Chapter 5 #3
She taps a pointed nail delicately on the end of her chin. “I think you called it Ireland now. But we called it something else …”
“Eire.” The name slips from my lips, and Luna whirls towards me.
“You know the olde names?” She asks, surprise raising her brows.
“My mother raised me on them.”
For the first time since I’ve met her, the real her, a genuine smile spreads across her face. And she’s devastating. Like an ethereal goddess, come to life before me.
“I always liked your mother.”
Her words have an answering smile blooming on my face.
“Did you know her well?” Suddenly, all my questions about witches, ancient lands, and practices of long ago are replaced by questions of my own history.
“Your mother and Odessa were the closest things to friends I ever had. It was difficult to help her leave this place.”
My back stiffens as my mouth drops open in shock.
“You know why she abandoned the throne?” My words lower in volume, as if my shame of her absence sucks the life out of the question.
“Abandoned? No.” Luna glares at me from under lowered lashes. “Your mother didn’t abandon her duty. She was always supposed to come back after they had found what they were looking for.”
That’s new information.
“They? Both my parents?”
Luna’s eyes seem to glaze over as she searches the recesses of her memory. “Yes.”
“What did they seek?”
“They sought answers. But she didn’t confide in me the question. There was a threat to their safety and future. Specifically from your father’s family, but I always thought it was more than that.”
I knew it.
I knew her absence had to do with protecting me or my dad. It was the only thing that ever made sense. But to hear it, to know she had planned to come back, eases some of my guilt.
“Do you—do you know who my father’s family was?
” I’m practically hyperventilating at all the information I’m learning about my parents.
The ground beneath me is spinning, and I lean against the table for support.
Some of the crystals rattle as the table shifts under my weight and Luna throws a wary glance at them.
“No.”
Her answer has my breath stalling in the back of my throat as all my hopes for answers turn to ash.
“No? You just said she left because of them.”
“I don’t know the specifics, girl. It was a century ago and your mother kept their identity close to her chest. But I know they were powerful and did not want your father with her. Much of our kingdom didn’t seem to trust him either, because he was an outsider.”
“Outsider? You mean human?”
A sharp laugh rips through the room. The edge of it is sharper than the stone hanging in murderous points from the ceiling.
“Have you seen your father? He was definitely not human. No human man looks that desirable.” My mind suddenly conjures up images of Lachlan.
“Lena! Luna! Are ye alright?” His voice echoes down the stone entrance and into the room. As if my thoughts alone summoned him.
“Yeah, we’re fine!” I shout, moving away from the table and closer to the passageway.
“Did ye find what you’re looking for?”
“Umm, maybe! We’ll be right out!”
I turn back to the table. Luna has her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she studies me.
“I guess we can grab a few books to pick through. I want to take one of the crystals too, in case we come across something in one of the books. That way, we don’t have to come back in here every time we need to check. ”
Luna shakes her head. “The crystal is dangerous. You shouldn’t touch it.”
“It’s only dangerous if I drop it.” I ignore her words and reach to grab a small crystal that is a much paler green than the rest of the decanters. But a stinging slap has me reeling back in shock as Luna bats my hand away.
“You’re not listening! Look—the crystal houses venom.” She nudges the crystal vial with the spine of a book. No venom spills out, but the liquid inside sloshes around.
“I think it’s safe to handle. It didn’t burn through the book like it does in its fluid state. And we need it to study closer.” I hiss, ripping the book from her grip and grabbing another to use as a way to pick the vial up without using my hands. “See, all safe.”
Luna huffs and throws her hair over a thin shoulder before stalking to the opening. “Suit yourself then, your majesty.”
It’s a triumph not to stick my tongue out at her back. But it’s immensely difficult to shimmy my way back through the rock with the crystal balanced on top of the book, and I’m immensely proud of myself when I make it through without dropping it. Until I see Lachlan’s face.
“Key, what the hel is that?” His face is twisted into a near snarl. He takes a step back out of pure reflex.
The light shining in through the room makes the crystal look radioactive.
The lime green glows as if leeching its poison into the air.
But the color of it is familiar. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve seen this exact shade of green before.
Maybe not as bright, but there’s something about this particular hue that tugs at my mind.
Luna rests a hand on her hip. “Your queen doesn’t listen very well.”
Lachlan turns towards her and a single brow arches. Not wanting to be in the middle of that standoff, I chime in.
“This is what Odessa and Julius were studying.”
“Aye. Anything interesting?” He turns back to stare at the crystal still balanced on the book.
“They had loads of these crystals and books about crystals. And … Mina accidentally broke one of the vials that had asphidra venom in them.” I grimace before I can even finish explaining that everything is fine due to the alarm spreading across his face.
“WHAT?”
Luna rolls her eyes. “It’s fine, calm down.”
Lachlan breathes sharply through his nose, his face still bright red, and I know he is a second away from turning that wrath onto her.
“It was an accident, and she’s right. Totally fine.” I beam at him, trying to prove my point. Lachlan’s dark hair crosses over his eyes as he shakes his head in an attempt to clear it. And after a calming breath, he asks, “So, do ye think they were using the venom to create weapons?”
My eyes shift warily to Luna, and she shrugs. “Possibly, but we hadn’t discussed it yet.” Her tone is curt and icy. Can she not? He’s barely staying calm. It’s like she enjoys poking him on purpose.
“We brought the crystal out here to see it better, and we’re going to grab more of the books to study. Can you hold this while I go back for more?” I hold the book out towards him, and he grits his teeth while reaching out carefully to take it from me.
“Aye, but hurry back. You’ve missed lunch, and I’m sure ye willna want to miss dinner, too.”