Chapter 39 A Glimpse of the Void
A Glimpse of the Void
“We’ll meet after shifts at the Tavern?” Sorcha asked her fellow Circle members, her hands sweaty as she tugged at the ends of her sleeves.
Eirin nodded. “Of course, we’ll see you then.” “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, princess.”
Drystan winked, a devilish grin cracking his lips.
The rest of the Circle nodded, some voices murmuring as they dispatched for the day.
Sorcha exhaled slowly as her eyes closed, a wave of relief washing over. By her feet Cat was circling, amusing himself with sprays of water from the falls. Kyron placed a hand on her shoulders, his hand warm, her eyes fluttered open and her gaze locked with his.
“You ready to go?” he asked, his eyebrow raising. “Yeah, let’s get going.”
Sorcha and Kyron had been assigned to patrol together, a first since he arrived.
Their route was farther south than she’d ever been for a patrol, heading to the woodlands of Na Crainn Fána, where the Fiodh Abhainn River met the ocean.
Nestled between the Hollow’s towns and Glenn na Mara, far to the eastern edge, it was a half day’s ride just to get there.
Sorcha had tried, in vain, to convince Cat to stay behind, but the stubborn creature refused, even going as far as climbing into her bag.
She packed her saddle bags, punching each item into her bag, her brows knitted together as a rose color crept to her cheeks. The thought of carrying Cat in her bag on horseback while patrolling was less than ideal.
“It’s going to be a long day,” she muttered to herself.
Kyron glanced at her, arching a brow as he noticed Cat poking his head out of the bag slung over her shoulder. “Are you seriously taking Cat with you?”
She shot him a look, pointing at the feline.
“I tried, okay? He keeps biting me and follows me everywhere. What would you do?”
Kyron rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
Then, with a shrug, he offered, “If he’s going to be with you all the time, maybe you should get something made for him like a basket attached to the saddle or a bigger saddlebag. Just saying.”
Sorcha let out an exasperated sigh.
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice. It’s been three days, and Cat already runs things.”
Kyron chuckled, which only fueled her annoyance.
Without a word, she grabbed the end of her loaf of bread and chucked it at his head.
“Ow! Did you—” Kyron paused, staring down at the hunk of bread at his feet. His expression shifted, caught between disbelief and laughter.
“Did you just THROW bread at me?!” A burst of laughter erupted from him, his voice tinged with exaggerated disbelief.
“Seriously, what’s this thing made out of? Gods, maybe we could arm the Circle with it? Our enemies would never see it coming!”
Sorcha doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Cat, not to be outdone, let out a series of sounds like half growls and half chirps that resembled a warped version of laughter. It sent Sorcha into another fit of giggles.
Kyron shook his head, still chuckling as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Okay, it was funny, but it wasn’t that funny. Get it together, you two. We have a long ride ahead of us, and at this rate, we’ll never get there.”
Still grinning, he mounted his horse and waited as Sorcha regained her composure.
She stuck her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse settling into the saddle.
Cat meowed loudly as he tousled around in the bag as she began riding.
After a few minutes they were through the gates, heading toward the mysterious woodlands of Na Crainn Fána.
The ride was quiet, Sorcha thoughts were loud in the silence.
From the evening her blade struck her parents to Emry’s death and Riona’s words to her, the tears that threatened to break free against the gentle breeze were imminent.
They spilled silently but as quickly as they fell she wiped them away with back of her sleeve looking to Cat to avoid Kyron’s gaze.
Cat seemed to enjoy the wind in his face, lapping at the breeze and basking in the sunlight.
But as they approached Na Crainn Fána, the sky began to darken with gathering storm clouds.
Sorcha could sense the shift in the air, and it wasn’t long before Cat noticed it too.
Letting out a comically dramatic whine, he ducked his head into the bag.
Sorcha chuckled softly as she closed the top, though Cat still managed to peer out through a small gap at the side.
Kyron gently pulled back the reigns on his horse to ride side by side with Sorcha.
“Something seems to be on your mind, I can tell by the distant look you’re wearing.”
Sorcha’s shoulders dropped as she hunched over slightly, letting out a loud exhale. She didn’t want to talk about it all, at least not her parents; that wound was deep and would surely be her undoing today. Riona flickered across her mind again.
“I know you haven’t known me for long,” Sorcha began, her voice tinged with unease.
“But Riona was my best friend. I mean… she is, or maybe she was? I don’t even know anymore.”
She sighed, her vision fixed on the path ahead. “We were so close, we shared everything from the
moment we met at Druid School.”
Her voice grew quieter as she continued.
“She didn’t even say goodbye. I wanted to give her space, I really did, but every time I tried to be there for her, it was like she was pushing me away.”
Sorcha trailed off, lost in her thoughts. Then, after a long pause, she murmured, “I’m sorry. I know I’m ranting”
Kyron glanced at her, choosing his words carefully before speaking.
“It sounds like you feel abandoned,” he said gently “Like you deserved an explanation, a reason why. And maybe you did. But have you considered that maybe she just… couldn’t give you one?
From what you’ve said, it sounds like her pain might have been too deep, like saying goodbye might have made it worse, not better. ”
His gaze shifted to the storm clouds ahead, as if searching for the right words midst the rolling gray.
“If you two were as close as you say, then there’s probably a good reason.
Maybe she just didn’t have the strength to face you.
And who knows? You might see her at Samhain.
If you do, I’d approach her gently. Give her the space she needs to explain when she’s ready. ”
Sorcha fell silent, her mind swirling with Kyron’s words. She hadn’t stopped to consider Riona’s perspective, that maybe saying goodbye had been too painful for her.
The thought left Sorcha with a pang of guilt for her earlier resentment. Just as she was about to ask Kyron more about his past, the rain began to fall.
At first, it was a gentle pitter patter, the earthy scent calming as the wind blew softly around them.
But as Na Crainn Fána came into view, the wind picked up, swirling violently and causing the trees to sway in what could almost be described as a frantic dance.
The rain turned needle-like, stinging Sorcha’s face as it pelted her skin.
They urged their horses forward, riding faster to find the cover of the trees and some reprieve from the storm.
By the time they reached the edge of the woods, the thick canopy broke up the rain, and the wind became less fierce.
The river that flowed through the land was raging, its thrashing waters threatening to spill over its banks at any moment.
Kyron and Sorcha decided to leave their horses on higher ground before continuing on foot.
The woods felt dark, shadows lurking in the trees.
Sorcha’s chest tightened as unease crept over her, her nightmares flooding back, visions of the Fomorian that had chased her and the unfamiliar woods that haunted her dreams. There was something…
calling to her from deep within the trees, it sent shivers through her body.
It was like Meadowrun. She turned to Kyron, fear flickering in her eyes.
“Kyron, I don’t think we should go in. This feels wrong.
I can’t explain it, but we can’t go in there,” she pleaded.
Kyron’s expression grew serious; concern etched across his face. “Sorcha, what’s going on? he asked, his tone steady. “We have to go in, we need to know if there’s decay here, and if there’s anything else, anything dangerous. It’s important.”
His voice was calm but resolute, and Sorcha searched his eyes for any sign of hesitation or doubt.
There was none. She took a shaky breath, trying to push down the rising dread in her chest. Maybe she was letting her nightmares get the best of her, allowing them to cloud her judgment.
She couldn’t let that happen, not now, not when her work was at stake.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she steadied herself and nodded.
“Okay,” she said quietly, her voice firmer this time. “Let’s go.”
With that, they stepped into the woods, the dense shadows swallowing them as the storm raged on outside.
As they entered the woods, nothing seemed ominous at first. The gentle chirping of birds filled the air, accompanied by the soft crunch of fallen leaves underfoot, trees shedding their coats in preparation for winter.
The steady rhythm of rain pattering against the canopy and forest floor created an almost peaceful atmosphere.
But there was an unusual amount of movement on the forest floor, rustling and scattering in all directions.
They froze, listening. The sounds grew louder, animals running…
no, stampeding. A massive formation of elk and deer barreled through the trees, their hooves thundering against the earth.
The ground seemed to vibrate beneath them.