Chapter 13
KYLIN TAPPED LIGHTLY at Deidre’s door.
As he had expected, she opened it immediately, ready to head to their private meeting with Declan.
Dreams! Or are they nightmares, taunting me about something that I might never have?
So real that he felt he had walked to her door before. Opened it, stood there, seen her, and seen a welcoming light in her eyes, a smile on her lips, a longing and care as deep as his own.
“Good morning,” he said. “You have everything? We’ll head out on the road as soon as we’ve briefed Declan on what we’re doing.”
“Of course, I am ready,” she assured him.
She was amazingly strong, stalwart and beautiful.
He had to put his mind on the very real danger they had joined together to fight.
“Shall we?”
She grinned and took his arm. “Of course, my beloved!”
The halls were empty as they moved, but, as he had noted the night before, Declan had posted guards, even in the quiet of the night hours, when most of his people and guests should be sleeping.
He was grateful to see the extra protection. Deidre was, too. She murmured softly, “Thank God! Declan is truly taking care now.”
“I am so very, very glad,” he murmured in reply.
One of the guards was a warrior with whom Kylin had trained. Kylin nodded to him; the guard made a small motion in return.
They were first to arrive at the ard-rí’s intimate council chamber, other than Declan himself who greeted them curiously, and Daniel, who was always at his side now.
“So, my friends, my dear allies, what is it now?” Declan asked. “Or do we need to wait for Cillian and Eion?”
“They know what we’re about to tell you. Sire, have you heard about disappearances near the hills at Derue, just beyond the sacred Hill of Tara?” Kylin asked.
Ard-rí Declan let out a long breath. “I have heard of people setting out on journeys from county to county—and not arriving. But it can be so difficult. Sometimes, people just choose to move, to leave overbearing situations, but—you don’t believe that’s the case,” he said, pausing, his head down for a moment before he looked up at them again.
“Supposedly, by legend, the hills are filled with the fairy folk, some of them evil. The Fir Bolg were defeated by the Tuatha de Danaan, and yet they are still resentful, practicing their revenge at times. Well, according to legend they all fought great battles in their day. But do you believe the stories of the banshees?”
“I believe that currently, sire, the evil is human. Eion had men moving ahead when he would have traveled home—two disappeared, one was found gravely injured and he died soon after he was discovered, despite attempts to staunch his wounds,” Kylin told him.
“All part of this great battle plan against us?” Declan asked.
Kylin nodded gravely and saw that Deidre did the same.
There was a tap at the door. Daniel opened it with one hand; the other was on his knife. He was ever prepared for danger against his ard-rí.
But it was Cillian and Eion, as expected. The two men entered, and Declan quickly explained that Kylin and Deidre had briefed him on what had happened.
“We wanted you to know, sire, that we are going to scout out the hills and discover just what is going on,” Eion told them.
“You don’t want to take a great force with you?” Declan asked.
Eion looked at Kylin, who explained, “No, sire, first, we want to see just what is going on there. It’s my belief that there may be ten men or so within those hills, enough to take on a few warriors, but not start a massive battle.
Travelers across the land are not expecting attacks inland and they might be easily taken.
Even warriors—such as Eion’s men—resting at night might be taken by surprise, as it seemed his men were.
We won’t be surprised, sire, we’ll be looking for them.
And if we can remove them, then we have taken away another of the enemy’s planned methods of a great attack across the land. ”
The ard-rí looked at Cillian, frowning. “You will be part of this?”
“Nay, Declan. I am here because I will ride out with them. As I arrived with Kylin and Deidre, I will leave with them. And I will be prepared to ride back for them with a multitude of warriors if they do not make their discoveries quickly. But if they can slip in . . . then whoever is behind this may not know that their men have been taken down.”
“I see,” Declan said. “But I will be told as soon as possible—”
“Aye, sire, we will return, I vow,” Kylin said.
Declan nodded.
“There is more that I can give you now,” Cillian told him.
“I did not travel alone, but I will go on with my people except for a chosen few. There is a clearing deep within the woods that border the hills. That’s where Kylin, Deidre, Eion and his man, Magnus, will leave their horses.
I sincerely doubt that any enemy can know about this place—I have not shared the wonder of it with my own people.
My father brought me once when I was small.
This allows them proximity without being seen as they slip silently through the trees to reach the hills. ”
Kylin nodded at Cillian, smiling. Of course, if anyone knew the area well, it was Cillian. And without being with them himself, he was giving them something that was tremendously important in their quest for subterfuge.
“Take care, then, my dearest friends. From this vantage point, I shall await.”
“Aye, Declan,” Cillian said. “Men can return to you quickly with news.”
“Sire, Magnus and I will return here,” Eion told Declan.
The ard-rí nodded. “I’ve seen to it that your horses are ready, there is food for your journey packed upon the animals. May the God of St. Patrick be with you, along with the angels who might well be the fairies of our past.”
“Thank you, Declan, sire,” Deidre said. “You needed to know what we were about.”
“We will hold our island, for this stage in the history of man, at least,” Declan said. “My faith in you is great!”
“And we will do all that we can to earn that faith, sire,” Kylin assured him. He looked at Eion and Cillian. “Shall we, then?”
Cillian and Eion started out along with Deidre.
Declan caught Kylin’s arm.
“Sire?”
“I just want to commend you again, congratulate you, commend you and pray for you. Lad, you head into danger with the woman you love, and yet you give her the same faith you would any man,” Declan said very softly.
Kylin nodded, feeling a mix of emotions.
She isn’t really my betrothed. Only in my dreams!
She was chosen by someone to find the silver sword of myth and he was certain that she knew well how to use it.
“Sire, you know Eamon’s story, the way he lost his cherished wife.
Women watch men go to battle all the time—they pray that their men will return.
All of us are prey to violence, and I am grateful that my betrothed is not a damsel who is helpless, but a warrior ready to face the world against the attacks of those who are innocent.
I worry about her and she worries about me,” he said.
As he spoke, he saw that Deidre had stepped back into the room. She was waiting for him, of course.
“Sire,” he said respectfully, nodding his head before he strode over to Deidre. He set his hand upon her shoulder, and they left together, meeting Cillian, Eion and Magnus where they waited outside the chamber.
Kylin had trained with Magnus at various times and they shared a Norse background.
He assumed that the man also had to defend his loyalty at times, but it appeared that Eion had tremendous faith in him.
Magnus was a big man, tall, heavily muscled, perhaps close to fifty now, with the blue eyes and blond hair so easily found among the Northmen. They welcomed him on their mission.
“I would give my life gladly for Rí Eion, for Declan and Eamon!” he told Deidre. “Men who have given me their faith. Whatever we find, we will conquer, I do so swear.”
“Even a demon banshee?” Kylin asked, arching a brow.
Magnus laughed softly. “Even a demon banshee. But I don’t believe that any of us here think a demon banshee is guilty of any of this.”
“And so, we ride,” Cillian said.
Others were beginning to stir, and Kylin didn’t wish to speak of their plans when others might hear.
Not even Declan trusted all who might be in his household anymore.
They said farewell to various friends and acquaintances as they made their way from the hall to the stables.
They thanked the ard-rí’s groom for caring for their animals and packing their provisions for the next day or so.
And finally, they headed out.
Kylin managed to take the lead with Cillian at his side while Magnus and Eion rode behind, Deidre between them. Cillian’s three warriors trailed the group.
They traveled several miles in basic silence, moving slowly through certain trails, racing ahead when they reached great expanses of various valleys.
Then, after they’d ridden awhile and with only Cillian in earshot, Kylin felt that he could speak freely at last. “I am grateful that you know of a safe place for our horses. I feared that we’d spend half the morning seeking such a place.”