you—go back to Cahir Cullen. Make sure Beolagh and the others really do return. I must go and find Rioghan.”
“You are certain? We will wait—”
“There is no need. It is late enough already. Go and get your rest. I will return by dawn.”
Irial grinned, and then turned his horse to go. “If you do find her, it may be later than that. We’ll see to Beolagh for you. And I suppose you can always sleep tomorrow.”
The six riders cantered across the clearing and then started back down the road to Cahir Cullen, leaving Donaill alone on his horse before the softly glowing cave of Sion.
Chapter Five
Donaill waited, tense, until the other riders had gone. While Cath stepped and snorted beneath him, he listened closely and tried to search the darkness for any sign that Beolagh and his men might have slipped around and come back.
Suddenly Cath jumped forward and the horse’s head jerked up. Donaill swung the mount around, his sword raised, and watched as two small shadows moved slowly out from behind the looming dark mound of Sion.
Donaill closed his legs on Cath’s sides and reined him back firmly, causing the stallion to half rear. “Stop! You will come no closer to this place until I know who you are. Show yourselves!”
The shadows continued to approach. One leaned upon the other with what seemed to be great weariness, and then the pair moved into the glow of the hearthfire. “Donaill,” said a soft voice. “It is Rioghan. Rioghan and Kieran. Please…let us pass.”
Quickly Donaill backed his horse away and slid down to the ground. To his surprise, another pair of shadows reached out and took the reins: a duo of Sidhe. Cath went with them calmly and disappeared into the darkness.
“They will care for him,” whispered Rioghan. “Come inside with us.”
She walked out into the clearing, and stopped. Near the entrance to the cave lay the still gray body of one of her dogs.
“I am so sorry,” Kieran whispered. “I was not fast enough—or strong enough…”
She looked away, then briefly patted his arm. “Do not think of it now. We will do what needs to be done for Garda later. You are safe, and that is most important.”
Slowly, still leaning on Kieran, her face pale and her hands trembling, Rioghan walked to the entrance of her home and drew aside the black cowhide curtain. “Come inside,” she said again, and Donaill followed her inside the softly lit cave.
“Please, Lord Donaill…sit down beside the fire while I see to Kieran.” Rioghan led the young Sidhe to the sleeping ledge and made him sit down in the thick straw so she could tend him. Her two dogs Cogar and Scath settled in on either side of the Sidhe, and he leaned his head back against the ledge and rested his arms comfortably on the animals’ shoulders.
“I can see that you are very weary, Lady Rioghan,” said Donaill, sitting down on a cushion in the straw near the hearth. “Are you all right? What may I do for you?”
She smiled. “I am well, and I thank you for your question. I am always weak when I have been forced to use the magic of the earth, the little that is mine to command. I will soon recover.” With a quick glance around the cave, she noted with relief that all was as she had left it. No intruder had set foot inside her home this night.
Rioghan picked up a little stack of firewood and took it to the hearth. “Kieran,” she began, as she built up the fire, “you are a young man of the Sidhe, as clever and strong as any in your clan. How is it possible that six loud and clumsy men were able to capture you?”
Kieran said nothing, but his eyes shifted to Donaill sitting by the hearth near the entrance to the cave. In the silence, Rioghan moved to the far end of her little home. There she filled a small bronze cauldron with fresh water, and gathered a few strips of clean white linen.
“Mil and Ceo were walking here to Sion, as they always do each night, to tidy it and bring what might be
“You are certain? We will wait—”
“There is no need. It is late enough already. Go and get your rest. I will return by dawn.”
Irial grinned, and then turned his horse to go. “If you do find her, it may be later than that. We’ll see to Beolagh for you. And I suppose you can always sleep tomorrow.”
The six riders cantered across the clearing and then started back down the road to Cahir Cullen, leaving Donaill alone on his horse before the softly glowing cave of Sion.
Chapter Five
Donaill waited, tense, until the other riders had gone. While Cath stepped and snorted beneath him, he listened closely and tried to search the darkness for any sign that Beolagh and his men might have slipped around and come back.
Suddenly Cath jumped forward and the horse’s head jerked up. Donaill swung the mount around, his sword raised, and watched as two small shadows moved slowly out from behind the looming dark mound of Sion.
Donaill closed his legs on Cath’s sides and reined him back firmly, causing the stallion to half rear. “Stop! You will come no closer to this place until I know who you are. Show yourselves!”
The shadows continued to approach. One leaned upon the other with what seemed to be great weariness, and then the pair moved into the glow of the hearthfire. “Donaill,” said a soft voice. “It is Rioghan. Rioghan and Kieran. Please…let us pass.”
Quickly Donaill backed his horse away and slid down to the ground. To his surprise, another pair of shadows reached out and took the reins: a duo of Sidhe. Cath went with them calmly and disappeared into the darkness.
“They will care for him,” whispered Rioghan. “Come inside with us.”
She walked out into the clearing, and stopped. Near the entrance to the cave lay the still gray body of one of her dogs.
“I am so sorry,” Kieran whispered. “I was not fast enough—or strong enough…”
She looked away, then briefly patted his arm. “Do not think of it now. We will do what needs to be done for Garda later. You are safe, and that is most important.”
Slowly, still leaning on Kieran, her face pale and her hands trembling, Rioghan walked to the entrance of her home and drew aside the black cowhide curtain. “Come inside,” she said again, and Donaill followed her inside the softly lit cave.
“Please, Lord Donaill…sit down beside the fire while I see to Kieran.” Rioghan led the young Sidhe to the sleeping ledge and made him sit down in the thick straw so she could tend him. Her two dogs Cogar and Scath settled in on either side of the Sidhe, and he leaned his head back against the ledge and rested his arms comfortably on the animals’ shoulders.
“I can see that you are very weary, Lady Rioghan,” said Donaill, sitting down on a cushion in the straw near the hearth. “Are you all right? What may I do for you?”
She smiled. “I am well, and I thank you for your question. I am always weak when I have been forced to use the magic of the earth, the little that is mine to command. I will soon recover.” With a quick glance around the cave, she noted with relief that all was as she had left it. No intruder had set foot inside her home this night.
Rioghan picked up a little stack of firewood and took it to the hearth. “Kieran,” she began, as she built up the fire, “you are a young man of the Sidhe, as clever and strong as any in your clan. How is it possible that six loud and clumsy men were able to capture you?”
Kieran said nothing, but his eyes shifted to Donaill sitting by the hearth near the entrance to the cave. In the silence, Rioghan moved to the far end of her little home. There she filled a small bronze cauldron with fresh water, and gathered a few strips of clean white linen.
“Mil and Ceo were walking here to Sion, as they always do each night, to tidy it and bring what might be
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