Aislinn wriggled out of Fionn’s grip. So full of life she wanted to embrace the entire world, she danced around the yard, weaving in and out of the men with Rune nipping at her heels and barking. An undercurrent of Gaelic followed her. The only thing she made out was something like, let the lass have this moment. ’Twill end all too soon.
Aislinn spun and wove her way back to men and dragon. “Amazing!” She breathed deep. “Simply amazing.” She looked right into Dewi’s eyes, no longer afraid. “When can we do it again?”
“Soon. You need practice marshaling your magic in flight—and hitting targets from the air.” Something warm brushed Aislinn’s face and traveled down her body. Dewi was breathing on her, marking her. The warmth felt maternal somehow, with a tenderness that brought tears dangerously close to the surface.
With her scales glimmering in light from the newly risen sun, Dewi became progressively more insubstantial. In moments, she was gone. Aislinn wrapped her arms around herself. Without the dragon’s warmth, the chill of the dawn ate into her. “Where did she go?”
“To gather as many of us as she can find in the Old Country—and other places.” Gwydion’s voice was deadly serious. “We go to war, lass. The sooner we mobilize worldwide, the better our chances will be.”
“Yes, either we oust the dark, or surrender to them. There is no middle ground,” Arawn snapped.
“You’re only just now realizing that?” Aislinn stared at them, arms akimbo. She sounded rude, but didn’t care. “Christ, I’ve known that ever since I watched my father die at their hands three years ago.”
Fionn motioned for her to be quiet, but she ignored him. “Whoever Dewi went to find, I’ll bet it’s not the humans I’ve fought side by side with. Who’s going to tell them what’s happening?” She scanned the group, but the men seemed to be looking elsewhere. “We need to warn them. Remember, the Old Ones gave us our orders. That’s how we knew where to go and who to fight. We had no idea they were in league with the dark.”
The more she thought about it, the madder Aislinn got. Finally, she picked up a good-sized rock and chucked it at a nearby fence. It plonked off, and she chucked another. “Pretty fucking convenient, if you ask me. No wonder we never made any headway.”
She ran to Fionn and grabbed his arm. “We have to let what’s left of my race know. Otherwise, the Old Ones will lure them right to their doom. Plus, they’ll fight for us. I know they will. They want to rid Earth of the dark more than anyone. We’re the ones who’ve suffered most, watching everyone we ever loved die.”
The tears that had threatened earlier overflowed and streamed down her face, but she didn’t care if they made her look weak.
“Just how are ye proposing to do that?” Fionn’s voice was gentle.
She brushed at her wet cheeks impatiently. “I know where some people are. I could tell them. They could tell others. It would be like a chain.”
“How long would that take?” Gwydion, who’d walked over to them, asked.
“I don’t know. Does it even matter?”
“Ye canna save them all—” Gwydion began.
“I know that,” she broke in. “The important thing is that we at least try to warn as many as we can. We could start right here. There must be people between here and the Utah line.” Spinning on her heels, she ran for the house.
Fionn and Rune dashed after her. “What are ye doing?” Fionn called.
“I’m going to get a few things together. Then I’m leaving. There’s nothing for me to do here right now.” Pounding up the steps, she slid through the wards and into the house.
“If ye insist on going, I’m coming with you,” Fionn said. “But hold up, there are things ye need to know that might make this easier.”
“I am coming, too.” Rune panted. “We are bond mates. That means we stay together.”
“What things?” Aislinn was in the bedroom, tossing things into her rucksack.
“Ye have all the human gifts—”
“Ridiculous,” she spat, not bothering to look at him. “I had Mage and Seeker—”
“And ye added Healer and Hunter in the blink of an eye,” he interrupted. “That leaves Seer. We discussed it while ye were getting to know Dewi and agreed ye must have that talent as well. MacLochlainns carry all the gifts. I told ye that ye had magic long afore the Surge. ’Tis not my fault ye dinna believe me.”
“So?” She tossed her pack over one shoulder. “I’m ready to go. I plan to use my Seeker skills to find others like me.”