and went to check on Becca. She tapped softly on the door. When there
was no response, she eased it open. The cailín still slept, but Siobhan was
pleased with the girl’s appearance this morning. Her face had some real color
in it instead of the pallor and bruising of days past. The only shadows under
her eyes were cast by her long lashes.
****
“He has not bound
her,” the female sighed.
“Nor has the
covenant been consummated,” said the male.
“He cannot go ’til
it is done. He cannot tempt fate this time.”
“What about me?”
With the third
voice, the others grew silent.
“I know you hear me.
Why won’t you answer?”
Still silence.
“Please? Just tell
me what’s going on. Is this a dream?”
One finally broke
the silence with a sharply indrawn breath.
“Do not,” the female
chided.
“I must lest all go
for naught,” the male argued. “Child of the Mortals, ’tis no dream we weave.
You have journeyed long through Imrama Anam . You have been returned to An Domhan to fulfill
your destiny.”
“My...destiny? Oh, these
are very good drugs.” Becca choked on a giggle.
“Child, the veil
closes. Our time here is short. You must listen. You must be who you have
become, else the you who was will be no more.” The man was insistent.
“Oh, that’s as clear
as mud. What are you talking about?”
“Seek within your
heart, Child,” the woman murmured. “Seek with your heart to find what is
missing.”
“Your fate is tied
to his, Child, and his to ours. Do not fail us.”
****
Becca woke up
feeling light-headed and with a mouth tasting like cotton. Her stomach growled
loudly reminding her of how terribly hungry and thirsty she was, as if she’d
gone days without food.
“Other than a bit o’
broth and my potions, there’s no telling how long it’s been, cailín,” Siobhan
chirped at her.
She stared at the
older woman. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Read my mind.”
Siobhan smiled. “No
mind reading, cailín. I heard your wee tummy complaining all the way over
here.” She watched for a brief moment. “What troubles you, Becca?”
She wasn’t sure she
wanted to discuss it just yet, but she had too many questions without answers.
This woman was kind to her and seemed to take many things in stride. Besides,
she lived in this century, and Becca didn’t. She really needed some answers.
“Siobhan, what is Imrama Anam ?”
The older woman took
a step backward. “Why do you ask, cailín?”
She shrugged. “I
heard it mentioned somewhere, and I don’t know what it means,” she dissembled.
“Methinks you would
do well to seek counsel with Odhran,” Siobhan said softly, watching through
narrowed eyes. “You can trust me, Becca,” she finally added.
Becca opened her
mouth to speak, but stopped. If this wasn’t a dream, and she was back in
medieval times, they’d probably burn her for a witch if she spoke of her life
in the twenty-first century, not to mention those mysterious voices echoing in
her head.
Siobhan remained
quiet, giving her ample opportunity to speak, then smoothed over the silence
when it stretched too long. “Would you like a bath, cailín? At the very least,
you need a change of clothes. That dress wasn’t meant for sleeping.”
Becca blushed. “I
would love a bath,” she said, wondering that such would be possible. She was
woefully ignorant of this life. “But I really need to, um...” Her hands
fluttered in a vague gesture.
Siobhan grinned.
“Can you find your way?”
She nodded, her face
now flaming. Siobhan opened the door and she fled down the hall, gainfully
trying to ignore the guard hard on her heels. She made it to the garderobe and
took care of business. The guard waited for her, but she steadfastly refused to
look at him as she skittered back to her room. Stepping through the door, she
was suddenly reminded it wasn’t just her room.
That devastatingly
handsome man who was so much a part of this fantasy banged about
was no response, she eased it open. The cailín still slept, but Siobhan was
pleased with the girl’s appearance this morning. Her face had some real color
in it instead of the pallor and bruising of days past. The only shadows under
her eyes were cast by her long lashes.
****
“He has not bound
her,” the female sighed.
“Nor has the
covenant been consummated,” said the male.
“He cannot go ’til
it is done. He cannot tempt fate this time.”
“What about me?”
With the third
voice, the others grew silent.
“I know you hear me.
Why won’t you answer?”
Still silence.
“Please? Just tell
me what’s going on. Is this a dream?”
One finally broke
the silence with a sharply indrawn breath.
“Do not,” the female
chided.
“I must lest all go
for naught,” the male argued. “Child of the Mortals, ’tis no dream we weave.
You have journeyed long through Imrama Anam . You have been returned to An Domhan to fulfill
your destiny.”
“My...destiny? Oh, these
are very good drugs.” Becca choked on a giggle.
“Child, the veil
closes. Our time here is short. You must listen. You must be who you have
become, else the you who was will be no more.” The man was insistent.
“Oh, that’s as clear
as mud. What are you talking about?”
“Seek within your
heart, Child,” the woman murmured. “Seek with your heart to find what is
missing.”
“Your fate is tied
to his, Child, and his to ours. Do not fail us.”
****
Becca woke up
feeling light-headed and with a mouth tasting like cotton. Her stomach growled
loudly reminding her of how terribly hungry and thirsty she was, as if she’d
gone days without food.
“Other than a bit o’
broth and my potions, there’s no telling how long it’s been, cailín,” Siobhan
chirped at her.
She stared at the
older woman. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Read my mind.”
Siobhan smiled. “No
mind reading, cailín. I heard your wee tummy complaining all the way over
here.” She watched for a brief moment. “What troubles you, Becca?”
She wasn’t sure she
wanted to discuss it just yet, but she had too many questions without answers.
This woman was kind to her and seemed to take many things in stride. Besides,
she lived in this century, and Becca didn’t. She really needed some answers.
“Siobhan, what is Imrama Anam ?”
The older woman took
a step backward. “Why do you ask, cailín?”
She shrugged. “I
heard it mentioned somewhere, and I don’t know what it means,” she dissembled.
“Methinks you would
do well to seek counsel with Odhran,” Siobhan said softly, watching through
narrowed eyes. “You can trust me, Becca,” she finally added.
Becca opened her
mouth to speak, but stopped. If this wasn’t a dream, and she was back in
medieval times, they’d probably burn her for a witch if she spoke of her life
in the twenty-first century, not to mention those mysterious voices echoing in
her head.
Siobhan remained
quiet, giving her ample opportunity to speak, then smoothed over the silence
when it stretched too long. “Would you like a bath, cailín? At the very least,
you need a change of clothes. That dress wasn’t meant for sleeping.”
Becca blushed. “I
would love a bath,” she said, wondering that such would be possible. She was
woefully ignorant of this life. “But I really need to, um...” Her hands
fluttered in a vague gesture.
Siobhan grinned.
“Can you find your way?”
She nodded, her face
now flaming. Siobhan opened the door and she fled down the hall, gainfully
trying to ignore the guard hard on her heels. She made it to the garderobe and
took care of business. The guard waited for her, but she steadfastly refused to
look at him as she skittered back to her room. Stepping through the door, she
was suddenly reminded it wasn’t just her room.
That devastatingly
handsome man who was so much a part of this fantasy banged about
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