Chapter 52 #2
She tried to push herself up, but a sharp pain in her side stopped her, drawing a hiss from her lips. The sudden jolt grounded her. It was all real. The drowning weight in her returned, and with it, the image of his face, the one she had seen every time she dreamed.
Vaelric. He had been there again. Watching her. Chasing her. Sorcha shifted uncomfortably on the cot, her eyes flicking to Cat, who sat perched at her feet.
“Did you see him?” she asked quietly, her voice edged with unease.
“On the bridge. Did you see who it was?”
Cat paused mid lick, his silver eyes lifting to meet hers. His expression was unreadable, his twin tails twitching erratically.
“I saw someone,” he said at last, his tone low. “But the shadows were thick. I couldn’t see his face.”
“It’s him,” Sorcha whispered, her voice trembling. “It’s the same person who’s been after me whenever the wisps appear. Vaelric, the Dark Druid.”
At the mention of the name, Cat hissed, his ears flattening as his tails lashed violently. His silver eyes flared, and a string of curses in a language she didn’t recognize escaped his mouth. He recoiled slightly, his gaze snapping to Kyron, who stood stiffly by Sorcha.
“What’s going on?” Sorcha asked, her brows furrowing as she looked between them.
“Why are you reacting like that? What aren’t you telling me?”
Cat’s silver gaze shifted back to her, his frustration barely restrained. “Vaelric,” he said, spitting the name like a poison.
“Of course, I’ve heard it. Everyone in the Otherworld has.”
Sorcha’s chest tightened. “Why?”
Cat’s voice grew tighter, laced with anger. “He’s draining magic, Sorcha. Sacred beings, the gods forgotten children, creatures tied to the Veil itself. He’s ripping life from them, twisting them into husks, all to fuel his own power.”
Her breath caught, and her hands tightened on the blanket draped over her legs. “Kyron told me he was stealing power from the half gods…And my parents? Is that why he turned them?”
Cat’s glare snapped to Kyron, his silver eyes narrowing dangerously. “What has he told you?” he snapped, his twin tails whipping through the air.
“Enough,” Kyron said, his voice steady but defensive.
“She knows what happened to her parents. She knows Vaelric drained them and turned them into those monsters… that she had to kill. She knows that he’s stealing power Cat.
That I’m from the Tuatha, I’m here to protect her.
But I didn’t know about the rest, not the sacred creatures or the children. I told her what I could confirm.”
Cat let out a bitter laugh. “Didn’t know? You can’t protect her by keeping her in the dark, Kyron. You’ve only made it worse.”
Kyron’s jaw tightened, his blue eyes darkening. “I wasn’t keeping anything from her. I told her what I knew, what I could prove. It sounded like whispers, not truth.”
“They aren’t whispers,” Cat hissed, his voice low and dangerous.
“Vaelric isn’t just building power. I’m telling you, he must be building an army.
He’s not satisfied with draining sacred creatures or the gods and anything else tied to the Veil.
He’s using that power he takes to strengthen himself and the Fomorians, to take back what he thinks was stolen from them by the Tuatha Dé Danann. ”
Sorcha’s stomach churned, her mind racing. “Why? What does he want?”
“To destroy the Tuatha, to destroy and conquer everything. Both realms,” Cat replied bluntly.
“He’s willing to poison both the mortal realm and the Otherworld to achieve his goal.
He’s already amassing an army, Sorcha. Every creature you’ve seen crossing into this world they’re either running from him or fighting for him. ”
Her heart twisted, the weight of his words pressing heavily on her chest. “But why me?” she asked, her voice breaking.
“Why is he after me?”
Cat’s gaze softened, but his frustration still lingered.
“Because of who you are, because of your bloodline, Sorcha. Your magic makes you a beacon, and he knows you’re one of the few who could stand against him.
Your father was the one to defeat Balor in the last battle.
If you rise to the occasion, then you could stand to defeat him.
Bres and Vaelric need to see that you don’t raise an army. You must fall.”
Sorcha shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “You knew this, and you didn’t tell me?” she snapped, her voice rising as she turned to Kyron.
Kyron stepped forward, his expression hard. “I didn’t know this,” he said firmly. “I suspected, yes, but I didn’t have proof.”
Cat scoffed, his tails flicking in irritation. “Your feelings for her clouded your judgment, Kyron. You should have told her everything, proof or not.”
“STOP IT!” Sorcha snapped, cutting them both off. She turned to Cat, her voice trembling but forceful.
“What are the creatures in the Otherworld saying?”
Cat’s anger simmered down slightly as he met her gaze.
“Bres and Vaelric have been traveling between realms. The sacred lands are being poisoned, and the creatures tied to them are disappearing, drained or twisted into monsters. Old gods have started reappearing, and now creatures of the Veil have started crossing into the mortal world, hoping to escape him, but there’s nowhere to run.
Vaelric’s power is growing, and with Samhain approaching, he’ll use the thinning Veil to expand his reach.
Create away for the creatures in the Veil to cross over.
The more he taints the Otherworld, the more he thins the Veil between these worlds.
Soon this world will be crawling with creatures. ”
Sorcha’s hands trembled as she clenched the blanket tighter, her mind spinning with the enormity of what she’d just learned.
She swung her feet over the cot, planting them on the cold stone floor. Pressing her weight into her legs, she stood slowly, the sharp pain in her side making her wince. “Shit, that hurts,” she muttered through clenched teeth.
Taking a few unsteady steps, she began gathering her belongings.
Kyron and Cat exchanged uneasy glances, prepared to step in. Sorcha caught their looks and shot them both a death glare.
“I’m going home now.”
Kyron opened his mouth to protest, but Cat beat him to it.
“You can’t just leave not in that state… can you?” His head tilted as he eyed her with faint disbelief.
“Watch me,” Sorcha snapped, brushing past them.
Blood trickled faintly behind her as she walked out the door, ignoring the burning ache in her side.
She made her way home without stopping, though much of the journey passed in a blur of sound and movement.
Her thoughts spun endlessly, replaying everything Cat had revealed and everything Kyron hadn’t.
The weight of what lay ahead pressed down on her, and the looming reality of Samhain keeping her focused.
When she reached her home, she threw the door open and slammed it shut behind her, leaning her entire body against it as she slid to the floor.
Her head thudded back against the wood, her eyes slipping closed.
She wasn’t sure how long she stayed like, lost in the storm of her mind until she stirred, rubbing at her temples and blinking at the dim light of the room.
The hearth was cold, the embers long dead.
Outside, the sun was sinking low, casting warm streaks of orange and red through the windows. She groaned, her muscles aching as she shifted against the door.
Gods, how long did I just sit here? My head is killing me.
Using the door to push herself to her feet, she winced as the pain in her side flared again.
This is going to leave one ugly scar.
She glanced down at the faint traces of blood seeping through her bandages and caught the stench of sweat clinging to her skin.
Manannán’s breath, I need a bath. What else could possibly—
The door slammed into the back of her head, cutting her thoughts short as she stumbled forward, cursing loudly.
“What in DAMNATION, Cat?!” she snarled, spinning to glare at the feline as he casually strolled inside.
Cat stopped mid stride, wrinkling his nose in exaggerated disgust. “Have you thought to bathe, dear? You smell horrid.”
Sorcha opened her mouth to retort, but her side throbbed, cutting her off as fresh blood seeped through the bandages. She groaned and pressed a hand against it, muttering under her breath.
I don’t have time for this. I need to fix this wound first then I’ll deal with everything else.
Moving to her vanity, she unwrapped the bandages carefully and used her runes to cleanse and patch the wound as best as she could.
The magic numbed the pain slightly, enough to give her some relief, but she still needed to clean herself properly.
Grabbing fresh clothes, she headed toward the bath.
The first sting of the hot water meeting her raw skin made her gasp, but the pain ebbed as she sank deeper into the tub.
Finally, for the first time all day, the tension in her shoulders began to ease.
She let out a soft sigh, leaning her head back against the rim of the tub, closing her eyes.
“MEEOOW”
Her eyes snapped open to find Cat perched smugly on the edge of the tub.
“Cat, for the love of—what are you doing in here?”
“Checking on you,” Cat replied, his voice innocent, but the smirk tugging at his lips said otherwise.
“Cat. Privacy,” as she pointed to the door.
“Privacy?” Cat said, cocking his head. “I’m not looking at your body! By the Gods Woman, I’m concerned about your mental state.”
Sorcha groaned, sinking further into the water until it lapped at her chin. Of all the creatures to be cursed with… She resisted the urge to scream and instead fixed him with a death glare. “Please. Get. Out.”
Cat sat there, unmoving, his tail swishing. “Is this better?” he asked, turning to face the door but remaining firmly planted on the tub’s edge. “This is just ridiculous, you know?”
Her face burned red, equal parts mortified and enraged. “NOW, CAT!” she yelled, pointing furiously at the door.
With an exaggerated sigh, Cat hopped down and padded toward the door.
The door closed behind him and Sorcha exhaled deeply, her hands coming up to rub her face.
For a brief, blissful moment, the silence returned, and she let herself sink deeper into the warmth of the water.
In this moment things felt normal, even if it was only a moment, she was grateful for it.
As she emerged from the tub, sleep beckoned her, as terrifying as sleep felt.
She looked to Cat “Will you stay with me tonight?”
Cat whispered, “Always, Sorcha.” He padded over to her bed and waited for her to finish dressing before settling in beside her. “Goodnight, Sorcha,” he murmured softly.