and the pond of fish.
“What did you think? Do you like your new home?” Riona asked.
“It’s breathtaking,” Cedar admitted. “More beautiful than I could have imagined.”
Riona beamed. “I’m so glad,” she said. “Now come with me, we’ve arranged a little welcome party for you.”
“A welcome party? But shouldn’t we—” Cedar stopped, not wanting to mention Nuala around Eden.
“We’ll deal with that, yes,” Riona said with a knowing nod. “But there are many people who would like to see you first.”
Cedar gave Finn a look, but he just shrugged and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I think this will help us,” he said. “The more people we share our story with, the better.”
He had a point. The Council hadn’t seemed to care too much about their side of things, but if they could get enough people to support them, the Council members might be more inclined to listen.
They climbed back through the door that led to the common room. In the short time since they’d been there, it had been completely transformed from a cozy sitting room into an expansive atrium flooded with light. Bright banners hung from the ceiling, and a trio of instruments hovered in the corner. No one was playing them, but delightful music flowed from that part of the room, and the instruments quivered and swayed in time with it. Tables filled with food and drinks lined one long wall, and Cedar’s stomach growled at the tantalizing smells. “Whoa…,” Eden breathed, looking around with an open mouth.
In between the music and the tables was a crowd of people. A loud cheer went up when Cedar, Finn, and Eden entered the room. Cedar looked back at Riona, who shrugged innocently.
“It’s a welcome party,” she said. “At first we thought it might be limited to those of us you already know. But then word spread, and, well…” She gestured at the crowd, all of whom were looking at Cedar with great interest. “You saved a lot of lives, Cedar. I know your reception at the Council was less than warm, but to most people, you’re a hero.”
Cedar stared around in amazement. She hadn’t expected a hero’s welcome, but the animosity she’d experienced at the Council had given her second thoughts about even being part of this world. It felt good to know that so many of the Danann wanted her to be here in Tír na nÓg. It was exactly what she needed.
“Did you know about this?” she asked Finn. He tried to look innocent but then broke into a wide grin. “I wanted today to be special for you,” he said. “It didn’t go exactly as I had planned, but… we still have a lot to celebrate.” He tugged her into the crowd, where Riona was waiting to make introductions.
“Wait,” Cedar said. Someone had caught her eye across the room. She pulled away from Finn and made her way over to where Anya stood against the wall. “Hello, Anya,” she said.
Anya smiled at her, but her face was heavy with grief. Cedar couldn’t blame her. It had been only a few weeks since she’d lost her son Oscar in the battle against the Merrow. “Hello, Cedar,” Anya said. “I’m sorry about your loss. I know that Maeve meant a lot to you and Eden.”
“Thank you,” Cedar said. “How… how are you doing?”
“As well as can be expected, I suppose. It’s difficult to see all of these souls who were brought back to life after Lorcan’s death, knowing that my son will never be one of them. But he died for a noble cause. I see that now,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve heard about Nuala and how the Council is thinking of making her our queen. I, for one, will die before that happens. You
must
challenge her, Cedar.”
“We will, somehow,” Cedar assured her, not knowing what else to say. “We’ll figure out a way to stop her.”
Anya looked at her quizzically. “‘Figure out a way’? You mean you’re not planning to claim the throne?”
“Is
that
what people are expecting?” Cedar asked. “Rohan
“What did you think? Do you like your new home?” Riona asked.
“It’s breathtaking,” Cedar admitted. “More beautiful than I could have imagined.”
Riona beamed. “I’m so glad,” she said. “Now come with me, we’ve arranged a little welcome party for you.”
“A welcome party? But shouldn’t we—” Cedar stopped, not wanting to mention Nuala around Eden.
“We’ll deal with that, yes,” Riona said with a knowing nod. “But there are many people who would like to see you first.”
Cedar gave Finn a look, but he just shrugged and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I think this will help us,” he said. “The more people we share our story with, the better.”
He had a point. The Council hadn’t seemed to care too much about their side of things, but if they could get enough people to support them, the Council members might be more inclined to listen.
They climbed back through the door that led to the common room. In the short time since they’d been there, it had been completely transformed from a cozy sitting room into an expansive atrium flooded with light. Bright banners hung from the ceiling, and a trio of instruments hovered in the corner. No one was playing them, but delightful music flowed from that part of the room, and the instruments quivered and swayed in time with it. Tables filled with food and drinks lined one long wall, and Cedar’s stomach growled at the tantalizing smells. “Whoa…,” Eden breathed, looking around with an open mouth.
In between the music and the tables was a crowd of people. A loud cheer went up when Cedar, Finn, and Eden entered the room. Cedar looked back at Riona, who shrugged innocently.
“It’s a welcome party,” she said. “At first we thought it might be limited to those of us you already know. But then word spread, and, well…” She gestured at the crowd, all of whom were looking at Cedar with great interest. “You saved a lot of lives, Cedar. I know your reception at the Council was less than warm, but to most people, you’re a hero.”
Cedar stared around in amazement. She hadn’t expected a hero’s welcome, but the animosity she’d experienced at the Council had given her second thoughts about even being part of this world. It felt good to know that so many of the Danann wanted her to be here in Tír na nÓg. It was exactly what she needed.
“Did you know about this?” she asked Finn. He tried to look innocent but then broke into a wide grin. “I wanted today to be special for you,” he said. “It didn’t go exactly as I had planned, but… we still have a lot to celebrate.” He tugged her into the crowd, where Riona was waiting to make introductions.
“Wait,” Cedar said. Someone had caught her eye across the room. She pulled away from Finn and made her way over to where Anya stood against the wall. “Hello, Anya,” she said.
Anya smiled at her, but her face was heavy with grief. Cedar couldn’t blame her. It had been only a few weeks since she’d lost her son Oscar in the battle against the Merrow. “Hello, Cedar,” Anya said. “I’m sorry about your loss. I know that Maeve meant a lot to you and Eden.”
“Thank you,” Cedar said. “How… how are you doing?”
“As well as can be expected, I suppose. It’s difficult to see all of these souls who were brought back to life after Lorcan’s death, knowing that my son will never be one of them. But he died for a noble cause. I see that now,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve heard about Nuala and how the Council is thinking of making her our queen. I, for one, will die before that happens. You
must
challenge her, Cedar.”
“We will, somehow,” Cedar assured her, not knowing what else to say. “We’ll figure out a way to stop her.”
Anya looked at her quizzically. “‘Figure out a way’? You mean you’re not planning to claim the throne?”
“Is
that
what people are expecting?” Cedar asked. “Rohan
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