Halfway through a conversation about the crafters at the festival Neala realized their power was similar to that of her parents.
“Ye’re healer druids aren’t ye?” she asked Kyla in a hushed tone. The words had flown from her lips against her will.
Everyone fell silent. For a moment the only sound was the birds singing in the distance. Kyla and Cian glanced at Irial and Liam, their eyes questioning. The two nodded in unison as if giving them permission.
“We are,” Cian answered.
Neala felt foolish again.
Comforting power pulsed out from Liam, taking the edge off her shame. “Don’t feel bad. It’s impressive that an untrained druid could figure that out at all,” he said.
Both his words and tone were kind and encouraging, but Neala couldn’t bring herself to look up from her clutched hands. Bren rubbed her arm, which reminded her that she had not only made herself look bad, but him as well for bringing her. Irial’s hand settled on her arm.
“Ye should not feel bad. The only shame lies with yer parents for tryin’ to keep ye from what ye are,” she said.
Neala looked up into the woman’s green eyes and found an acceptance there that rocked her to the center of her power. “Thank ye,” she said.
“That’s right, ye’re among friends now. We’ll teach ye all ye need to know,” Liam said.
Tears burned Neala’s eyes and she had to swallow hard before she could answer. “Thank ye so much.”
Energy crackling with excitement, Irial reached around behind her and brought forth a fiddle. “Let’s have a song to celebrate our new friend shall we?”
“
Tá
let’s!” Cian agreed with a clap of his hands.
The others shouted their agreement and Irial laid the bow to the fiddle. To say she was talented was to say Ireland was wet. The music poured forth not just from Irial’s fiddle, but from
her
it seemed. The energy and cheer infused Neala until she was swaying in time to the music and tapping her foot along. Kyla began singing and together the ladies talent merged into something amazing. Neala could have listened to them all day but they only did a few songs before Irial set the fiddle aside.
Liam took Irial’s hand and stood, pulling her up with him. The way they touched so tenderly and never got far out of each other’s reach was sweet. The look they gave one another was so filled with love that Neala felt like she was intruding. They were a sight to behold and not just because they made a lovely couple. There was something about their power that drew Neala like a moth to a flame. Unlike the moth, she wasn’t afraid of getting burned.
“The sun will be settin’ soon. We should make our way to the bonfire,” Liam said.
It saddened Neala because she was sure this was where they would part ways. They had been more than kind to her but one usually attended the bonfire with their own clan or those they were courting with. While she hoped she and Bren were doing the latter, she still didn’t expect to attend with him. She wasn’t entirely sure they were courting yet.
“Ye will come with us I hope,” Irial said to Neala.
She stared at Irial with wide eyes.
“Oh yes, ye must!” Kyla exclaimed as she leapt to her feet.
A faint smile of disbelief was all Neala could manage to give the young woman. She very badly wanted to say yes but, she had to know what Bren wanted first. Just because he had been by her side all day didn’t mean he wanted to be around her all night too. His eyes were filled with a hope that surprised her and put her at ease.
“Please come with us,” he asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.
It was so unbelievable that she was sure she was dreaming. But she decided to go with it anyway. If it was a dream then she had nothing to lose.
“I’d love to,” she said.
He gave her a smile that was so gorgeous it took her breath away. A hand grasped hers and pulled her to her feet. It was Irial. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she realized she had forgotten for a moment the others were there. She didn’t even want to imagine how that had looked.
“I’m stealin’ her for the walk. Tis time for lassies to talk,” Irial said.
Bren’s hand slid down Neala’s arm and grabbed her hand, leaving a trail of invisible sparks behind. She didn’t want to let go but Irial was leading her away, giving her no choice. Long after their hands pulled apart she felt his power lingering upon her skin like a wonderful scent she didn’t want to lose.
12
“
Tá
! A lassie chat,” Kyla agreed, bouncing over to take Neala’s other hand.
As they entered the forest Neala glanced back over her shoulder and gave Bren a helpless look and a smile. He smiled back then looked a bit worried as Liam and Cian closed in on him. They slapped him on the back and congratulated him on his lovely lass. Cheeks burning, Neala turned her attention back to the forest before her. Irial and Kyla begged her to tell them the story of how she and Bren met and she happily did so to drown out the men’s conversation behind them. They oohed and aahed and asked for all kinds of details.
Once they had squeezed every detail out of her, Kyla prompted her to talk about the training she and Bren had been doing. Neala tried to keep her irritation from coming through in her voice but it wasn’t easy. To her delight, Irial promptly declared that they would teach her how to fight like a true Celtic woman.
The two of them were easy to talk to. Irial was encouraging, while Kyla was energetic enough to carry the whole conversation.
Kyla leaned close and asked, “So has he kissed ye yet?”
Neala’s eyes shot open and she fought the impulse to glance over her shoulder to see if Bren had heard. It was a good possibility considering how loud Kyla’s voice was.
Irial reached over and slapped Kyla on the shoulder. “Hush! Ye’ve embarrassed the poor thing!”
Kyla’s bubbling laughter eased the tension that had seized Neala’s shoulders. “Sorry, it’s just that the two of ye are so lovely together and I haven’t seen him so happy in a while,” she said, managing to whisper this time.
When they stepped from the shadowy forest a few moments later, the last of the sun’s rays were painting the valley and its occupants a pale yellow. Fires were already flickering here and there and the sounds of fiddles and lutes drifted on the breeze. Neala felt Bren approach, his power pulling from behind. She wasn’t the only one who felt him either. Both Kyla and Irial turned as if they sensed his approach. Kyla stepped away from Neala’s side so Bren could take her place.
“I found us a place away from the bonfire, come on,” Liam said.
Neala worked to hold back a relieved sigh. Not only did she not want to be around so many people at the bonfire, it was no place for a virgin girl. The adults tended to drink far too much and the festivities took a carnal turn as the night went on. Anyone under marrying age was encouraged to stay away. At sixteen Neala was old enough to participate this year but the idea horrified her. She didn’t want her first time with a boy to be a drunken, public display.
Liam threw an arm around Irial’s shoulders and led the way into the crowd.
“Shall we, love?” Cian asked as he held his arm out to Kyla.
Giving him a haughty look, she put her hand on her hip. “I suppose ye shall have to do,” she said. With a shake of her head she hooked her arm through his. From the way Cian smiled it was clear he wasn’t fooled by her act.
Giving her a shy look, Bren took Neala’s hand and led her after them. He held her back a bit, letting the others get ahead of them slightly.
“What do ye think of them?” he asked in a tense voice.
A smile spread across her face. “They’re wonderful,” she said.
The wrinkles disappeared from Bren’s brow and his shoulders relaxed. That her opinion meant so much to him amazed her. It also made her wonder.
“Are ye a part of their. . .” she leaned in close to whisper the last word against his ear, “Order?”
A shiver ran through him and she had a feeling it had nothing to do with her words. She felt it course through his power as a surge made his aura glow brightly.
“Yes,” he said, sounding a bit breathless.
The sound of his voice like that sent a flush out from the center of her being. On one hand, the feeling made her wish they were alone, on the other, her inexperience made her glad they weren’t. As handsome as he was, Neala was certain he had kissed a girl before, at the very least. Having never kissed a lad she was fairly certain she would botch it up.
“There isn’t much personal choice in the matter. Our power chooses for us,” he said, leaning in close to whisper the last part to her.
His warm breath upon her ear sent the most amazing sensation tingling through her. It made her want to be closer to him. Had that been the effect her whisper had on him? Slowly his words sank in. If her power didn’t choose his Order there may not be much of a future for them. But she knew she was getting ahead of herself with thinking like that. They were just barely starting something. It was hardly time to think of the future yet.
People were starting to gather around an enormous bonfire that was beginning to crackle and pop. Tiny orange flames worked steadily at the base of the pile of logs and branches. Drinks were being handed freely about and conversation flowed along with the mead. A group of musicians sat back a ways from the fire, tuning their instruments and discussing the best song to start with.
“Neala, there ye are! Oh and ye’re with friends, how wonderful,” Neala’s da’s voice came out of the crowd.
She cringed and came to a stop. There was no point in letting go of Bren’s hand. Her da had already seen them. Besides, her ma had said she wanted her to find a husband here. They could hardly be angry with her for being with a lad. A sigh of relief escaped Neala nonetheless when her da emerged from the crowd without her ma. There was a half empty flagon in his hand and by the ruddiness of his cheeks she was guessing it wasn’t his first drink. To his credit he didn’t sway as he approached.
“Da, I’d like ye to meet Bren,” Neala said, doing her best to sound confident. It came out a bit forced but she was hoping he wouldn’t notice in his state.
A grin spread over his face as he thrust a hand toward Bren. They clasped forearms and shook vigorously. There was no suspicion or protectiveness in her da’s bright eyes, only joy. It was definitely not his first flagon. That or they really wanted her to find a husband. He complimented Bren on his fine name and Neala cringed in anticipation of him asking Bren’s last name. Thankfully, he didn’t.
“Bren, this is my da, Ardal O’Carroll,” she said.
Bren’s friends wandered back to them and Neala introduced them as well. Her da remained amicable the whole time, laughing and smiling as he reached out eagerly to greet them.
“I trust ye’ll take good care of her tonight and make sure no ill befalls her,” Ardal said to Bren.
“Course,” Bren was quick to answer.
Ardal’s face lit up and he nodded to each of them. “Then I’m off to find me lovely woman before the fun starts,” he said. And with that he turned and stepped back into the crowd.
“That went better than I hoped it would,” Neala said.
A long breath eased from Bren. “Me too. I’ve got to admit, I’m glad he had a few drinks in him.”
They all laughed as they started back into the crowd. Relief at leaving the bonfire behind made Neala feel light as air. The sky was starting to darken with the approach of dusk, which meant the festivities were about to take a wild turn. The place Liam took them to was not only well away from the main bonfire, but was also tucked away from the festival. Pine trees separated them from everyone else, adding a bit of privacy. Branches and twigs were piled into a cone shape in the middle of a ring of oaks.
Power tingled up Neala’s legs as she stepped into the tiny clearing. It was invigorating, like a dip in a river on a scorching hot day. Her own power swelled within her, called up by it.
“What is that feelin’?” she asked.
Bren squeezed her hand. “This is a place where the earth’s power is strong. How did ye find it Liam?” he asked.
Such places were the thing of legend, but that’s all she thought them to be. To actually feel one was amazing. It made her wonder how much of druid life she’d been missing out on.
Liam shrugged. “I’m a Rector, I’m drawn to such things,” he said.
Neala repressed a sigh. There was so much she didn’t know. How could her parents have ever thought raising her that way was a good idea?
A figure stepped out of the forest. It was the blond woman, Ciara. She had an armload of sticks and a wineskin. Her eyes narrowed at Neala when she saw that Neala and Bren were holding hands.
Neala’s power pulsed in response to the glare, flaring up from her core. It snapped along her skin, flowing up her torso and down her limbs. The feeling was new and frightening but it was also invigorating. She felt like a dam holding back a surging river. If she let it go she was fairly certain she could do some damage. A few deep breaths helped her push it back down and regain control over it. Maybe all Bren’s contemplation training wasn’t so bad after all.
Bren’s hand tightened around hers and he glared fiercely at Ciara. Something had to have happened between the two of them in the past. It was the only reason Neala could see for such hostility. The idea of Bren with any other girl, made her angry, but she did her best to hide it.
“I brought wine,” Ciara said in a badly faked cheerful tone.
Her glare turned into a smile that was more of a grimace as she swept past them to hand the wineskin to Irial. The look Irial gave her as she accepted it was cold. Ciara looked down and hunched her shoulders as if she had been scolded. From beneath her blond bangs she glared at Neala again. It felt like a weight upon her forehead, pressing in, menacing. Uttering an exasperated sound, Irial turned on Ciara. Her fists were balled up and green and purple energy glowed around them.
“Ciara, if ye cannot be polite to our guest then ye’ll have to leave,” Irial warned.
Ciara bowed her head and took a step back. “I’m terribly sorry, Rector. It won’t happen again.”