Resting my head in my hands, I tried to understand why a woman would have children knowing that they would kill each other. That was the only part that didn’t make sense. Over and over, I turned it in my mind, trying to find the reason why. Because, while I’d told myself we were done, Darcy was still my mother, and if there was a chance we could reconcile, it might be worth the try. Maybe.
“I’m going outside a minute,” I said, pushing my chair back with a loud scrape. Bres poured a mug of tea. “Here, take this with you.” The clay mug was heavy, meant for much larger hands than my own.
I lifted it to my lips and the faint taste of Fairy Honey whispered across my tongue. The ache in my body from the mad dash of flight began to ease within seconds. Clutching my mug, I stepped back outside and went to watch the three Smiths.
The sight was awe-inspiring. They moved as a unit, a well-oiled machine. Paddy held a piece of metal with a huge pair of tongs while Wil and Angus struck it with hammers, one right after the other. The pounding of the metal was rhythmic and steady. Neither Angus nor Wil moved; it was Paddy who made adjustments by shifting the steel on the anvil.
I wanted to talk to Wil, but knew that I couldn’t interrupt him, not now.
Bres came to stand beside me, putting one hand on the small of my back. “We’re almost there, Quinn. Be easy on yourself for a moment. Rest. Ta battle will be here soon enough.”
Leaning into his side, I knew he was right. I’d be facing off against Chaos, Ashling, before I was ready.
Without a word, Bres took my hand and led me away from the forging. We walked to the edge of the clearing where a well-worn path started. Again, he led, but didn’t let go of me.
Along the edge the flowers bloomed, the scent of them filling the air. I took a deep breath and let it out in a slow sigh. For a moment, maybe I could forget what was coming.
The path led us to another small clearing, this one more like the Banshee bowers. Enclosed, private and peaceful. A bench sat in the middle next to a pond that was full of colourful darting fish.
Bres took me over to it and sat me down. “This is a good spot to rest.”
I smiled up at him and he ran his finger along the edge of my jaw. Our eyes met and I couldn’t look away, captured by his violet gaze. Slowly, inch-by-inch, he leaned into me until our lips touched and in that moment the world was all right, the wrongs of it kissed away.
His arms wrapped around me, the tea mugs forgotten as he claimed my mouth. Tongue delving deep, I could taste the Fairy Honey on his lips, along with the flavour that was solely him. He slid his hands under my shirt, running his fingers up and down my spine, tracing patterns that made my skin shiver with anticipation.
I pulled back to catch my breath. “Bres, I . . .”
“Hush, I know you love us both,” he said against my lips, pulling me into his lap. “For now, we are both yours.”
11
Hours passed as Bres and I lay in the seclusion of the trees, wrapped around one another, dozing between kissing and tasting one another. There was a peace here, not just in that place, but in his arms. Safety was a feeling I’d almost given up on.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Bres stood. “Come, let me show you some moves with ta sword. You will be needing it when it comes to Chaos.”
Basic swordplay was, in theory, easy to understand. But it was not so easy to learn in a single night. Bres settled for showing me how to block effectively.
We used two long sticks and he had me do the blocks repeatedly, until I felt like the Karate Kid with his first lesson.
“Wax on, wax off. I think I get it,” I said, smiling up at Bres.
His brow crinkled. “This has nothing to do with wax.”
A burst of laughter I couldn’t contain rippled out of me. It felt good, and that made me feel guilty for that spurt of happiness. “Never mind. I think I’ve got it.”
“Let’s try a basic attack.” He slid through the move, making it look easy.
I stumbled the first time, and then slowly, my body did as I asked. Over and over I repeated the movement.
Bres waved his hand. “That is as good as I think we are going to get. Just remember one thing: don’t let her in your guard. If you do that, it’ll all be over. Don’t let her get past your sword. Okay?”
“Got it. Don’t let her stab me.” Again, I chuckled, the dark humour suiting me for the moment. Bres didn’t laugh.
Sitting back down, he tugged on my hand. “Sit with me.”
Curling up next to him, I wondered how much longer it would be. Would the process take days? I wasn’t sure we had that much time. I laid my head against his shoulder. What would happen if we made it through this alive, all of us? Would I be able to choose between the boys? The night drifted around us, and with it, my thoughts wandered in and out of the present, past and future.