp," Lucy said getting to get feet. "I need to check on the family that Fiona is treating. Make sure they are taking the treatment the Dannan left for them properly."
"I will take care of the fire," Oran said. He bent and placed a soft kiss on Lucy's temple. "Then I will see how Siobhan is doing."
Laurel Cottage
Fiona made a pot of tea and placed a hefty amount of rye whisky in each cup. Sunny smiled thankfully as Fiona placed the cup and saucer in front of her. Tully took his cup but put his hand over it before Fiona could pour any tea. She clucked her tongue reproachfully and poured tea into Sunny's cup. When she had poured her cup, she sat down and idly stirred the contents.
"I never expected in a million years, that Jason would show up in Ballencoo," Sunny said.
"Nor I," Fiona answered and looked over at Tully.
Sunny sipped from her cup and winced as the cut on her lower lip came in contact with the rye whisky and hot tea. Tully sipped from his cup. "Nicodemus said everything would be taken care of."
Sunny looked over at Tully, "What exactly will happen?"
Tully drained his cup and sighed, "Well the Badger clan has many contacts out in the world beyond Ballencoo," he looked over at Sunny, "As do the Wolfe clan, they will make sure that there will never be a connection made between you and Jason."
Sunny nodded then looked at Fiona, "You said Lucy Bishop wiped his memory, how did she do that?"
Fiona drew a deep breath and released it slowly before answering. "Lucy will not wipe his memory away. The elixir she makes has opioids and other hallucinogens in it that make the mind open to suggestions. She will cloud his memory and place new ones so that he will not remember anything of his visit here."
Sunny looked down into the contents of her cup. "Too bad we can't all take this day away."
Tully chuckled. "One thing for sure, the blighter will wake up with a howling headache!"
"Where's Shannon?" Sunny asked suddenly looking up and frowned, "or should I say Shanley?"
"Sunny --."
There was a soft knock at the kitchen door and Fiona paused what she was going to say to answer the door. She opened it and Oran Bishop was waiting on the back porch. "I came to see how Sunny was doing."
"Come in Oran," Fiona said and stepped back to let the big man walk in. He ducked slightly and walked into the kitchen. "Would you care for tea? Or something stronger?"
Oran's eyes went to the whisky bottle and nodded, "A wee bit would be appreciated." He looked around the kitchen. "Has Nicodemus been here?"
Fiona shook her head. "No, we haven't seen him at all."
Everyone in the room looked at Sunny. She nodded. "The last I saw of him, he was taking Jason away."
Tully waved Oran over to the table. As the chieftain sat down, he met Sunny's gaze then fell to the cut on her lip and the bruising on her wrists and forearms. He tried not to look angry, but his dark eyes took in everything, including the pale violet smudges of fatigue under Sunny's eyes. "I came to let you know how everything went down tonight."
Fiona brought a glass and a bottle of whisky to the table. She didn't pour the liquor but let Tully pour a finger width into the glass and then he proceeded to pour another serving into his teacup.
"One of the girls knows a lad in Longford," Oran began. He took a sip from his glass and continued, "Vincent is what he calls himself; he altered the rental documents, and Griffin Doyle drove him up toward Killygar. He met with a little accident."
"What?" Sunny exclaimed, "What happened?"
"He was driving a bit too fast on the country road and came up on a shepherd driving his flock. He swerved to miss the shepherd, ran off the road, and ended up in a shallow ditch. Five sheep were killed." Oran reported and drained the contents of his glass.
There was silence around the table. Then Tully poured Oran another finger of whisky. Sunny sat back in her chair. "Have the police picked him up?"
"Aye," Oran replied, "Griffin said the local police responded to the call from the shepherd's son. He will go before the magistrate in the morning. He will remember getting completely lost and have a bad case of fatigue."
Sunny nodded absently then looked over at Tully, "Where's Shannon?" she asked, "I want to see him."
"He's outside," Tully replied. "He will keep watch until his da gets back."
Sunny pushed away from the table and got to her feet. "I want to see him."
When Fiona would have objected Tully shook his head silently she looked down at her empty teacup and then reached for the whisky bottle.
Sunny went outside the kitchen door, standing in the clearing was Orion, his opalescent hide glowing under the moonlight. "Shanley!"
Within a moment the large wolfhound bounded from the shadows of the forest to stop just short of the back porch. He sat on his haunches and whined softly. Sunny stepped barefoot on the grass and padded out to him. She knelt and threw her arms around the shoulders of the wolfhound. "Thank you for everything, Shanley."
Shanley groaned and gave Sunny's cheek a wet sloppy lick and rolled over to rest his shaggy head in her lap. She laughed softly and scratched his ears then looked down into the golden eyes. "If you can understand me, Shannon, I want you to know that I'm very proud of you! You protected me even though Jason was twice your size. I forgot everything about protecting myself --- I guess I was so shocked by his behavior – I never in a million years thought he'd try ---,"
"It is best you try to put this day behind you, Siobhan,"
She looked up at Nicodemus, "I know," she said, "Everyone's been wondering where you went."
"I know," Nicodemus replied then joined her on the cool grass. "I needed to make a few arrangements in Nu'Ada for when you come to stay."
"You left so quickly, and without a word," Sunny told him, "I believe there were other 'arrangements' you were attending to, right?"
"Aye," He said with a sigh, "You are correct."
She smirked at him. "Are you still trying to protect your bad-ass reputation?"
He chuckled softly. "It is best for everyone that I keep my very tarnished disreputable reputation intact. I do not wish to be a threat to anyone – real or imagined."
Sunny nodded and studied him closely. She saw his true self clearly, even though the others were continuing to see a projection of an older Nicodemus Fury. "Your secrets are safe with me."
Nicodemus met her gaze and held it fast, then smiled faintly. "For the time being, the less you know, the better." He told her and climbed to his feet he bent down and held out a hand to help her up from the ground. "Come, it is time you went to bed."
"When Griffin gets back safely," she said as she took his helping hand, "I'll sleep then. But until then we're all together to wait it out."
"We?" Nicodemus echoed and looked toward the back door.
"Tully, Oran Bishop, Aunt Fiona, and me," Sunny replied. "Now you and Shanley."
Nicodemus looked over his shoulder at Orion who was watching them from the shadows of the forest. "Where were you?"
Orion tossed his head and snorted back at Nicodemus. Sunny smiled as she 'heard' his comment. "He says no one was prepared for outsider dangers."
"Indeed," Nicodemus muttered. He frowned and glanced up into the trees then whistled, bringing a large black raven down to perch on his fist. He spoke to the raven in an odd lilting language and the raven pushed off his hand and was gone. He studied Sunny. Even in the twilight, he could see the bruising and the cut lip. His mouth set in a tight line, and he guided her back to the house.
Sunny glanced up at him, "I'm not to be curious about that?"
Nicodemus scoffed lightly. "I'm simply making an inquiry of scholars regarding your special abilities."
Sunny nodded. "And that needs to be kept on the down low, right?"
"Down low?" Nicodemus repeated the unfamiliar words.
"Kept quiet about it."
"Indeed!" he stated and opened the kitchen door.
As they stepped into the kitchen, they all demanded to know where Nicodemus had been. He briefly explained but no one was satisfied with his half-explanation. Fiona was cool as she brought another glass and plunked it down on the table in front of him. She busied herself with rinsing the teapot.
"Has anyone seen Bracken?" Sunny wondered.
"The Watchers are all curiously absent," Tully said. "I'm not certain why."
"I think I might answer that," Sunny replied and went to her rucksack, pulled out her sketchbook, and flipped through the pages until she found the one sketch that would be sure to send them all into a panic. She handed it to Nicodemus first. "In all the excitement, I had forgotten this."
"Aye, that could be a reason." Nicodemus angled a sharp look at Sunny and handed the sketchbook to Tully who whistled low and handed it to Oran Bishop who had no idea who the subject was, but Fiona looked at it and she gasped in alarm. "How could this be still happening!"
"Who is it?" Oran asked.
"It is Gaddis," Nicodemus announced.
The big chieftain nearly fell over himself to stand up, his hand going to a knife that was not there. Nicodemus glared up at Oran, "Oh, do sit down!"
"But how could he – How could it happen! The wards! Are we safe?"
"I can spirit-travel," Sunny replied.
Oran crashed down in his seat, his eyes wide in shock. "You can…what!"
Tully poured Oran another drink. "The wards are perfectly safe."
"Then how ---," Oran started and fell silent looking around the table. He frowned, picked up the sketchbook, and examined the drawing of Gaddis. "This is dangerous magic at work here!"
"Which is why I am trying to find out as much as I can before Sunny comes to Nu'Ada," Nicodemus told Oran. "There I can help her try to gain control of her powers."
Oran scoffed at Fury, drawing a cold stare from Nicodemus. "Think what you like about me, but you know I can help her control her powers."
"If the watchers saw this," Fiona replied waving a hand at the sketchbook in Oran's hands, "They would have immediately gone into hiding." She looked over at Nicodemus, "But then so would the ravens, but they're still here. Something else must have sent the Watchers away."
Tully studied Nicodemus for a moment then turned to Sunny, "Try calling Bracken. He's more likely to heed your call than even Fiona's command."
Sunny lowered her head, closed her eyes, and called: "Bracken!"
"You have cookies?" came a petulant voice under the table.
"Where have you been?" Sunny asked.
Bracken glared up at her and then at Nicodemus folding his thin brown arms over his chest. "I not say!"
Oran looked down at the Watcher. "Who could blame him for running off? Gaddis was in Ballencoo for God's sake!"
"He wasn't in Ballencoo," Sunny said. "He comes into my thoughts like a dream --- or at least it only happens when he is sleeping. I had been thinking that the tribes were all cooperating during the festival – why those in Nu'Ada couldn't get along too."
"It's complicated," Oran, Tully, and Nicodemus all said in unison.
Sunny laughed and then winced as the cut in her lower lip pulled painfully. "Just about what Gaddis said."
"An over-simplification," Nicodemus said, "There is a fear of all things Ne'Median, and that runs so deep it is difficult to quell enough to listen to solutions for peace."
"I see that," Sunny replied. "If a sketch can cause such a reaction, no wonder the watchers all went into hiding."
There was a soft knock at the kitchen door and Sunny jumped up to answer it. She jerked the door open and standing there was Griffin Doyle. He was dressed in a tee shirt and jeans that did not belong to him. On his feet were sneakers that had no laces and the tongue of each sneaker was peeled back to reveal his muddy feet. "I came right over."
"Come in Griffin," Fiona said coming up behind Sunny.
"You look exhausted," Sunny said as the man shuffled into the kitchen.
Griffin grinned sheepishly. "It's been a long time since I've been out on a mission of this sort – And I have to tell you – I had a grand time!"
Tully chuckled and held up the whisky bottle, "Come on over and have a nip, Griff!"
"I'll fix you something to eat," Fiona said.
Sunny threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you!"
Griffin blushed under his dark tanned skin and patted her shoulder gently. "Glad to be of service."
Sunny stepped back and smiled through grateful tears. She went over to Oran Bishop and hugged his neck. "I can't even begin to thank you and your good wife. I appreciate everything you've done."
The big chieftain grunted and cleared his throat as he grew emotional. "Glad to do it!" he rumbled.
Fiona placed a cold plate in front of Griffin, and he tucked into the meal gratefully. Sunny drew up another chair for Fiona and herself and everyone shifted around so they could sit at the round table comfortably.
Bracken, who had not forgotten the promise of cookies, yanked on Sunny's gown and glared demandingly at her.
"Are you certain that he won't remember?" Sunny asked Oran.
"Lucy does good work," Oran replied.
Griffin swallowed a mouthful of food and sipped his glass of whisky before saying anything. "Aye, he was asleep most of the way, when I put him behind the wheel and told him to drive off, he obeyed without so much as a bat of an eyelash. He drove off around the corner and was gone."
"Imara contacted you?" Oran asked.
Griffin nodded. "Aye, when I got to a safe place, she texted me what had happened."
"You're all connected?" Sunny asked. "I didn't think cell phones worked in Ballencoo."
"Not well, but if you never take your cells into Ballencoo or across the Trickle River they'll work all right," Griffin told her.
"Most of the young folk have what they call – burners," Oran said. "I don't much like them, but sometimes they come in handy."
"So, if you take any kind of tech across the river, they're shot?" Sunny asked, thinking about her smartphone and her camera."
"Afraid so," Griffin said. "I could have one of the boys try to revive your phone --- but usually everything is destroyed."
Sunny shook her head. Then looked over at Nicodemus who was studying her closely. Griffin looked over at Fury and smiled with pride, "You know, I had hoped at least one of my boys would have inherited my gifts, I never expected it would be Shannon."
"What gift is that?" Sunny asked.
"The ability to maintain the connection to our human side," Griffin replied. "Most of us with the ability to transform cannot remember very clearly what happens while we are in that form. I can, and now Shannon."
Oran got to his feet, "I believe I will be on my way back to camp. I'm glad you made it back without mishap, Griffin."
Griffin rose and the two chieftains clasped their forearms. Fiona showed Oran out the front door. There were two men from the Badger clan waiting in the front courtyard with a third mount for Oran. He bowed toward Fiona. "A good evening to the Dannan."
"Good night Oran," Fiona returned, "I will be over in the morning to check in with Lucy and the family that was feeling ill."
"Thank you." He caught the reins of his horse, mounted and all three men rode off into the early evening. Sunny joined Fiona in the hall. "Aunt Fiona, Jason had said that Mom and Dad were worried about me."
"I think you should call Maire tomorrow, Sunny." Fiona said, "To tell her that you're staying."
Sunny frowned as she thought of her mother, "I should tell her everything."
"Do you think that wise at this moment?" Fiona asked.
"I want to be honest with her," Sunny said, "She should know, everything."
Fiona nodded silently. She knew that Maire would be very upset with her and who knew what she would do? Sunny hugged Fiona, "Don't worry Aunt Fiona, there is nothing mom can do now."
Fiona hugged Sunny back, then stepped back to look into Sunny's clear emerald, green eyes. There were new flecks of golden fire around the pupils now, the same fire that burned in the Dannan's eyes long ago.
Together they went back into the kitchen. Tully was clearing up the dishes and Griffin was polishing off the last of the bread and butter. He smiled up at Fiona, "A fine cold plate! My thanks to you."
Fiona smiled and clasped Griffin's shoulder. "You are most welcome, Griffin,"
He took his plate to the sink and gave a quick nudge at Tully's shoulder, then threw a salute to Nicodemus where he sat nursing his glass of whisky. Sunny hugged him again and walked out onto the back porch with him. "Thank you again for tonight. You don't know how much I appreciate it."
Griffin smiled at her then took her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed it, "We will always be here for you, Siobhan. Most of us wanted to put an end to the blighter, but it was Nicodemus Fury who told us what you wanted."
"It was," Sunny replied. "No one need carry that kind of burden on their heart because of him."
"I'll bid you a good evening, Siobhan. Rest easy."
"I will," Sunny replied. She watched as Griffin and Shanley began the trek to the Wolfe camp.
Nicodemus walked out onto the porch, glanced around the area, and then glanced up into the trees, when he saw nothing out of the ordinary, he spoke, "I contacted the brothers at the Midnight Palace, they are searching through their ancient texts for information regarding the Daj Sultana, I am hopeful they will discover something Sudhene, and his people have not."
Sunny was curious about the Midnight Brothers and asked; "Who are these brothers?"
"Most are scholars and keepers of ancient knowledge," Nicodemus replied. "Who better to research this business than the very ones who possibly created it?"
Sunny nodded and turned to go back inside. So much had happened to her that she was beginning to have it catch up with her. Fury caught her as she began to wilt. Fiona looked up startled as they entered the kitchen. Nicodemus easily lifted her into his arms. "Siobhan needs her rest. It has been a trying day."
Fury carried her through the kitchen to the stairs. Sunny was worried that she would be too heavy for him to carry, but as he took to the stairs it was apparent that she did not need to worry.
"My room is there," Sunny murmured, pointing to the door in the middle of the three doors along the hallway. Nicodemus nudged the door open with his foot and ducked into the room. As he stood there looking around, she was unsure of what to do with herself. She had her arms around his shoulders, bringing her body very close to him. Sunny was certain he could hear her heart hammering against her ribcage.
He took her to the bed and put her down, the action bringing him very close. Sunny saw he was breathing harder than usual, and she felt bad, "You didn't have to carry me."
He laughed softly at her, "It is not my carrying you that takes my breath,"
When she looked up at him in surprise everything faded away as his mouth covered hers. Sunny returned the kiss hungrily, wanting more of him.
Nicodemus drew back, his gaze roaming over her flushed face. At that moment she was oblivious to everything except wanting him. As he saw her want, he eased back further to allow her to collect herself.
Sunny laughed lightly and hid her embarrassment behind her hands rubbing over her face. The kiss had broken open the cut on her lip and she tasted blood. She winced as her fingers brushed against the cut.
Fury frowned, his black gaze sliding over the bruising on her cheek and the cut on her mouth. Sunny felt his eyes and she reached up and patted his shoulder. "It looks worse than it feels; believe me, it'll be nearly gone in the morning."
"You seem sure of that," He rumbled. He shifted over to the chair that stood at her bedside. "Is that a new-found ability?"
She shook her head. "No, I've always healed up quickly – Aunt Fiona would say it's part of the family gifts."
Nicodemus sat back in the chair and studied her for a long moment. She regarded him from her spot on the bed. "Something on your mind?" she asked him.
He scoffed lightly, "There is much on my mind, but I will ask you this: Why did this man come to claim you when he had just recently betrayed you?"
Sunny clucked her tongue and scowled as the day returned. "He was – is - possessive and used to getting his way, he thought he could just roll into town, pick up where he left off, and I'd go along with it. If it hadn't been for you and Shannon, I don't think things would've turned out so well." Sunny told him. "Things were beginning to get mighty scary."
"He laid his hands on you," Nicodemus said, the steel in his voice sending ice water down her spine. "He would be dead if not for you."
"He's gone," Sunny replied. "Forgotten."
"Yes," Fury replied. He studied her for a moment longer then sat forward. "You should try to get some rest; tomorrow will be a busy day for you."
"How so?" She asked him.
"Tomorrow, you and I will be blood-bound," He told her. "This way you will never be alone and always be safe." Fury got to his feet and prepared to leave. "I will see you then; rest well, Siobhan." He got as far as the door, his hand hovering on the latch.
"Don't go," Sunny said softly. He stopped and looked back at her. Sunny rushed to him, and he pulled her to him, his mouth claiming hers. She slid her hands up around his neck, molding herself against him. He felt his body respond to her softness and as Sunny became aware of his aroused state, she felt her own body begin to quiver in rhythm with her pounding heart.
"Good night, acushla." He whispered against her lips and then was gone.
She stood there for a moment then grinned happily, even though the cut on her lip hurt; she was happy!