Chapter 2 #2
“Calum—” Theo started to object, but Pippa appeared by his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Theo startled. He’d forgotten how quickly baobhan-sith could move.
“It’s okay,” Pippa whispered. “Accept the help your brother is offering, Theo.” There was something unspoken in Pippa’s eyes, but Theo didn’t push it.
“All right.” Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. “So we head out to find the Blue Men of the Minch. We ask them to give us the details of Cliodhna’s curse and tell them, in return, they’ll be allowed to access the internal waterways of Scotland.”
“Correct.” Calum agreed. “I’ve let the water sprites and creatures of the rivers who are loyal to Scotland know that you’re coming.
As long as you travel through the lakes, streams, and lochs of Scotland, you’ll be granted safe passage to the Minch.
” Calum paused for a moment, cracking his knuckles. “Well, as safe as we can guarantee.”
Emmett spoke up. “A few of my scouts have told me Cliodhna has been spotted closer and closer to Scotland’s coast. Someone claimed to see her in the Tay River. You were right, Theo. She’s definitely not letting this go.”
“Do you think by coming after the royal family, she’s going to get some sort of leverage?” Pippa bit her lip as she started to think aloud. “No offense, Theo, but that has to be the only reason she’s still obsessed with you.”
“A royal target is a valuable one.” Emmett agreed.
“The citizens of the water fall under my rule,” Calum said, “but only technically. They answer to their own gods and laws, laws that are older than the land itself.”
“Then why go by water at all?” Theo countered. “Would it be safer to try and go by land?”
“It’s not possible to go by land or water,” Emmett explained. “Scotland has thirty thousand lochs and over two thousand rivers. Calum is right. The safest bet is to accept the escort some of the water folk are willing to give us and travel right under Cliodhna’s nose.”
“Where she least expects you.” Pippa chimed in.
Theo nodded slowly, trying to process all the information coming at him at once.
“So that’s it?” Theo sounded a little more hopeful, looking directly at Calum. “We travel by water to sneak past Cliodhna, get to the Minch, and ask the Blue Men what the exact language of the curse was?”
“That’s it,” Calum agreed. “The Blue Men should escort you back to Edinburgh afterward. Then we’ll regroup.”
Theo suddenly realized that Calum wasn’t coming with them, and his chest tightened.
For some reason, even when Calum introduced Pippa and Emmett as his traveling companions, he’d assumed Calum would come with them. He couldn’t imagine handling a trip of this magnitude without his brother, especially since they’d only just gotten to meet.
“You’re going to stay behind?” Theo’s voice cracked slightly. Calum gave Pippa and Emmett pointed looks, and they quickly excused themselves with as much tact as possible. Calum stood up and crossed to where Theo was sitting on a small settee, taking the place next to him.
“I want to go with you.” Calum sighed heavily.
“Gods above and below, I want to come with you. It breaks my heart to send you away from Edinburgh, from my home, where I can keep you safe.” His eyes were wet with tears.
“But I want you with me for the rest of our lives, Theo, and that means breaking this curse.”
“I want that too.” Theo started to cry. “I’m scared, Calum. I’ve spent most of my life living in fear, but suddenly this feels more real than it ever has before.” Calum put his hand on Theo’s back and started rubbing wide circles.
“I know. I need to stay behind to coordinate our best efforts from here. If you need more support on your travels, I can arrange it. I’m also waiting on responses from a couple of sea deities from across the continent to see if they have a perspective on this curse that we haven’t thought of.”
“Surely, you can handle that if you come with us?” Theo pleaded, but Calum shook his head.
“If I go with you, then there is no chance of us slipping past Cliodhna undetected. My travels are well documented and very public. If I leave Edinburgh, every magical resident in the country is going to know about it.”
“Oh.” Theo suddenly felt like a toddler who was crying over something inconsequential. “I hadn’t thought about that. Of course, of course. You have to stay.” Theo tried to make it sound like he was unbothered, but he failed miserably.
“Bràthair beag.” Calum pulled Theo into a tight embrace. “We’ll figure this out. Then you can come home, for real. We can be a real family, and I’ll never let you out of my sight again, if you can handle it.”
Theo’s cracked heart split wide open, and he started to sob into Calum’s shirt. He gripped his older brother tighter, who only returned the strength of his embrace. They sat there together until Calum’s shoulders shook, and Theo realized he was crying too.
Neither brother wanted to let go, and finally, Theo was all cried out.
“Oh gods,” he chuckled dryly, pulling away. “I don’t think I’ve cried like that since I was a babe.”
“That’s all right.” Calum squeezed his shoulder. “It’s what family is for. Now, let’s forget about the formal dinner and order takeaway. You can show me the human PlayStation you enjoy so much. In the morning, you’ll depart with Pippa and Emmett.”
Theo smiled shakily, unable to stop from hugging his brother one more time.
“Already commanding me around like a subject, huh? All right, Your Highness.” Theo laughed. “I can’t believe you were stuck exclusively in the mortal world for years and never picked up a video game.”
“I was preoccupied!” Calum scoffed.
“Whatever,” Theo laughed. “I’m going to kick your ass at Tomb Raider.”