It turned its head and bared its teeth, letting out a low growl. Definitely not a horse sound.
Angus and Wil ignored the growls and saddled up the two Aughisky. Bres pulled me aside and whispered in my ear. “If we get anywhere close to salt water, I want you to throw yourself from its back.”
“What? Why?” I asked as he pulled me a little further away, his face grim.
“They drown their riders and eat them.”
“Then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this!” I said, feeling a wave of panic. “And I haven’t ridden a horse in years, how am I going to stay on if we’re riding full tilt to stay ahead of the Fomorii?”
I didn’t have time to ask any more questions. Wil grabbed me about the waist and swung me up onto the back of the first Aughisky, ignoring my squeak of protest.
There were no reins, only the slick black mane that felt reminiscent of seaweed. I gripped the hair until my knuckles were white, and took a deep breath. The beast trembled below me, its sides shivering as if flies were landing on its hide.
Bres mounted the other Aughisky, mounting as if he’d been born to the saddle and not the water.
Angus patted my leg. “Don’t worry lass, these two boys will get you past ta Fomorii, wit out a doubt. You only have ta tell them where it is you want ta go.”
Licking my lips, I nodded. “Nuadha has a camp, somewhere on the Island.” I glanced over at Bres who gave me a small nod. “So we’ll have to go to Fianna first to find out where Nuadha is. Unless you know?”
The three Smiths shook their heads in unison. “Nope, to ta Banshee Queen it is, then, boys, then you’ll take Quinn and Bres ta their next destination, then come straight back home. No hunting.”
The Aughisky below me let out a snort and Bres’ mount actually chuckled. This was seeming like less and less of a good idea.
Before I could say anything else, Angus slapped the rump of my Aughisky and we bolted out of the stable, Bres and his mount hot on our heels. I gripped the mane as tight as I could, feeling the strands slide through my fingers. I had to settle for gripping the front edge of the saddle.
The Aughisky was smooth, its gait was one that was easy to sit, but the speed was terrifying. The trees blurred by, which was bad enough, but when the mound we’d entered through rose up as if it were a living thing and opened, the creatures we rode dove into it. I couldn’t stop the scream that escaped me. Hunching over the saddle, I buried my face against the neck of the Aughisky. The scent of the ocean surrounded me, and I actually looked up expecting to see water.
But there was no water, only the exit out of the mound into the base of the ravine where the Fomorii army waited for us.
We burst out of the mound, startling the Fomorii guards. My mount struck out with its fanged mouth, snatching a pound or two of flesh as it ripped by the Fomorii. From the squeal behind me, I had no doubt that Bres’ mount had done a follow up.
Splatters of blood flipped back towards me as the Aughisky threw its head back to swallow the chunk of flesh. Flesh eating horses were not my idea of a good, safe ride, not that I had any choice now.
The Fomorii were in an uproar as they scrambled to stop us, but they were too late; we were already climbing the shale hill, covering it with a speed that left the army in the dust. At the top I yelled “Stop!” and, remarkably, my mount froze, obeying my command.
Bres and his mount had caught up to us. I stared back the way we’d come, my eyes searching for a sign of the strawberry blonde curls that would give Chaos away. But there was nothing. She’d gone to ground.
In a burst of anger, I screamed across at the Fomorii. “Tell Chaos, she is DEAD!”
My mount gave a snort and I was certain that he approved. “Let’s go.” Leaping forward, the Aughisky ran, retracing our footsteps the way we’d come, bursting through the waterfall and covering the Hall of the Dead in no time. Bres kept trying to get my attention, to get me to speak to him, but I was buried in my own thoughts and wanted to stay there.
It wasn’t long before we were at the edge of Cathedral grove, the Banshees’ Enchanted Forest. The Aughisky slowed their mad pace to a simple canter, and the world no longer was blurred around us. We weren’t stopped by the Banshee guards, but we were followed as we made our way deep into the forest to find Fianna.
We didn’t dismount, which I was glad for. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to walk again. The muscles in my legs and butt were aching, and I was certain I had a blister on my ass despite the smooth movement of my mount.
Fianna raised a hand in greeting to us and we shared our request. “Nuadha has chosen to camp on the far side of the island, where the ocean meets the shore. We cannot go with you now, but when the time comes for the battle between you and Chaos, the Banshees will be there.”