Chapter 16 #2
“It’s terrible,” Tighe agreed. “I left because I wanted peace and I hoped that there was more to life than cruelty and violence. I always miss my brother, Eoin, but I was happier after I left my pack.”
Smoak let out a frustrated groan and dragged a hand down his face. “Can we focus on the death and breech birth, please?” he said and Merlin nodded.
“Your supposed death is concerning and a breech birth could be a good or a very bad omen. I’ll need to do more research into this.”
“It also puts him one step closer to a threefold death,” Smoak added, eliciting horrified gasps from Niall and Merlin.
“What does that mean?” Tighe asked, looking from face to face.
Smoak cringed. “I’ll take your tongue if you repeat this but it’s how you make and end a demon,” he said.
“There are several ways to accomplish three deaths, but selling your soul—soul death—and actual death are two of the most common ways. The third can be a symbolic death or in your case, an actual death and resurrection. That’s strike one, Ossor.
You haven’t made any deals in exchange for your soul have you? ”
“No!” Tighe said without hesitating. “I’d never do that.”
“Make sure you don’t,” Merlin told him solemnly. “If you do and you die again, you’ll spend an eternity in torment as a servant of the darkness.”
“It’s not that bad. Some would even say it’s worth it,” Smoak said and Merlin hissed and flailed at him.
“We’ll have none of your lies!”
“Knock it off, Cenn,” Niall scolded, flashing them an apologetic smile. “I don’t think he’d actually do it.”
“Oh, I would,” Smoak said, then grunted when he was elbowed. “I wouldn’t.”
Niall humphed in approval. “He knows I’d never forgive him but Cenn has more of a conscience than he lets on.”
“More of a—!” Merlin scoffed. “He is a demon, lad. No, scratch that. He is the demon. Whatever the opposite of a conscience is, that is what Cenn Cruach is. All he is capable of is deception and malice.”
“He’s caring and gentle with me,” Niall pointed out. “He might twist the truth a little to protect my feelings but I won’t tolerate outright lying.”
“Omission does some heavy lifting too,” Smoak whispered from behind his hand, making Niall shake his head.
“Don’t listen to him.”
“I think you should,” Merlin said pointedly, then turned his attention back to Tighe. “A near-death experience like that would count. We can assume that you will die some day but if you sell your soul, you will not find glory with your brother and your ancestors,” he warned.
“I won’t,” Tighe repeated. “They said I was cursed by the fae and that's why I didn’t belong with the Ossors. Is it true?” he asked and Merlin clicked his teeth.
“That’s not always clear when it comes to fae magick. It can be a blessing or a curse. But it’s clear that you’re destined to do good things.”
Tighe frowned at him. “How can you be sure?”
“You could have chosen a life of violence and embraced that frenzy you fought so hard to suppress. It would have made your brothers and your elders fear and respect you, but you craved peace and poetry. A peaceful, open heart and a curious mind can only be a blessing,” Merlin said and Smoak silently gagged.
“Sounds incredibly dull to me.”
“Not to me,” Niall countered with a loaded look at Smoak. “In fact, our dreams are pretty much the same. I’m renovating a farmhouse and Silas is building a tiny house for Tighe, but we both want to be surrounded by nature, not screens and skyscrapers.”
Smoak opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.
“You’re not at all the same,” he finally said and pointed at Tighe.
“He’s more animal and fae than man. That’s why he was cast out of his pack.
Dùbhghlas probably thought a golden ticket had landed in his lap when he saw your name in the paper or heard it on the news.
An Ossor, alone and so far from his pack…
I bet the women still tell tales about that fae Ossor baby that died and came back to life and how he was never quite right.
Dùbhghlas had big plans for you but the sun god snatched you away from him. ”
“I don’t care about his plans,” Tighe said, despite the tickle of paranoia in his gut. His fear for Eoin returned and Tighe silently vowed that he would turn the full force of his frenzy on Dùbhghlas if his brother was harmed.
“You should care. You will, soon enough,” Smoak predicted and Merlin chuckled.
“We’ll be ready for him. He’s growing more and more desperate, which means he’ll take bigger risks and make more mistakes.”
“That, I agree with,” Smoak said. “Dùbhghlas always assumes he’ll get what he wants and everything will go his way.
He’ll have a backup plan and an escape ready because he’s a coward but his ego is too big to fathom anything other than victory.
And when something doesn’t go his way, there is hell to pay and it’s often blamed on Merlin Oglethorpe. ”
That got a pleased humph out of Merlin. “I’ve taken great pleasure from being a thorn in Dùbhghlas’s side.
I only regret that I didn’t do more before, when I had the chance.
I was sure he murdered his mother but I couldn’t prove it and at the time, no one wanted to believe he was capable.
Nox’s father, Lucas, and I were eventually able to show that Dùbhghlas was practicing dark magick and necromancy and he was shunned.
I had hoped that shame and isolation would have changed his heart, but Dùbhghlas has only grown more devious and desperate. ”
“His grudge against you and the MacIlwraiths will follow Dùbhghlas to his grave. It will be his demise or bring destruction and havoc upon the world of men,” Smoak said, his eyes taking on a blue glow.
“It could also bring about your end,” Merlin mused with a wicked smirk. “Demons can be undone and Tighe isn’t the only one on the brink of a threefold death, if I recall correctly.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time. I’m tired, Oglethorpe, and Niall is about the only thing keeping me from challenging the young sun god myself.”
Merlin stiffened, his glare hardened. “That would be foolish.”
“That would be a blaze of glory. Let someone else be Father of Demons. Hell, let Dùbhghlas wear the crown,” Smoak said with an eye roll. “He deserves to be dead and empty.”
Niall gave him another swift jab. “Stop it! You don’t mean that.”
“Of course not,” Smoak said in a placating tone but nodded at Merlin.
“I’m going upstairs. You should join me,” Niall said as he calmly set down his cup and saucer. “This has been very informative, thank you.”
With that, Niall left, Smoak trailing after him. Merlin and Tighe both suppressed surprised giggles.
“I have a feeling that young Niall will be reminding his lordship that he has much to be grateful for and his life is not as empty as he suggests,” Merlin said, then waved his hands. “How would you like to make your very own tea blend?”
“My own!” Tighe replied, nodding rapidly.
“Come this way!” Merlin said as he ushered Tighe out of the study. “What could be more fun than playing in the pantry and decorating your own tin?”
Tighe was torn, because he was thrilled at the prospect of picking out his own herbs and flowers and inventing a new tea… “Kittens,” he said, making Merlin gasp.
“Oh, yes! Kittens are the most fun but playing with tea is a close second.”