Shadowmagic - Sons of Macha by John Lenahan Page A

you.’ He kicked his horse away but as he did he said, ‘That’s just an added bonus.’
    We took the main road out and travelled three abreast. On my left was Graysea and on my right was Essa. No one said a word. I was even afraid to shift in my saddle lest the noise break the agonisingly painful silence. Dad looked around and didn’t even try to stifle his chuckle. This was going to be a long, long trip. I thought, maybe if I’m lucky I’ll die a horrible death on Mount Cas. At least then I’ll be saved from a trip home with these two.

Chapter Six
The Yew House

    W e travelled like that for a day and a half. No one said a word. Anybody who knows me understands that I’m uneasy with uncomfortable silences. This was pure torment. I thought my head was going to explode. On the first night I ate and went straight to bed. I was hoping I could get to sleep quickly so I would have someone in dreamland to talk to, but sleep wouldn’t come. I was sharing a tent with Araf and still wasn’t asleep by the time he came to bed. I was so desperate for conversation I said, ‘Say something.’
    â€˜What would you like me to say?’ he answered, without the puzzlement in his voice that he should have had.
    â€˜I don’t care – anything. You can tell me about crop rotation if you want.’
    â€˜Really?’ he said, with more excitement than I have ever heard from him before.
    â€˜Yes, anything.’
    So off he went babbling on about plants and seeds and hoeing and dirt and bugs. He was so wrapped up in his subject I’m sure he didn’t notice me nodding off with a smile on my face. Anything was better than the silence I had been enduring sandwiched between the icy glares of those two women.

    I got a reprieve the next day when Essa dropped back to have a planning chat with Tuan.
    Graysea startled me when she spoke. ‘Do you still care for her?’
    â€˜Who?’ I said lamely.
    â€˜Conor, I’m stupid but not that stupid.’
    â€˜You’re not stupid,’ I said, ‘you’re the cleverest mermaid I know.’
    â€˜And how many mermaids do you know?’
    â€˜Well, that’s not the point.’
    â€˜No it’s not,’ she said. ‘The point, which you seem to be avoiding, is whether or not you still have feelings for Essa.’
    â€˜Well, that’s complicated.’
    â€˜And you think I am too stupid to understand. Is that it?’
    â€˜No,’ I said looking around hoping that a pack of wolves would attack and get me out of this conversation. ‘Essa and I have a history.’
    â€˜You still haven’t answered the question,’ she said and then mercifully continued so I didn’t have to. ‘I just don’t understand. When you were on the island with me she was engaged to that Turlow fella – right?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜So she is mad at you for being with me when she was engaged to somebody else. That doesn’t seem fair.’
    â€˜Well, ah …’
    â€˜And she hits you all the time.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t know about all the time … but often.’
    â€˜And is it true that last summer she tried to kill you?’
    â€˜She … she didn’t try to kill me,’ I stammered, ‘she was just part of a plot to have me killed.’
    Graysea shook her head and sighed. ‘And people think I’m stupid.’ She kicked her horse and sped ahead.
    Gosh, I thought, when you add it all up like that she had a point. Araf had silently sidled up next to me. I turned to him and said, ‘What do you think, big guy?’
    â€˜About what?’
    â€˜About my women problems?’
    â€˜I think,’ the Imp said, ‘I was more comfortable with questions about crop rotation.’

    I got another reprieve that night when they both ignored me. Essa finally came up to me after dinner. A firefly sat on her shoulder illuminating one