Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
With Fletcher’s help, the twins rushed Eoin into the townhouse and up to the bathroom in Nox’s bedchamber.
Silas left a still dazed Tighe in the hallway with Everly so he could check on Eoin’s condition.
The spacious bathroom was crowded as bodies—some of them rather large—hovered over the massive Ossor.
Eoin’s filthy sweater and shirt had been ripped off and Nox and Merlin rushed in and out with supplies.
Fletcher and the twins' medical bags had been retrieved and the three of them whispered and passed each other sterilized tools as they worked.
“He’s in great hands,” Silas said when he rejoined Tighe in the hallway. He was shaking and crying, babbling about hurting his brother and apologizing for losing control. It was obvious that Tighe was disoriented and confused about what had happened before and after he went into a violent frenzy.
“What have I done? It’s all my fault!”
“No! Dùbhghlas did this,” Silas stated firmly. “He kidnapped Eoin and brought him here to force you out and trap you. He did this but you whooped his ass and saved Eoin.”
“I need to see him!” Tighe tried to pull away but Silas wrapped him in a tight hug and rocked him. “Soon! I promise. Right now, he’s being tended to by three highly competent medical professionals.”
Everly set a hand on Tighe’s arm, smiling softly. “Bryn and Arawn have been fixing humans for hundreds of years. They were abolitionists and doctors in the Civil War and operated on people right next to the battlefield.”
“There you go,” Silas said with an appreciative nod at Everly. “Those three have seen a hell of a lot worse.”
“Well…” Everly’s face scrunched. “Most of Fletch’s patients are already dead and some of them have really bad—”
“Thank you!” Silas cut him off before he could scare Tighe. “I bet some tea would make Tighe feel better,” he said and Everly gasped and bolted for the stairs, leaving them alone. There was a yell and a loud clatter as Everly tumbled down the steps.
“I’m okay!” Everly shouted, making Silas laugh.
“So glad he’s married to a medic.” He leaned back and searched Tighe’s eyes to see if more of the fog had lifted. “Fletch and Arawn said it didn’t look like anything critical had been hit and your brother’s a beast.”
“I was a beast,” Tighe sighed as he rubbed his cheek against Silas’s palm. “I thought I hurt Eoin too.”
“No, he’s going to pull through because you ripped Dùbhghlas’s arm off and tore out his throat.”
Tighe jumped, his eyes huge with horror. “What? No!”
“Shhhh!” Silas kissed him tenderly, inwardly proud of Tighe and mad that Dùbhghlas was able to drag his miserable ass away.
He’d left his arm behind, though, and Merlin had rushed out to collect it.
According to Merlin, the arm wasn’t likely to grow back and Dùbhghlas would have to learn to cope without his right hand.
For Silas, that was the next best thing to killing Dùbhghlas.
Every time the bastard missed his arm or felt a phantom ache, he’d remember that he’d fucked with the Ossors and see Tighe’s enraged face in his nightmares.
Everly was able to carry a tray upstairs without a calamity and they shared a pot of tea, cookies, and fruit on the hallway floor. After, Tighe’s energy plummeted and Silas held him as he slept. By the time he woke up, Eoin had been moved to Nox’s bed and was resting comfortably.
“Can I see him?” Tighe asked Arawn and he nodded.
“I don’t see why not. He’s going to need a few days for the swelling around the wound and stitches to subside and we’re going to keep an eye out for any signs of infection, but Eoin should make a full recovery.”
“Thank you!” Tighe threw his arms around Arawn and lifted him. “Thank you!” he said after putting Arawn down, wiping his eyes and smiling at Fletcher and Bryn gratefully. “I was afraid I was going to lose him.”
“Nah!” Bryn waved dismissively. “It would take a lot more than that puny dagger to take him down.”
With that, Tighe was shown into Nox’s room and an armchair was placed by the bed so he could sit with Eoin. He held onto Eoin’s hand and refused to move until he woke up. When Eoin’s eyes finally opened, he let out a rough chuckle.
“Did ye rip the fecker to shreds?”
“Aye,” Tighe mouthed, crying as he nodded. “He still got away.”
“But he won’ be forgetten’ about ye and ye’ll be chasin’ ‘im in his nightmares,” Eoin said, beaming at Tighe. “It’s good to see yer doin’ well, brother.”
“I am! And you have a family! They’re so beautiful, Eoin!”
“Aye! Ye’ve seen ‘em, then!” he said excitedly. He attempted to sit up and grunted as he hugged his side.
“Don’t do that!” Tighe scolded as he got up and carefully eased a few more pillows behind Eoin’s shoulders. “They said you’re going to make a full recovery but you have to be still for a few days.”
“I have to get back. Deidre must be sick with worry,” Eoin said but Tighe shook his head.
“Agent Nelson got a message to her and she’s seen pictures of you resting, to prove you’re safe and recovering.”
Eoin relaxed, his gaze drifting to Silas. “And who’re ye?” he asked and Tighe smiled over his shoulder at him.
“That’s Silas. He’s mine,” he said, causing Silas’s tummy to do a somersault and his lips to spread into a goofy grin.
“It’s good to meet you, Eoin.”
Eoin stifled a groan as he held his hand out and Silas rushed to take it. “It’s good to meet ye, brother.”
“Easy!” Silas clasped his hand warmly, lowering it onto the bed. “Let’s get you mended and back to your family, where you belong.”
“I would appreciate that. And where is it ye belong? Where’re ye takin’ Tighe after this?” Eoin asked and Silas shrugged.
“We’re not sure yet, but it’s going to be someplace quiet and away from the city. I’m taking your brother back to the forest as deep in the woods as I can handle. But you’ll be able to call or write as much as you want now and I can bring Tighe up to New Hampshire to visit.”
“Can ye?” Eoin looked at Tighe, laughing. “I prayed I’d get to see ye one more time and to know ye were well, but to have ye back home? I would die happy to see ye holdin’ me wee lass.”
Tighe nodded rapidly, his eyes shimmering. “I’ll come as soon as I can. Even if I have to go in a car.”
“Och! I’ve been in one of them bastards,” Eoin said with a shudder.
There was a soft tap at the door before it opened and Nox leaned in. “How’s the patient doing?” he asked in a gentle whisper.
“Come on in! It’s yer room, ain’t it?” Eoin said gruffly and Nox bowed his head.
“It is,” he said as he entered, one arm behind his back.
“I’m Lennox MacIlwraith. Welcome to my home.
I’ve brought a…housewarming gift for you and your brother,” he told Eoin and revealed two very odd, ugly dolls.
They appeared to be made out of filthy bits of rag and twigs with tufts of frizzy gray hair.
Tighe took one and sniffed it. “Uck!” he held it away and risked a glance at Nox. “Thank you?” he said weakly.
“It’s your poppet,” Nox said as he set the other at the foot of the bed.
“It’s a poppet!” Tighe parroted, jumping excitedly. “We have a poppet, Silas! Look at it!” he waved it at Silas but he leaned back, not wanting the disgusting thing near him.
“I see that.”
Nox crossed his arms over his chest, amused.
“There were plenty of scraps to work with and Merlin took a powerful ring off of Dùbhghlas’s finger.
It’s in Tighe’s poppet. We’ll help both of you burn them and show you were to bury the ashes so your homes are protected.
We’re pretty sure Dùbhghlas has learned his lesson about messing with Ossors after Tighe went berserk but the poppets are good insurance. ”
“I love it!” Tighe hugged the foul thing, looking pleased. “Now we can have our own place.”
“I can’t wait.” Silas was ready to get the hell out of Georgetown and have Tighe all to himself.
“I hope you won’t go too far,” Nox said. “We’ll miss you and you never know when you might need a hand and we could always use another pair of brave, good hearts.”
“We won’t!” Tighe replied before Silas could answer. “We owe you and I don’t want Hugh Dùbhghlas to hurt anyone else.”
Silas couldn’t argue with that. He never would have known Tighe existed if it weren’t for Nox. “We won’t go too far.”
“You don’t owe me anything but I'm really glad to hear it. Feel up to eating some soup?” Nox asked Eoin.
“A trough of soup, if ye’ve got one.”
“I’ll get Merlin right on it,” Nox said, then left them.
“He’s an odd one, but he’s not so bad,” Eoin noted and Tighe nodded.
“Nox is very good.”
“He’s great,” Silas agreed, then excused himself so the brothers could have some time alone.
Nox was at the linen closet, putting away a stack of clean towels. It had only been a few hours since they finished operating on Eoin but everything within the townhouse was back in order. Silas could hear voices and laughter in the kitchen and smelled coffee and breakfast being prepared.
“So, what now?” Silas asked Nox as he closed the closet’s doors and leaned against it.
“I was thinking of asking Smoak if he could take Eoin home and save him the trauma of traveling by automobile.”
Silas nodded. “That’s probably a good idea, if Smoak will do it.”
“Eh!” Nox made a dismissive gesture. “I’ll get Niall to ask him. All he has to do is bat his lashes and Smoak turns to goo.”
“I can hear you!” A deep voice bellowed all around them.
Nox flashed Silas a wide, cheeky smile. “Then, I was thinking we’d help you and Niall with your dream houses.”
“Oh.” Silas was touched. He was looking forward to doing most of it himself but it was nice to know that plenty of help was available if he needed it. “That’s great, but I meant what do we do about Dùbhghlas?”
“Dùbhghlas?” Nox’s neck craned. “What is there to do?”
“Umm… Go after him and finish things once and for all while he’s badly injured and scared. Tighe caught Dùbhghlas by surprise and while he was getting his bearings. Don’t give him time to heal and get stronger,” Silas suggested but Nox shook his head.
“Whether we intended to or not, we’ve helped Dùbhghlas achieve a threefold death. I was afraid of that and I don’t want to risk another tactical error. Let’s leave him to seethe and stew—deal with the consequences—while we live and grow happier and stronger.”
“I can’t believe you’d allow him to continue, knowing he’s plotting against you.”
Nox raised a brow. “Do you think he’s the only one who’s plotting against me?
” he whispered. “I’m certain Smoak is currently planning my downfall.
” He looked at the ceiling and waited but there was no confirmation.
Nox shrugged. “What would I be if I annihilated everyone who was plotting against me? A tyrant,” he answered with a gag.
“If we’re lucky, Dùbhghlas will have learned his lesson and will find something better to do with his time. ”
“Like pickleball?” Silas offered sarcastically. “I don’t know what that is but I saw an ad in the park. Do you seriously think Dùbhghlas is going to let this go?”
“No, but I have to give him a chance to see the error of his ways. If not, I become the thing that must be stopped,” Nox explained.
“I see…”
Suddenly, Silas did see and understood why Nox wasn’t in a hurry to confront Dùbhghlas and looked rattled every time someone mentioned a Hunt.
He was already fighting a battle, resisting the godly inclination to rise and hold dominion over all his light touched.
To most men, the call would be irresistible but Nox cherished his human life and Nelson more than he wanted power.
That was why he was the good god, described in many of the myths and legends Silas had read while at the townhouse.
Being a professor, an investigator, and a man in love were the pinnacle for Nox and he wanted the same peace and satisfaction for the people he cared about.
The introduction had been rocky and it had taken some adjustment on Silas’s part, but he felt honored to be included in Nox’s strange family.
He was even beginning to like Smoak as crazy as that seemed.
“Don’t get carried away,” Nox said as he patted Silas’s arm. “But it’s great having you and Tighe on the team.”
“I’ve changed my mind,” Silas said with a glare.
“No, you haven’t!” Nox replied and tapped his temple as he pushed away from the linen closest and headed for the stairs. “I’ll ask Nelson to look into this pickleball. Maybe we can start a family league.”
“That would be great,” Silas called after him, laughing as he headed for his and Tighe’s room.
It had only been a few weeks since Nox and Nelson arrived on Silas’s doorstep but his entire life had changed in ways that no one could have predicted.
But then, who could have ever predicted that there would be demons, demigods, changelings, and hellhounds to befriend and warlocks to battle?
There had been moments when Silas had wondered if he was still cursed, but now he felt blessed by fate and couldn’t wait for the next adventure.